City introduction
Not only is Boston one of the oldest cities in the United States, it's also one of the best cities to explore on foot. From Italian traditions at the North End to Boston's quintessential brick façade and New England charm, every corner is full of historical and cultural charm. First-time visitors to Boston will find something for every traveler — sports fans can go to Red Sox games, food lovers can sample fresh oysters at Boston's best restaurants, history fans can join the Freedom Trail walking tour, and relax in the public green spaces in the summer.
Boston is an intimate city, but its cultural breadth makes it feel like a larger center. Enjoy some of the best refreshments in the country in Chinatown and take a 15-minute walk to a seaside brewery. You can spend an afternoon visiting a world-famous art museum, an evening watching a Red Sox game, or start strolling through the Harvard campus and end up with a concert at the legendary House of Blues.
- Time zone : Eastern Standard Time (Daylight Saving Time, seasonal.) Dates are subject to change)
- Boston Common Park is the oldest park in the United States, dating back to 1634.
- Boston was the first city in the United States to build a subway, the Temont Street Subway in 1897.
- Another Boston first is Revere Beach, the first public beach in the United States.
- Baked beans, New England clam chowder, Boston cream pie, and lobster rolls are foods associated with the city.
- Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, is named after the lighthouse that once warned local residents to invade. Today, it is a protected historic district whose classic houses can be admired on a self-guided walking tour.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Boston is from May to November. Late spring and summer bring beautiful weather (temperatures close to 21 degrees Celsius in May and low temperatures around 26 degrees Celsius in July). Autumn in Boston is picturesque, with the campuses of Harvard, MIT and Boston University dotted with colorful foliage, with temperatures as low as around 20 degrees Celsius in September and around 15 degrees Celsius in October.
In late spring, you can watch the Blues and Celtics playoffs, but steer clear of graduation week in May if possible. Summer is very pleasant in Boston, not too hot, and tourists flood the city in June, July, and August, while student groups leave. Fall isn't the off-season, visitors will continue to come and students will begin enrolling, but visiting Boston in September and October offers the best weather. We recommend avoiding tours from November to April as these are the coldest and gloomy months.
traffic
Trains: Public transportation in Boston is provided by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and there are two types of trains: subway and commuter rail. There are 13 commuter rail lines, all of which take you to various suburbs of the city. Plus, there's a comprehensive subway — what Bostonians call a "T" — that runs through Boston and can easily take you to most of the city's major attractions and neighborhoods. There are four lines – red, blue, orange, and green – that are generally very easy to navigate. Find a map of the metro here.
You can buy CharlieCard, a reusable card that can be used on MBTA's trains and buses.
Buses: MBTA offers a large number of city buses, all numbered and serving different areas of the city. They also have silver line buses to Logan Airport, departing from the South Station.
Follow the next articleTop 8 must-see attractions in Boston!