Among other things, New York City is a cultural icon. Be it in film, games, or cinema, the Big Apple is inescapable, and instantly recognisable, the world over. In fact, New York based comedy Seinfeld was recently named ‘funniest sitcom ever’, according to a poll commissioned by Vanity Fair magazine and 60 Minutes.

Its sights are much beloved to many who have never even seen the city. People who have yet to set their eyes upon the Statue of Liberty, or have taken a stroll down Broadway, recognise the many grand sights of the city, made famous on shows like Sex and The City, Friends or Mad Men.
Got a travelling sitcom or drama fan in your life? He or she may be interested in experience gifts such as the Sex and the City Tour.

We’ve picked four of the most popular and easy to get to Big Apple filming locations. Making a TV show pilgrimage? Here are some spots you might want to visit.

Show: Mad Men
Mad Men harks back to another golden age, describing the lives and times of New York’s Madison Avenue oldschool. The series centres around Don Draper, an ambitious, somewhat mysterious and guarded ad exec carving out a name for himself in the cutthroat world of American advertising. After his marriage takes a turn for the worst, Don makes a move from the suburbs back into New York, bringing him closer to his work, but no further from his chequered past…

Location to see:
Don Draper’s Apartment (exterior)
136 Waverly Place, Greenwich village, NY 10014

Show: Sex and the City
Love it or hate it, Sex and the City is insanely popular for good reason. Maybe because it’s addictive and strangely fulfilling, like junk food. Telling a story (that spares few details) of the fortunes of four young New York socialites, SATC centres around the life of Carrie Bradshaw, the surprisingly deep and occasionally hotheaded writer who lives and works in Manhattan.

Location to see:
Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment (exterior)
64 Perry Street, New York, 10014.

Show: The Sopranos
Asides from its intense popularity, The Sopranos is one of the most critically acclaimed television dramas in the world today. Why has it done so well? Maybe it’s the immaculately delivered morality tale that pries into the lives of the New Jersey Mafia. Maybe it’s the strangely likeable hero/antihero and head of the clan, Tony Soprano, pouring out his feelings to his therapist. Maybe it’s the occasional bits of ultra violence that break up the plot. Either way, the show has hooked millions, and we can see why.

Location to see:
The Bada Bing Strip Club
230 Route 17 South : Lodi, NJ

Show: Friends
Few sitcoms have done so well as Friends, with the names Joey, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and Monica probably going down in TV history. Friends is the usually lighthearted insight into the lives of a group of usually broke and usually high spirited Manhattanites, and their strivings towards career satisfaction, the fulfillment of their love lives, and (in Joey’s case) food.

Location to see:
The Friends’ Apartment Building (exterior)
West Village: 90 Bedford Street, Manhattan, NY