St Mark's-in-the-Bowery is a box-like church on the corner of Second Avenue originally built in 1799 but with a Neoclassical portico added half a century later. In the 1950s, the Beat poets gave readings here, and it remains an important literary rendezvous, with regular readings, dance performances and music recitals, where you can often catch the likes of Lou Reed, Patti Smith and Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo do their thing.

Walk east along Tenth, past the old redbrick Tenth Street Russian and Turkish Bath , whose steam and massage services have been active back into the nineteenth century. Venture further east and you'll catch up with Avenue A, which will lead you south to the once-sketchy, now-safe Tompkins Square Park and which buzzes with thrift stores and trendy bars.

East toward Tompkins Square Park

• East toward Tompkins Square Park

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