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Overview
The arrival of the earliest pioneers near Salem in 1630 was the
shaping of Massachusetts as a state. Puritans arriving from an
England threatened with civil war came to set up a new colony,
intended to be an example to the world of a perfect human society
with rigid Protestant discipline and a devout way of life. This was
the beginning of New England and today it is made up of six states
including Massachusetts.
Boston has been the hub of the state since colonial times. The
state capital is full of history that can be traced back
through walking attractions like the Freedom Trail and the Black
Heritage Trail. Boston also boasts a wealth of culture thanks to
the prestigious presence of Harvard University and the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. To the east lie
the beaches of the Cape Cod Peninsula as well as the islands of
Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket that together form the
region’s most popular holiday destination, with historic
towns and plenty of walking and cycling opportunities. Inland
Massachusetts is much quieter with settlements having formed around
the fertile river valleys and in the Berkshire Hills to the west.
Development of the Berkshires began with the construction of the
railway from New York and Boston and it became a favourite summer
retreat for wealthy city folk as well as attracting artists and
writers. The region is now most famous for its vibrant summer
music, dance and theatre festivals, particularly the Boston
Symphony Orchestra that has its home in the huge Tanglewood Estate
in Lenox.
