The Beauty of Beantown

Venture deep into New England’s cornerstone city to experience all its angles – from tony spots with centuries of history to unabashedly youthful districts

Home to Harvard University, a harbor once filled with tea in protest of taxation, perfectly synchronized crew teams plying the Charles River, and an iconic version of cream pie, Boston is a city of unique neighborhoods. From brick-lined enclaves to chic wharf-side districts, this city packs a world of culture and history across these eight iconic areas.

Known for Newbury Street’s art galleries, boutiques, and theaters, the Back Bay neighborhood is also rich in green space. The Public Garden is loved by everyone from couples to families and tourists. Lunch with the Newbury Street crowd on the patio at Saltie Girl – it’s the spot for oysters and people watching – is a classic area activity everyone should try once. If cured meats are more your style, The Salty Pig, a cheese and charcuterie bistro, serves everything from sausages to terrine and rillettes.

With its cobblestones, leafy squares, and brick townhouses, social media can’t get enough of pretty Acorn Street in Beacon Hill – a neighborhood that was home to Boston’s first African American community. Stop by the Museum of African American History for an informed look at early Black activism in America. Through an archway and down an alley, discover delightful Beacon Hill Books & Café. Nearby, Gus & Ruby caters to creatives with art prints and apothecary. For vintage clothing, Covet has everything from 1970s caftans to designer handbags.

Evenings are a great time to visit the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, which is open until 10 p.m. every Thursday and Friday. The galleries are less crowded, so you don’t have to elbow your way to see Monet’s Water Lilies. Nearby, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum showcases an extraordinary collection of art in a Venetian-style palace with an enclosed garden courtyard. Here, too, is Fenway Park – arguably Boston’s most important cultural institution.

Pre-game, go to Trillium, one of the city’s most recognizable craft beer brands for one of its New England-style (hazy) IPAs.

This area includes the historic harbor as well as Seaport, Boston’s current “it” neighborhood. At Seaport, The Superette features high street shops while The Current is a seasonal pop-up village of local boutiques. From its long-time perch on Atlantic Avenue, the James Hook & Co. shack/trailer is the place for a lunchtime lobster roll with a harbor view. Row 34 shines for its classic New England seafood and chef-y dishes like sumac-glazed monkfish. And it’s always a party at Committee, featuring modern Greek meze, cocktails, and a very tasty lamb burger.

The city’s oldest neighborhood, this has been Boston’s historic Italian enclave since the late 1800s. Neptune Oyster draws legions for its raw bar, lobster rolls, and signature cornbread with smoked bluefish. In an elegant townhouse overlooking North Square, Mamma Maria focuses on refined Italian cuisine like fall-apart tender veal osso buco.

For quiet magic, visit the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain and its naturalized landscape and majestic collection of trees. Tres Gatos is a cozy community-minded restaurant and bookstore specializing in tapas and excellent paella. Neighboring Roxbury is on the upswing; so too is Bully Boy Distillery, which boasts a collection of award-winning whiskey, rum, and gin. There are weekend distillery tours and a swanky bar to taste its spirits in cocktail form.

Once a refuge for immigrants, South End has a well-heeled bohemian vibe that is awash with top-notch restaurants and some of Boston’s best design-forward businesses. Check out Lekker Home for globally sourced kitchen products and SAULT for preppy New England clothing. Catch jazz at Beehive, a sultry subterranean space with cabaret tables.

Part of the Greater Boston area, the city of Cambridge is famously home to Harvard University. Explore the Harvard Museum of Natural History, especially its Glass Flowers Gallery, a marvel of 4,300 glass botanical models. Head to the Charles River to watch the crew teams practice or compete, or browse Harvard Book Store and old-timey tobacconist shop Leavitt & Peirce. Stop at L.A. Burdick for hot chocolate. While Cambridge has plenty of watering holes, Russell House Tavern offers modern gastropub fare like confit chicken wings and polenta fries to go along with its brews. Detour from New England fare at Sumiao Hunan Kitchen, which gets raves for its sleek decor, elaborate cocktails, and mouth-numbing dishes like “Beef on Fire.”