Boston

United States·North America

Currency

USD

Language

English

Timezone

New York

Continent

North America

Our guide

Discover Boston

Boston is the most European of American cities: built before the car, and its centre shows it, with streets following old paths rather than a grid. The Freedom Trail, a red line laid in the ground over four kilometres, links sixteen sites of the American Revolution and gives a visit its spine. The USS Constitution Museum tells the story of the frigate launched in 1797, the oldest commissioned warship still afloat, berthed alongside it. The Museum of Fine Arts holds one of the country's great collections, and the Boston Public Library was the first free public library in the United States.

When to go

September and October: New England autumn justifies the trip by itself, and the city empties of students for part of the summer before filling again in term time. Spring is short and damp. Winter is hard, with snowstorms that stop the city a few days a year. Summer is warm and pleasant by the water.

Getting around

The T, North America's oldest subway, serves downtown and Cambridge; it is old and slow but sufficient. Boston walks remarkably well — it is the best way to see it, the Freedom Trail being followed on foot by definition. Ferries cross the harbour. Avoid a car: parking is expensive and the street layout inherits three centuries of improvisation.

Where to eat

Clam chowder is served in a hollowed loaf. Lobster is eaten in a roll, in a grilled bun, rather than as a plate. Baked beans gave the city its nickname. The North End, the Italian quarter, holds the best tables and the pastry shops. Exactly one halal address is listed — very few, and worth planning around if that matters to you.

Good to know

The US dollar is the currency, tax is added at the register and a tip of 18 to 20 % is expected. The city is compact but the neighbourhoods differ sharply in character. Winter asks for proper kit. And Boston holds more than a hundred thousand students: prices and atmosphere shift noticeably between term time and summer.

Smart Planning