Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Explore the oldest city in America

Even if you do not get yourself into one of those fancy Ivy League schools like Harvard or MIT, Boston and Cambridge are still worth a visit. They are charming in each their own way and very different, even though they are just divided by a river. As many other tourists have discovered, both of the cities are great stops to make for more than just browsing through some of the many higher education options. For example the quaint and narrow streets of Boston. Here you will discover some of the oldest North American buildings and churches. These were built by some of the first explorers that came over the sea and, as you will soon learn, offers quite a fascinating piece of history.

Narrow Streets of Boston

Boston

Boston is one of the oldest cities in the United States of America, first founded in 1630 by English settlers. It is a charming city located around 5 hours north of NYC in the state of Massachusetts.
The easiest way to get here is to jump on a bus from NYC and take it 4-5 hours north with the destination being either Boston or Cambridge. If you are flexible this is a quite cheap option. I paid $20 and I could have gotten it for $13 had I been willing to leave at 6:00 am., I wasn’t.

It is considered a hub for higher education with its numerous schools and colleges that offer programs in a wide array of studies. But even if you aren’t checking out colleges or universities for yourself or your children it is still a pretty great city.
I visited it in the glory of the autumn-color season and vivid yellow, bright orange, and deep red colors do make everything more beautiful. However, I did get completely charmed by the city’s old buildings, churches brick roads.

Stop on the Freedom Trail, Boston

One way to see it all is to take a walking trip of the city. Stroll the Boston Freedom Trail starting at the first Public park in the United States, the Boston Common, founded in 1634. It is inhabited by millions of squirrels and they are so fat. I am not sure if it was because they were stocking up for winter, or if the people and tourists of Boston grossly overfeed them because they find them adorable. But fat they were and very tame and use to people.

From the park, you’ll have the pleasure of walking through the oldest city in America. The trail leads you over cobblestone streets and through narrow alleys to encounter some of the oldest historic buildings and sites in North American history. You’ll get a sense of how life once was when you stop by some, or all, of the 16 historically significant stops on the Freedom Trail. The trip provides you with a piece of early Boston history ranging from the oldest church to the first public school in America. Stop by the Boston Common Visitors Center and pick up some information prior to your walk if you do not want a guided tour. If you book a tour, there are plenty of people that can tell you all about the fascinating fight for independence, the crucial role the people of Boston played in freeing the slaves and their part in the Confederate war. Enjoy history in this interactive outdoor museum. Encounter some of the various notable legends such as Benjamin Franklin, who is buried in one of the churchyard stops, Wendell Phillips and Edgar Allan Poe who were all born in Boston.

A stop on the Boston Freedom Trail

Boston contains hundreds of quaint neighborhoods and adorable areas to explore. Find your own favorite urban cafe or chick restaurant. With a big Italian immigration, there are a lot of options for the Italian gastronomy lovers. For the best view of the city grab a drink at the Prudential Center. At the top, they have an amazing bar and restaurant which offers live-jazz music. That was the night I fell in love with Boston. It might be a bit more expensive drinks than at the college bars, but the view and the vibe were amazing.

Cambridge
Cambridge is, as mentioned, located directly north of Boston, just across of the Charles River. This city is the home of two of the world’s most prestigious universities: The Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You’ll know by now that I love to walk, and a fun fact is that people from Cambridge love to walk. For a bigger city, Cambridge actually has the highest percentage of commuters who walk to work in America.

Harvard, Cambridge

When you visit you must of course stop by the parks and campuses of Harvard. Here you will surely, as well as I have seen various American movies and series taking place. I had the pleasure of visiting on the weekend so I heard a lot of background stories while strolling around. One of them contained information on how the students would always pee on the food of the statue of John Harvard. A man who is sitting proudly in the garden on campus. This was a funny story because you’ll see all the tourists kissing and touching this very same left foot. Whether or not it is the truth, I do not know, but keep it in mind when you get your Harvard picture with him.

Harvard, Cambridge

While browsing around Harvard Campus why not walk by and visit the Harvard Art Museum, or Harvard Museum of Natural History or the world-renowned Peabody Museum. When you get tired, the area around the Harvard Campus has a lot of cafes, delis, and restaurants, where you can stare at students, work while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea.

Harvard, Cambridge

Another stop in Cambridge is the majestic white buildings of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT. It contains probably as many squirrels in the gardens surrounding the buildings as students. These small animals run around the gardens on the hunt for food and curious of the bypassers. When chilling in shades of the beautiful white buildings on MIT, or trying to get your perfect selfie with a squirrel, be a bit educational and visit one of the varieties of museums. From MIT you can reach the city center of Cambridge in less than 10 minutes, and one of the bridges connecting Cambridge to Boston in less than two.