I don't know anywhere else that epitomizes the spirit of urban glamour, culture and adventure quite like New York City. If you only visit one big city before you die, let it be the Big Apple. If you plan to travel to more than one, well, then come here first. Here are the ten reasons why.

1.  History
New York is awash with sites of genuine historical significance, from Ellis Island to the streets of the East Village. For a vivid introduction to the depth of history, visit Brooklyn's Pieter Claesen Wyckoff House, the beautifully preserved dwelling of a 17th century Dutch settler.

2.  Architecture
The Manhattan skyline is undoubtedly the best known in the world, with the Chrysler Building, the Seagram Building, and the Woolworth Building all touchstones for various architectural schools. For me, though, Manhattan's real charm is the delightful visual oddities like the triangular Flatiron (Fuller) Building and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim museum.

3.  Art
If it seems criminal to pass over the world-beating collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then lock me up - I only do so in order to recommend a place of truly great artworks, the Museum of Modern Art. I promise, there isn't another collection of modern masters to rival it.

4.  Restaurants
New York's unique multicultural heritage means cuisines from Asia, Europe and even Africa jostle for space alongside contemporary American restaurants. For unadulterated NYC bliss, you can't beat a pizza pie oozing with melted cheese downtown around Greenwich Village or Little Italy.

5.  Entertainment
The first time I heard a space cruiser coming in to land over my shoulder at one of the state-of-the-art cinemas at Times Square, I knew that I never wanted to see a movie anywhere else. My girlfriend keeps telling me that apparently there are pretty good live shows playing on a little street near there named Broadway.

6.  Sights
Okay, so these are all a little impersonal, but they lack in charm they make up for in swagger!  The Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, Fifth Avenue and Times Square are truly iconic sights, familiar from hundreds of movies and TV shows. Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall, the New York Stock Exchange - you had better tell me when to stop!

7.  Nightlife
Bars and nightclubs are everywhere across the city. You don't know what a scene is until you've checked out the Lower East Side: The bars along Ludlow Street are a great place to start.

8.  Districts
There are dozens of neighborhoods to explore, each with its own special vibe - from Greenwich Village and Soho to the more rarefied heights of the Upper East Side, and that's before even leaving Manhattan Island.

9.  Shopping
Barneys, Bloomingdale's, Saks and Macy's - names that are a recommendation in themselves are synonymous with NYC.  Whatever other retail interests you have, from boutique to bookstore, the city comes good  and then some.

10.  Accommodation

Finally, let's note that New York offers accommodation for every budget and type of traveler - from a cozy apartment down in SoHo to a luxury townhouse near Central Park.

This tidbit of real travel advice was contributed by Bart Bennett.