Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England. It is one of the most historic, influential, and wealthy cities in the United States. More than 16 million visitors arrive annually to explore the city’s museums, historic sites, and abundance of live performances. Boston is ranked among the top ten most popular tourist destinations in the United States.
Cambridge and Brookline are not officially part of Boston, but they are closely linked to it functionally.
Each neighborhood in Boston has its own character and unique features. Downtown is a tourist mecca with numerous attractions, serving as the city’s business and shopping center. Black Bay is home to the city’s most luxurious districts. Beacon Hill boasts original brick buildings, contemporary with the city, and old gas lamps. Boston’s Chinatown is the fourth largest in the country.
Boston Attractions and Entertainment
The best way to explore the city is by neighborhood:
- Cambridge: Harvard Square, Harvard University, and MIT; Numerous cafes, restaurants, and shops; Harvard Yard; the Museum of Natural History with a large collection on the nature and geology of North America.
- Northern Quarters: The Witch Museum and the House of Seven Gables, where Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel of the same name unfolded.
- Charleston: Charleston Navy Yard, one of the country’s main shipbuilding centers; the open-air Boston Shipbuilding Museum, home to the oldest ship in the US Navy, the USS Constitution; the Rope Yard; and the picturesque Charleston Bridge.
- Beacon Hill: The Massachusetts State House; the Old South Meeting House, which in 1774 served as the starting point for the famous Boston Tea Party.
Symphony Hall, a Boston landmark. Also of interest are the Kennedy Library and Museum, the Prudential Tower complex with its Skywalk Observatory on the 52nd floor, the New England Conservatory of Music, and the Huntington Theatre.
The so-called “Freedom Trail” runs through the city. This 5-kilometer walking trail takes you past all the city’s historical monuments and most interesting sights.
