Boston City Guide

Boston Red Sox Celebrating around the city.

Situated to the northeast of Boston, just across the Charles River, Cambridge seems at once part of and distinct from the city. Cambridge provides much of the classic and academic --- some would say dowdy --- imagery for which Boston is known: stately red-brick townhouses; the sight of rowers launching from ancient boathouses on the banks of the Charles; the almost colonial atmosphere that envelops Harvard, the nation's oldest university. And yet Cambridge virtually buzzes with energy; biotech companies, entrepreneurial startups, and the studious whir of college town activity combine to make it one of the country's most vibrant intellectual centers. Cambridge is also home to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and just as Harvard exudes a musty air of American influence and success (Kennedys, Roosevelts, Obama).

The North End and Beacon Hill are two of Boston's oldest areas -- the North End actually is the oldest Boston neighborhood, settled in the 17th century -- and their long histories as early residential communities for Boston's wealthy result today in some of the most picturesque, charming neighborhoods in America. Both are great, relaxed areas to stroll in and out of shops and cafes, or sit by the neighborhood's respective waters: There are lovely parks along the bank of Beacon Hill's Charles River, and the views from the Longfellow Bridge, which leads to the campuses of MIT and Harvard, are breathtaking. Or you could cruise along the North End's section of Boston Harbor Walk, which features an endless, unobstructed view of the beautiful harbor. Both neighborhoods are rich in history -- many of the most important episodes of the Revolutionary War took place in these precincts.