American Boston is said to stand out from the American context precisely because its structure and atmosphere are more reminiscent of European cities, and it is most often compared to London. In any case, it belongs to the most beautiful cities in the USA, even though there are modern skyscrapers next to historic buildings, everything here somehow fits in naturally…
Boston (read Boston) can be found in the northeast of the USA, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in the Massachusetts Bay. Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England. Approximately 600,000 people live in it, but we count an incredible 7.5 million inhabitants in the entire metropolitan area. Boston is in the center of the Greater Boston area, which also includes the cities of Cambridge, Quincy, Newton, Brookline and many more distant suburban communities. The Greater Boston area is surrounded by the states of New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Boston also lies at the center of the Boston-Worcester-Manchester Combined Statistical Area (CSA) – the fifth largest metropolitan agglomeration in the United States. It has an inland climate, and the weather, like much of New England, changes rapidly. Warm and humid weather is typical for summer, while winter is cold, windy and snowy.
According to existingcountries, Boston is one of the oldest and most culturally significant cities in the United States. It was founded on November 17, 1630 by Puritan colonists from England and, as we all know well from history class, had a significant role in American history. It was the capital and largest city of the first English colony. On February 16, 1773, the so-called “Boston Tea Drinking” took place here – on that day, the colonists threw a load of tea into the sea from the ships in the harbor in protest against English rule and tax collection. This event became the impetus for the American Revolution, which resulted in the independence of the 13 English colonies and the establishment of the United States of America.
Today’s Boston ranks among the most dynamic cities in the USA. It is full of history, culture, entertainment and sports, in addition to all this, it is also a traditional center of science and research, home to prestigious universities such as Harvard and MIT. Altogether, Boston is home to nearly 70 universities, making it the largest university city in the world.
Boston is very interesting from a tourist point of view, architectural styles from time to time intertwine quite boldly and aesthetically. One of the historical uniques is, for example, Fenway Park, the oldest American baseball stadium. Quincy Market attracts the most visitors, a classic market that offers gastronomy and souvenirs from all over the world in its stalls. Rappers, jugglers or political activists always entertain tourists in the small square in front of the market. A unique Holocaust memorial was recently erected near Quincy Market. It consists of a row of six twenty-meter glass columns, each of which bears the name of one of the concentration camps. Numbers symbolizing the marking of prisoners are engraved directly on the pillars. When passing around the columns, unpleasant hot air blows on the visitors, which evokes the feelings with which the Jews entered the gas chambers.
Copley Square with the public library and the Trinity Church is also worth a visit. One of the streets connecting the Common to Copley Square, Newbury Street, is Boston’s equivalent of New York’s Fifth Avenue with the proverbial expensive stores of world fashion designers and overpriced restaurants.
Transportation is a separate Boston chapter. If possible, avoid driving in Boston altogether. There are many one-way, haphazardly arranged and rarely marked streets. Bostonians have become accustomed to poor signage and in many cases completely ignore the names of streets that are not in the immediate vicinity of their residence. They mostly navigate by landmarks. Boston drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are notorious for their aggressiveness. If you’re going to explore downtown, it’s best to walk or take the subway, which will take you to most tourist destinations in both Boston and Cambridge. The walk will be longer, but you will see more. For transportation around the city, it is convenient to buy one of the “Go Boston Cards”, there are options from one day to seven days. Thanks to these cards, you get an unlimited opportunity to visit the sights.