Best Soho New York Tours

New York's Soho district is world famous for its trendy restaurants and exclusive shops. It is synonymous with glamour and a must-visit if you are a lover of new gastronomic trends.

Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

10 min read

Best Soho New York Tours

New York Buildings | ©Jens Karlsson

Soho had its beginnings as a mainly industrial area and was not always a fashionable neighbourhood as it is today. For decades it was the chosen neighbourhood for the establishment of factories and was where immigrants from Europe came to New York to stay. There are a lot of tours to get to know Soho, these tours are one of the best things to do in New York.

You can choose between private tours (just for you and your group) or general tours, you can also choose between tours just of Soho or tours that include other points of interest as well. There are many options available! Here are some of the best tours to get to know Soho.

Soho, Little Italy and Chinatown Tour

Chinatown in New York| ©Alejandro Mallea
Chinatown in New York| ©Alejandro Mallea

This is one of the best Soho tours in New York, because it also includes a visit to the traditional neighbourhoods of Little Italy and Chinatown. On this tour you will learn about the history of the three neighbourhoods from a local guide.

You will have the opportunity to learn about the turbulent history of these areas when the mafia ruled the streets of lower Manhattan. It's a very comprehensive tour at a very convenient price.

Details of interest of the Soho, Little Italy and Chinatown Tour

  • Price: The price is approximately 35 euros per person.
  • Duration: the tour lasts approximately 2 hours.
  • Means of transport: the transport from one place to another, depending on the company providing the service, can be done by the company's own means of transport or by public transport. Most of the tour is on foot.
  • Advantages of this option: it is a tour that develops a lot of historical content.
  • Disadvantages of this option: sometimes it is difficult to get a reservation if it is not done in advance.

Book a tour of Soho

Private tour visiting Soho, Chinatown and Little Italy

Entrance to little italy| ©Shutterstock
Entrance to little italy| ©Shutterstock

This tour of Soho in New York City is a private tour, so the guide is exclusive to you and your group. This type of private tour gives you the possibility to focus on the points that are most interesting to you without having to worry about it.

You have the opportunity to transform it into a gastronomic tour of the area, because your guide will give you tips on where to eat. You will also be able to try some of the specialties of the cuisine of these neighbourhoods during your visit, food and drinks are not included in the price.

If Chinese food is one of your favourites, don't miss the opportunity on this tour and delight yourself eating in one of the best restaurants in Chinatown, you won't regret it.

Details of interest of the Private Tour visiting Soho, Chinatown and Little Italy

  • Price: the price is around 80 euros per person, depending on the company.
  • Duration: the tour lasts 2 hours.
  • Means of transport: most of the tour is on foot.
  • Advantages of this option: you can book this tour with an English speaking guide.
  • Disadvantages of this option: meals and drinks are not included and when visiting the main restaurants and bakeries it can be expensive if you are not in control.

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Private, personalised walking tour of the Manhattan neighbourhood

Greenwich Village| ©Felix Stahlberg
Greenwich Village| ©Felix Stahlberg

This is an excellent tour to get to know Soho and other iconic areas of New York. As this is a private tour, you get to see the different attractions at your own pace and avoid crowds of people. This tour includes a private guide for you and your group.

As this is a personalised tour, you choose where to go and how much time to spend at each location. You can also choose the meeting point or even be picked up by car from your hotel. On this tour you can choose to visit Greenwich Village, another of New York's must-see sites.

Interesting details about the Private and Personalised Manhattan Walking Tour

  • Price: the price is around 61 euros per person, taxes and fees included.
  • Duration: the tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
  • Means of transport: the tour is on foot, but you can ask to be picked up by car from your hotel.
  • Advantages of this option: it is a personalised tour, you will visit what interests you.
  • Disadvantages of this option: the length of the tour may not be long enough to see everything there is to see in Manhattan.

Guided, private, luxury SUV tour: the best of New York including Soho

Touring Soho| ©artgb
Touring Soho| ©artgb

On this tour you can relax and forget about the hassles of public transport because you'll be in an SUV car just for you and your group.

You have two different tour options, one that includes only Lower Manhattan and lasts 3 hours and another 5 hours where you can add the highlights of Upper Manhattan to your itinerary.

With this tour you will get to know the best of New York's Soho. By private vehicle you will be able to do all the shopping you want in Soho's exclusive shops, without worrying about carrying your bags.

Interesting details about Guided, Private, Luxury SUV Tour: The Best of New York including Soho

  • Price: The basic price is around 700 euros.
  • Duration: The duration is approximately 3 to 5 hours, depending on the type of tour you choose.
  • Means of transport: The tour is in a luxury SUV.
  • Advantages of this option: It is a personalised tour and you don't have to walk a lot or use public transport.
  • Disadvantages of this option: The price can be high if you are travelling on a budget.

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How to book a tour of Soho in New York City

New York City Buildings| ©Alejandro
New York City Buildings| ©Alejandro

The best way to book a tour of Soho in New York is to do it online on the website of one of the specialist companies. Always choose reputable and reliable websites.

One of the things to look for when booking tours online are reviews from previous customers, to get a better idea of the quality of the company and the tours offered.

Duration of the best Soho tours in New York City

Seeing the Time| ©Vincent Rivaud
Seeing the Time| ©Vincent Rivaud

The duration of the tours to New York Soho is between 2 and 5 hours, depending on the other activities that are included in the tour.

