Charles River, Boston © Boston Tourist Board
Why? The main reason to choose a holiday in Boston is the
city's vast historic importance, it being one of the oldest cities
in the country and, for many generations, home of the social elite.
Boston has been dubbed 'the Athens of America' because of its great
cultural, political and economic influence as well as being
renowned for its superior higher education institutions.
When? Autumn is a good time to travel to Boston with
comfortably warm, sunny weather, ideal for walking around the city.
Many enjoy a Boston holiday in winter, when crisp, frigid days can
make the city glitter in the frosty air. For the rest of the year
the weather is unpredictable, and the humidity can be very high in
summer.
Who for? A holiday in Boston will appeal to history lovers
and/or cultural tourists who will revel in the plethora of museums,
art galleries, libraries and diverse interesting neighbourhoods.
Many also travel to Boston specifically for events like
performances of the Boston Pops Orchestra, the renowned Boston
Marathon or annual Harbour Fest.
More Info: Our Boston travel guide contains a wealth of
information for anyone planning a holiday in Boston, with daily
updated details of all the attractions, events, excursions and top
restaurants in the city.
Overview
As one of the oldest settlements in the USA and the largest city
in New England, Boston has plenty of historic culture. Yet with
over 50 colleges and universities situated in the greater Boston
area there is a youthful vibrancy that adds a different dimension
to the historic charm of the city.
Cambridge lies across the Charles River and is the largest
college town in the world, synonymous with Harvard University
founded in 1638. The neat ivy-covered brick buildings of the
university grounds, as well as the labyrinth of twisting streets in
Boston centre and the historical buildings in the old-world
neighbourhoods are best explored on foot. Boston refers to itself
as the ‘Walking City’ and is a remarkably compact city
that is centred on the country’s oldest public park, Boston
Common. The Information Centre in Boston Common is the starting
point for two of the city’s main attractions, which are in
fact walking tours. The Freedom Trail explores the city’s
revolutionary past and the birth of the modern American Republic,
while the Black Heritage Trail highlights Boston’s place in
black American history and its role in anti-slavery.
Boston is an easy blend of historic charm and modern
conveniences with a busy street life and beautiful architecture,
green parks and gardens, skyscrapers and modern freeways, museums,
galleries and colonial churches. Boston is home to the first public
library, the first public school and the first subway system; it is
the site of the Boston Tea Party that started the Revolutionary
War, and is the location of the Cheers bar, made famous by the
popular TV sitcom Cheers. Boston is also the city from
whence both planes that crashed into the World Trade Centre on 11
September 2001 originated, and many of those who died were local
residents, a tragedy that thus hit the city particularly hard.
