One of the US’s most loved export is the variety of movies that Hollywood offers every year. From rib-tickling comedies to gripping dramas and thrillers, Hollywood movies entertain and excite just about every kind of viewer. And one city that is particularly prominent in the movie landscape is the ever animated city of New York.

From Audrey Hepburn classics like Sabrina and Breakfast at Tiffany’s to the more recent Birdman, New York has been an unsung but memorable addition to amazing movies throughout Hollywood’s history. Since the ’90s TV shows like Friends, Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, Will and Grace, among countless others, have immortalised the city in their various storylines.

NYC’s brownstones and tall skyscrapers have been etched into our collective imagination painting a vibrant and dynamic picture of this bustling city. You’ve seen Times Square and the Empire State Building in so many different movies, that you instantly know and recall them despite having never been there. I decided to take the TCM Classic movie tour that took me to popular landmarks in Manhattan in an all-new Hollywood-approved way.

They’ve rounded up the most silver screen-friendly spots that city has to offer to create a single tour hosted by Robert Osborne of TCM. The three-hour bus tour was livened up with informative commentary, trivia and spot prizes by our tour guide Sarah. The Classic movie tour showcased over 60 filming locations including Columbus Circle, Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side, not to mention Zabar’s, the marketplace in You’ve Got Mail and even the famous Dakota Building that you may have spotted in films like, Hannah and Her Sisters and Rosemary’s Baby.

The bus then heads to the Upper East Side while crossing the gorgeous Central Park, which has been a canvas for countless scenes including the very first motion picture made in New York City.

Memorable pit stops on the tour include Holly Golightly’s apartment from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The picturesque townhouse is almost the same as it was all those years ago, making it the ideal selfie spot. Another halt is the Queensboro Bridge which Woody Allen fans will remember from the flick Manhattan.

Then it was time for the most famous Subway grate in the world that was immortalised by Marilyn Monroe’s flying white halter dress in the Seven Year Itch. The tour continues downtown where you’ll see iconic locations like the Plaza Hotel, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany’s, Rockefeller Centre and of course the majestic Empire State Building — a NYC icon that was scaled by none other than King Kong. The tour ends at the iconic and picturesque Grand Central terminal.

No matter what television show or movie you may love, there is a tour for you. From Sex and the City to Sopranos or Seinfeld and How I Met Your Mother and Gossip Girl, there is something for everyone.

At $41 for an adult, The TCM Classic Film tour takes place every week. Advance booking recommended.

Dhiram Shah  is the Mumbai-based founder of Luxurylaunches.com

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