With direct flights between Malaga and New York about to take off: what to eat, see and try in the Big Apple

The new direct flight route linking New York City with Malaga Airport and the Costa del Sol presents an unmissable opportunity to experience one of the most fascinating cities in the world.

From 2 June it will be possible to fly to the Big Apple, but flights will only be operational during summer, so prepare your ESTA and get that tourist visa sorted.

United Airlines. There will be flights from Malaga airport every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9.40 am during the summer season. Flight time: Eight hours and 35 minutes.

At what price? Ticket prices are fluctuate a lot. In a recent search for a trip departing on 13 June and returning on 21 June, the round-trip price was 580 euros with cabin baggage, rising to 680 if you check in luggage.

The options for getting to New York range from bus and train. The airport express bus takes travellers to various locations within the city including Grand Central Station, Bryant Park and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Times Square. All stops are connected to an underground station. This service operates from 5am to 1am every day of the year. They depart from Terminal A, B, C. The one-way adult fare is $18.7. Alternatively, you can take the train. The journey takes about 20 minutes and fares start at $5. The service starts at 0.17am and ends at 10.14pm.

What to eat: There is nothing more unique in this city, apart from the classic hamburgers in the most disparate fast-food brands, than the one-dollar pizzas you can eat on the street or the hot dogs in the street stalls.

Coney Island offers some of the best hot dogs around. But New York also offers the possibility of eating typical dishes from all over the world. For lovers of international cuisine, Brooklyn and Harlem are the places to be. Not forgetting the gastronomic range of Little Italy or Chinatown. Pancakes and pastrami bagels for breakfast are other must-tries.

Where to eat: At Dallas BBQ you can taste what are considered to be some of the best Texas-style ribs; eat at Shake Shack burgers, Nathan's hot dogs, or indulge yourself in the gastronomic market at Chelsea Market. For dessert, a cupcake from the famous Carlo's Bakery.

What not to miss: Travelling to New York is non-stop. You can't come back without having visited Times Square and Central Park, climb the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center, take the ferry to Statue of Liberty Island, where it's not worth getting off the boat to wait for the return ferry.

You must stroll along Walt Street and go to the bronze sculpture of the bull, created by Arturo Di Modica, to touch its parts for luck, and visit Ground Zero of the 9/11 attacks. There's also the Brooklyn Bridge and its dozens of souvenir stalls, Little Italy and Chinatown.

A stroll from Battery Park to the low-rise Chelsea neighbourhood at dusk is one of those unforgettable walks. And don't forget to stop off at the Museum of Modern Art, the Moma, the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Natural History, star of the film Night at the Museum, and walk along the famous Fifth Avenue with its Tiffany's shop window.

Shopping: As a city of contrasts, New York offers you the most famous factories and the most exclusive shops. Woodbury Common, Jersey Gardens and Empire Outlets are considered the best outlets where some people travel with empty suitcases to fill them with products from big brands at incredible prices.

The kids will be just as thrilled as the parents on a visit to New York because the options for fun are endless. A bike ride through Central Park, an afternoon at one of the city's skating rinks, a tour of the Natural History Museum reminiscent of the film Night at the Museum, a ride on the Roosevelt Island Cable Car or enjoying one of the oldest amusement parks in the United States, Luna Park, are just some of the options. Doll lovers should check out American Girl Place and museum lovers in New York have a special one for kids in Manhattan, with educational experiences, workshops and performances.

The best option for getting around the city is the underground, which connects the entire city from end to end, but as my own experience I recommend considering cycling. The network of bike stations is very extensive, with good prices and with bike lanes that allow you to move on two wheels without any problem, no matter how much traffic there is on the streets of this great city.