30 essentials: what to see and do in Boston in 2 or 3 days

Boston It is the American city with a greater European influence y birthplace of the independence of the United States.

It is one of the most advanced cities in this enormous country and with largest number of university students, since some of the most prestigious universities in the world are located there, such as Harvard and MIT.

In our recent route along the east coast of the United States We have made a stop for several days in order to visit the city and give you some advice to organize your trip to boston.

To write this article we have the advantage of having a friend in the city, and thus we have been able to discover secret corners of Boston which otherwise would have been difficult to know.

The best things to see and visit in Boston

When visit boston there are several options.

If you want to know the history and curiosities of the city, you can sign up for one of the guided tours offered.

This is the case of Tour of Boston with guide in Spanish which in three hours will take you through the main corners of the city, including nearby places like the aforementioned Biomedical Engineering faculty at Harvard University.

But if, on the other hand, you are one of those who likes to discover the city for yourself, we leave you here a list with everything that is essential to see and do in Boston.

Freedom Trail in Boston

Probably Boston It is one of the easiest cities in the world to walk around.

You just have to follow the Freedom Trail, a tourist route that passes through 16 historical places that were crucial during the fight for Independence of the United States.

How to find it? Very easy, just look at the ground you walk on the streets of the city center and follow the line!!

Boston Common Park

El Freedom Trail starts at Boston Common, oldest urban park in America.

It is also the most important park known as “boston emerald necklace“, a set of city parks.

It is the main park of the city where the city's inhabitants go to lie on the grass when the sun rises.

Massachusetts State House in Boston

presiding over the Boston Common which is, without a doubt, one of the most emblematic buildings of the city, which stands out for its enormous golden dome.

When you see the State House You will see that it served as inspiration for the construction of the Washington Capitol and is the current seat of the government of the state of massachusetts.

Granary Cemetery in Boston

This central cemetery is one of the oldest in the city.

Several signatories of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.

Statue of Benjamin Franklin in Boston

In the space occupied by the first public school in the country, now there is the one who was the old town hall.

Right at the entrance, almost going unnoticed, is the statue of Benjamin Franklin who spent his childhood in the classrooms of said school.

Old State House in Boston

The events that happened in the Old state house They are part of the process of revolution that would change the history of the country.

This is where the famous meetings of the “Tea Party” because of the prices of tea, and where the massacre of the English forces of the local population took place, which was the spark that detonated the process of independence of the United States.

To this day, the Old state house You will find it surrounded by large skyscrapers of the financial district, forming one of the most classic images of Boston.

Nowadays it is not unusual to find theatrical visits at the entrance in which people dressed in period costumes represent those crucial days for the United States.

Old South Meeting House in Boston

This beautiful exposed brick building is, without a doubt, one of the most relevant places in the history of the United States.

It was a meeting point from where the strategies that gave rise to the events that led to the independence the country.

Boston Financial District

Where is the current one located? Financial district of Boston, it was formerly the area through which the interstate highway passed through the city, but a redevelopment buried it, leaving room for a huge park.

A completely rebuilt area with a lot of atmosphere, especially in the afternoons with the famous afterwork.

At Financial district It is where some of the tallest and most expensive buildings in the city, headquarters of large companies, are located.

Waterfront in Boston

However, just a few meters from the aforementioned financial district, in Waterfront, the houses are low with their own piers, yes, just as expensive or more.

It is an area with a very high standard of living reserved for large fortunes.

In the shipping area Waterfront most of the Cruise that can be hired to navigate watching the skyline at sunset in Boston.

There are two others Cruise that leave from this area of ​​the port, one for spot orcas, and the other are actually fast boats to enjoy speed at sea.

It is a great area to walk with the sea breeze, that is, during the time of year when the weather is good.

North End neighborhood in Boston (Little Italy)

This neighborhood is also known as Little Italy.

It is one of the neighborhoods with the most history in the city since it is the area from where the arrival of the English ships was warned at the beginning of the War of independence.

Old North Church in Boston

This church of Georgian style It is located within the neighborhood of North End and is the heart of the community Little Italy and a must see.

Back Bay neighborhood in Boston

This neighborhood is where some of the houses most characteristic of Boston architecture.

It is an area to walk and discover where you can see the classic buildings, like those that were protagonists in the television series Cheers o Friends.

In this neighborhood you also find shopping areas with the most important stores and stylish restaurants, but without crowds and maintaining the classic boston style.

Copley Square in Boston

presiding over the back bay district we find the garden square of Copley, in which some of the most representative buildings in Boston.

It acts as a link between the Trinity Church, Boston Library and the old South Church (Old South Church).

Trinity Church in Boston 

This great Episcopal church is a building that perfectly represents the characteristic city architecture.

It has striking decorations, with a multitude of small statuettes that adorn its façade.

