Boston Freedom Trail
We were in Boston as part of a three centre holiday in the USA. Reading any guide book for Boston and you will see the Freedom Trail is top of many lists of things to do. This is because the trail takes in many of the highlights of the city, historical, cultural, food and drink. To this end we set out on our first full day in the city on the famous Freedom Trail.
The Trail is a 4km(ish) route through the city, taking in the main historical highlights of Boston. We started our walk from the Charlesmark Hotel on Boylston Street (parallel to the famous Newbury Street. Luckily we were staying close to the popular start to the walk, being Boston Common “T” station. It was a beautifully sunny day which meant the prospect of sauntering through the city and seeing all the sights more attractive.
After a walk through Boston Common we started the Trail at the T station, walking up to the Massachusetts State House with its golden roof is one of Boston’s iconic structures. Heading back down the east side of the Common we followed the red brick road (a bit like Dorothy- almost!) which lines the entire Trail so there’s little chance of getting properly lost! At the corner of Park and Tremont is Park Street Church, the second highlight on the Trail. Just along from this was Old Granary Burial Ground, final resting place of famous revolutionary Samuel Adams.
Further up Tremont the Trail takes a right on to School Street and takes you past the 1686 founded King’s Chapel. Taking a right onto Washington Street you arrive at the Old School Meeting House, a colonial crucible for free speech and taxation debates. The architectural contrast in this area of the city is amazing, in the same block of buildings you have beautiful colonial era buildings like the Meeting House and the Old State House and then huge modern financial buildings dwarfing them. The photo opportunities are endless!
Continuing along the trail you walk past the 1713 Old State House and on to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. This is another great photo opportunity and for those who like a bit of retail therapy there are lots of the American classics too! There is also a vast array of international cuisine if you’re peckish and a small market on the affluent surrounding streets.
After Faneuil Hall the Trail heads North towards the Italian area of town past Boston’s oldest private residence, Paul Revere House. After this, we cut our following of the Freedom Trail a couple of highlights short to visit a highly recommended eatery on Hanover Street. The Daily Catch serves up an amazing calamari (and other seafood) menu including a fabulous black pasta, spaghetti coloured and flavoured with calamari ink!
For those wanting to follow the Trail to its termination, you can continue along the red brick road to take in Old North Church and Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, over Charlestown Bridge and up to Bunker Hill Monument for views back over the city. However we couldn’t manage it after our huge calamari feast and headed back to Boston Common to relax on the grass!
Photo's courtesy of Duncan Knowles and Owen Llanwarne
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