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USA, Boston - Reasons to visit

Sunday, 11 March 2007

Boston is a city rich in history where there is so much to do on and off the tourist trail. It is easy to navigate your way around on the subway system known as "the T" so I have included the stops here too.

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The weather is so changeable. A place that can get so hot in summer when you can drive up to New Hampshire to the beach or to Walden Pond for a swim. Then Fall / Autumn when the leaves around the whole of New England would turn the most amazing shades of orange and red, true to the picture post cards. I wasn't quite prepared for winter and the full snow storms and freezing winds when we had to dig our car our, but boy was it an experience. Spring time in Boston, was a marvel in itself too. The flowers begin to bloom after the snow has melted and the sun starts to warm the footpaths. If you are lucky enough you may even see the tulips peeping through the last remains of snow as we did.

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AREA	ABOUT
Downtown	All the major shops are here like H&M, Filenes Basement and Macys. From here you can start walking on the Freedom Trail which will give you a general historical overview of Boston - from Boston Common and into the Financial District, through Fanuiel Hall marketplace and the North End then ending in Charlestown, you can experience all the different areas Boston has to offer. Any visitor should go to the museums like the Museum of Fine Arts with art from all eras and all around the world and the Isabella Stewart Museum, a private house with an amazing collection of art and a truely beautiful courtyard garden.
Back Bay	Exclusive shopping, fancy dining, posh hotels and stunning old terrace houses. Wander around and do some window shopping along the famous Newbury and Boylston St and detour to the Prudential Centre and Copley Place for more everyday shops. Stop off at the cafes, clubs and pubs for a bite to eat and some interesting people spotting. The John Hancock tower and beautiful old churches like the Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library are also great photo opportunity places to see.
Beacon Hill	Cobblestone streets, beautiful old mansions and exclusive shops will draw you into the area for hours. You can find the famous "Cheers" Pub here where the television show was based on.
Fenway Park	Fenway Park is Boston's famous basball pitch. Home of renowned Babe Ruth and the the Boston Red Sox team who won the 100th World Series game in 2004 - the first win since 1918 and one the die hard fans and Bostonians will never forget! If you are in Boston, you just have to go to a game.
Charlestown	Found on the Boston Harbour, what was a home to mainly an Irish-American population (have you seen the movie Mystic River which was based here?) is now a bustling inner city hub. Try some trendy restaurants like Todd English's Olives for fabulously expensive food and a great ice-creamery are here, but most people just come to see the USS Constitution warship and the Bunker Hill Monument.
Cambridge	Home of MIT, Harvard University and always buzzing with young people. Harvard Square is the main hub next to the Harvard University where all the students, locals and tourists all gather. Shops, cafes and buskers all so close together add to the general buzz you will get here, especially in Summer. You can buy a pass to see all the museums attached to Harvard University including ancient and modern art, photography, and native artifacts. One exhibition I found fascinating was in the Harvard Museum of Natural History which houses a permanent exhibition of glass flowers, made in the late 1800's and used by botanists today as they are so true to the real plants. Central Square is the seedier end of town but there is always something happening and some new bars were opening here when we left
The Charles River	There is always something happening on the river front which winds all through Boston. See people riding their bikes on a path right through from Cambridge to the city, buskers in the parks, summer marets and tourists photographing the bridges. Enjoy the tranquility right in the city.
North End	Boston's "Little Italy". The oldest residential area of Boston and home of the best Italian food on Hanover St you can find outside of Italy. Try the famous Giacomo's restaraunt - you may have to queue but it is worth it. The area is always buzzing with chilled out people wandering in and out of cafe's and restaurants. For the real tourist, you can see Paul Revere's house here and the Old North Church too.
South End	A newly upgraded area where Ben Affleck hails from. More off the beaten track but still with great restaruants and clubs, you really have to know where you are going before wandering off as it is so spread out...