One of America's oldest and most important cities, Boston embraces its role as the "Cradle of American Independence." The well-marked Freedom Trail offers a fascinating walking tour of American history from the home of Paul Revere to historic Faneuil Hall Marketplace, a landmark collection of restored buildings. Boston is a beautiful city, too, with impressive public spaces and tangled, tree-lined streets. Several well-preserved historic areas span America's architectural landscape from the intimate, federal-style townhomes of Beacon Hill to the urban Victorian neighborhoods of the Back Bay. As the economic and cultural hub of New England, Boston is also a thoroughly modern city, with a thriving arts community, world-class museums, vibrant theater, upscale shopping, and many fantastic restaurants.
Nearby Cambridge, located just across the Charles River, offers another world of sites, restaurants, and eclectic shops to explore. Harvard Square, the nexus of Cambridge and Harvard, has long been a haven of Bohemian counter-culture and a popular tourist stop. Thousands of college students and young professionals lend the city a youthful, energetic appeal, helping it shed its reputation as a conservative town. Featuring in two hit television shows, Ally McBeal and The Practice, Boston has become a hip city!
