SoHo ("South of Houston") is best known for having the largest concentration of cast-iron architecture in the world, protected since 1973 as the SoHo–Cast Iron Historic District — 19th-century industrial buildings with ornate iron facades that once housed factories and now hold high-end boutiques, galleries, and flagship stores. Broadway and Prince/Spring Streets are the commercial spine; cobblestone side streets like Greene Street preserve the architecture best away from the retail crowds. It's a shopping-first neighborhood for visitors — expect crowds and premium prices rather than budget finds.
Greenwich Village, just east and south, has a very different character: a historically bohemian, artsy neighborhood of tree-lined, irregular streets that was home to Beat writers, folk musicians, and early LGBTQ activism, including the Stonewall Inn. Washington Square Park, anchored by its marble arch, is the neighborhood's social heart — street performers, NYU student life, and a large central fountain. The Village is also NYC's historic jazz-club district, with venues like the Blue Note and Village Vanguard still operating.