It is best to choose tours that include other areas of interest as well to see the highlights and then if you have more days in New York you can revisit those places that you liked and want to visit with more time.

Tips to keep in mind in New York's Soho area

Famous flat from the movie Ghost in NY| ©LeAna
Famous flat from the movie Ghost in NY| ©LeAna

Soho is an area where you will find the best fashion houses in New York, so if you plan to go shopping, either in a group or on your own, avoid carrying cash. All major shops accept credit or debit cards and it is safer for you to opt for these methods of payment. You should plan your shopping trip well and keep in mind that Soho is one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in New York.

Take advantage of your visit to Soho to browse its wonderful art galleries. You will find both established artists and talented new artists exhibiting their work in Soho.

As for safety, you should take the same precautions as in all other areas of New York. Just because Soho is an exclusive area does not mean that it is free of problems, although one of the great advantages is a greater police presence that discourages bad behaviour.

If you want to plan your first trip to New York and avoid making mistakes, follow these tips for visiting New York, which will help you have an amazing trip.

What are the advantages of taking a guided tour of Soho?

Streets of New York's Soho| ©Hayden Crackett
Streets of New York's Soho| ©Hayden Crackett

The advantages of taking a guided tour of New York's Soho are many. The main one is to see the less touristy places and get useful tips from the local guides. If you tour Soho on your own, you will miss out on details about the off-the-beaten-path places that only locals know about.

This can also happen with other areas of New York, where a guided tour is recommended to get an overview and then if you want to go deeper on your own. In the case of New York's Soho, it is particularly important, because if you are planning either a shopping trip or an art-focused trip, the guides will give you valuable information. Based on that information, you can then go back and delve deeper into what interests you most.

If it's your first visit to New York, it's always best to opt for guided tours. New York City is huge and with over 20 million people it can be overwhelming the first few days of your trip.

To avoid getting lost and to get the most out of the city, it makes sense to book guided tours. If you don't know where to start, you can begin to organise your itinerary by zones, choosing the best neighbourhoods in New York and depending on your selection, book the tours that most interest you.

New York's Soho must-sees

Wooster Street Sign| ©Joaquin
Wooster Street Sign| ©Joaquin

Now that you know what the best tours are, how long they last and that you have an overview of the advantages of taking a guided tour of New York Soho, make sure that the tour you choose takes you to see the following places.

Shopping on Whooster Street

If you're on a shopping trip, Soho's Whooster Street is the place to visit. It's where you'll find the shops of the best and most famous high fashion brands. It's also where the most famous stylists have their shops

It's a small street, but it's where the city's main shops are concentrated.

Visiting New York's historic Soho area

Soho is known for its shopping, but it has much more to offer. It is a historic area of great interest not only in New York City, but also in the rest of the United States due to its distinctive architectural style.

The cast-iron structures of the buildings, which emerged as a cheaper building alternative in the late 18th century, give the area a distinct feel. There are around 500 preserved historic buildings and the authorities are very strict about the preservation of the historic architectural heritage.

Businesses choosing to locate in Soho must comply with a detailed building conservation plan. Otherwise, they are not allowed to move into Soho.

Soho in the movies

New York City has been and continues to be the setting for many famous films and series. Soho is no exception. The film Ghost, starring Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze, was set in New York's Soho. The flat where Molly (Demi Moore's character) lived is located at 102 Prince Street.

The series Sex and The City also had many of its main scenes filmed in Soho. Charlotte's character worked in an art gallery in Soho, a place that exists in real life and is located at 141 Prince Street.

If you want to know more places that were the sets of movies or series in New York City, don't miss the 10 best locations of series and movies in New York.

Book a New York City Film and Series Tour

New York's Soho tour for those with a sweet tooth

If you have a sweet tooth and a sweet tooth, you can take a tour of Soho, sampling the best sweets New York has to offer. Some of the best bakeries in New York are in Soho.

At the Little Cupcake Bake Shop you can sample some of the best cupcakes and cheesecakes in New York and some of the best in the country.

If you want to try something out of the ordinary at the Dominique Ansel Bakery, located at 189 Spring Street, you can have a cronut, a house speciality that's a mix of croissant and doughnut.

Eating in New York's Soho

New York's Soho is home to some of the city's best restaurants, such as the famous Balthazar, a restaurant specialising in French cuisine, considered one of the best in the United States.

Perhaps you've been travelling so much that you've been longing for a good Spanish meal, in Soho you'll be able to eat dishes with a Spanish flavour. La Boqueria is a chain of restaurants in New York, with several branches offering tapas and typical Spanish dishes on the menu.

How long does it take to get around New York's Soho?

Soho buildings| ©Joel and Trish Chong
Soho buildings| ©Joel and Trish Chong

Locals say that you never get to know Soho. It's one of New York's most dynamic areas, always setting trends whether it's fashion, food, art or nightlife.

There are always new things to see and do in Soho. Even if you travel to New York several times, you'll find that Soho always has something different to offer.

If you want to get to know Soho in general, you'll find that it's not a very extensive area to walk around, one day is enough to do it. A good option is, as I said, to take a guided tour to see the most basic attractions and locate the places of interest in Soho, and in the following days you can go deeper into what you like the most on your own, shopping, eating, visiting art galleries, things that you can't do in a tour of just a few hours.

Soho's nightlife is some of the most vibrant in New York City and I recommend that you set aside at least one night for a night tour. Remember when going out at night in New York, take extra safety precautions and always try to go in a group to minimise the chances of trouble.