Sightseeing in Boston - what to see. Complete travel guide

Every year the capital of Massachusetts attracts thousands of tourists. And there’s nothing surprising in this - Boston was the cradle of the American Revolution. This is the place, from which the War for Independence from Britain started. Besides the places that are connected to the history of the USA, Boston is the city where tourists will find many interesting art galleries and museums, wonderful parks, good shopping centres and splendid restaurants.

Freedom Trail. Freedom Trail is a 4-kilometer way that intersects the centre of Boston and connects 16 the most important sights of the city. The trail is marked with the red line. Freedom Trail starts in Boston Common Park, the oldest public park in the USA; the British used to camp in its territory during 1775-1776. In tourist offices visitors are welcome to get a brochure and a map of the itinerary 'Freedom Trail'. From the park the trail goes to The State House, which was built when America got independence. Nowadays, the house is occupied by the government of Massachusetts.

The Park Street Church. Then the trail passes by Park Street Church. This is the place where in 1829 William Lloyd Harrison had the first public speech about such a phenomenon as slavery. There is a church nearby. The church is famous for one notable sight - the Old Granary Burial Ground. This is the place where many revolutionists are buried. Among them tourists will find people who signed the Declaration of Independence - John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Robert Treat Paine. Five victims of the event of 1770, called the Boston Massacre, are also buried there. A little bit further one can notice the First Public School in the United States. The school was opened in 1635. Benjamin Franklin studied there. The monument dedicated to the great person is situated not far from this place - in front of the Old City Hall. After this the trail goes to Washington Street, where tourists will find the Old South Meeting House. It used to be the place, where meetings concerning the protests against the British reign were organized. This is the building where the idea of the famous Boston Tea Party was suggested. The Boston Tea Party was a boycott for the cancellation of the British food import tax. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Old State House. The building of The Old State House used to be the place, where the British colonial government was located. The square in front of the house was a witness of such a historical event as the Boston Massacre. Then the way goes to the Faneuil Hall. Once a large market was located on its ground floor, and on the 1st floor revolutionists had their meetings. There is a monument dedicated to Samuel Adams in front of this building. He was one of the revolutionists. You will find the oldest building in Boston near North Square Park. Once it was the home of Paul Revere, who made a dangerous ride through the whole Boston in order to warn the revolutionists about the movement of the British Army in 1775. He did it after he had seen the lamps lightened by the sexton. That sexton, Mr Robert Newman, is buried at the Copp's Hill Burying Ground. The trail ends in the Bunker Hill Monument. This is a granitic obelisk that was placed in the memory of the battle of July 17th 1775. Even though the British won this battle, in 9 month time they were defeated by the forces of George Washington.

Quincy Market. The official name of Quincy Market is Faneuil Hall Marketplace, though Boston locals keep calling it Quincy Market after the name of burgomaster Josh Quincy, who built it in the 19th century. The market recommenced its work in 1976 and became one of the most popular sights of the city. Before that the condition of the complex was so poor that it even was under the danger of demolition.

Nowadays the market is the place, where one can have a good time at a cafe or a restaurant, or simply enjoy some shopping. Quincy Market consists of 5 buildings - 3 of them are central and the other 2 are located to the south and to the north of them. The central gallery is called Food Court. This is the place where visitors will find restaurants featuring various national cuisines. Visitors are welcome to try dishes from different cuisines – from Greek traditional food to Italian pasta, yogurt ice-cream and fried sausages. There are souvenir shops at the both sides of the gallery. This is the place where tourists can one can buy t-shirts, photos with the image of Boston and other lovely souvenirs.

Shops of world-famous chains are located in the northern and southern buildings, but you will also find some original brands there. The New English restaurant is also located there; it has simple interior and grumbling servants. The north side is the location of a colourful flower-market.

John F. Kennedy. Brooklyn, the motherland of John F. Kennedy, is located not far away from Boston. In Boston one can visit John F. Kennedy Museum that is devoted to life and heritage of the 35th president of the USA. The excursion in the museum starts with a 15-minute long video, in which Mr Kennedy himself tells about his childhood, school years, the war and his political career. The exposition opens with a narration about the president election of 1960, during which votes for Kennedy prevailed with a minimal advantage.

More than that, visitors will be able to see Kennedy during the debates with Nixon (he was his main opponent) and even listen to his inaugural speech. The well-known phrase “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” comes from that speech. In the museum visitors can also learn about the crises that took place while Kennedy was the president - the Cuban Missile Crisis, the African American Civil Rights Movement and Kennedy's visit to Berlin to the place, where the Berlin Wall had just been built. The excursion ends in a dark room, where visitors will hear the sounds of shots that killed the president.