Boston Public Library

Don't forget to visit this huge municipal library which is the first public one in the United States and the largest in the city, only surpassed in the country by the libraries of the Harvard University and the Congress in Washington.

La Boston Public Library It has a collection of more than 15 million copies.

Cambridge neighborhood in Boston

Crossing the river, the neighborhood of Cambridge houses the area of ​​the private universities as Harvard and MIT.

From there you have a great panoramic view of all the historic area of ​​Boston.

Boston It is one of the most cutting-edge cities in the world in technology and research and where a large number of people with higher education and high incomes reside.

All universities can be visited, you can even hire tourist tours where a guide explains the historical curiosities of these temples of knowledge.

Harvard University in Boston

Harvard is one of most important and prestigious private universities in the world and several have come out of it Nobel Prizes and presidents of the United States.

It is possible to walk through its green gardens and see the beautiful brick buildings where some of the students who will shape the future of the country study.

MIT University in Boston

This university has 78 students who have achieved the Nobel Prize in some of its disciplines.

El MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is undoubtedly one of the leading universities in the world in technological and scientific subjects.

Boston College 

But as a personal recommendation, the most beautiful university of all the ones you can visit is the Boston College.

It is less known, but during your visit you have the feeling of walking through a model.

Perfectly mowed grass, with its movie streetlights, historic buildings with beautiful decorations and trees that give a special atmosphere and color to the university.

Other visits and things to do in Boston

Boston Aquarium

El Boston Aquarium It is located next to the port in the heart of Waterfront and it is the classic visit that all students in the city make.

It is the second most popular visit among visitors to Boston.

This building faces the sea and inside there are many of the marine species that live in the waters around the city.

As a curiosity, it is relatively common to see some of these species in the wild, such as seals, just a few meters from those that live in captivity.

Go up to the observation deck of the Prudential Building in Boston

A must see for every visitor to Boston.

We would recommend doing it first to get an idea of ​​the city and the size of Boston.

It is located next to Copley Square and the visit consists of climbing to the top of one of the tallest buildings in the city, where you have a 360-degree viewpoint from where you can see the entire city.

This Skywalk It is a visit that we loved making, since by including the entrance a audioguide, a review of the entire city is done in less than an hour, which then makes it easier for you to see Boston with different eyes.

Boston's ChinaTown

Boston has the only new england chinatown and it is one of the largest in the United States.

There are hundreds of restaurants, shops, supermarkets and pharmacies decorated with the typical Chinese decoration that makes you travel to the Asian country.

There are especially three specially decorated streets, which are located next to the typical red arch that is placed at the entrances to the Chinese neighborhoods of cities around the world.

As a curiosity, if the day is nice it is quite common to find groups of Chinese enjoying board games in the parks, just like they do in their country of origin.

See a sports show at TD Garden

A classic of most American cities are sports venues, and Boston has one of the best, the TD Garden.

These stadiums host much of the city's recreational activity with concerts and sporting events.

At TD Garden play one of the nba teams most important in history, Boston Celtics, as well as hockey teams.

It's amazing how much can happen in a day of having a NBA game to set up an ice rink for the hockey team.

In fact, one of the most recommended visits to learn about American culture is to go to watch an NBA game live or one of the sports shows or concerts.

Sunset Cruise bay from boston

Some excursions most exclusive that can be done in Boston to sign up for a bay cruise.

There are many varieties, some are in tourist format, with a guide who explains the history of the area where the English ships arrived.

Others are more linked to enjoyment. how can it be a sunset dinner watching the city ​​skyline.

In any of its variants it is one of the most popular options in the city.

Views from the East neighborhood Boston

Although there are several viewpoints of the Boston skyline, in this area is where you have the most complete image.

It is a neighborhood that many years ago was a suburban area, but today it is one of the most sought-after areas to build houses.

On this side of charles river The airport is also located.

Bunker Hill Obelisk in Boston

At the other side of charles river, Bunker Hill It is one of the stops of the Freedom Trail.

It's a huge obelisk built to remember the war events experienced in that precise area, when the patriots tried to defend themselves from the British sieges in the War of independence.

In its lower part it has a small memorial with a statue and objects from the time.

Paul Revere House in Boston

Paul Revere He is a true idol and emblem of the history of Independence.

His house can be visited even in Guided visits ($5 per ticket), and it is the oldest preserved in the city.

The Native Americans had devised a system to warn the entire population of the arrival of the English using lanterns, and Paul Revere He is known because he was responsible for riding his horse to warn.

Fenway baseball stadium in Boston

In the United States, one of the most watched and practiced sports is Baseball and Fenway stadium It is the oldest of all those who participate in the MLS (American League)

It is usually a very common visit for tourists since it is located almost in the heart of the city.

As a curiosity, its enormous green scoreboard has been the target of all the great hitters in the history of the league.

Harborwalk in Boston

As Boston has quite a few kilometers of land next to the sea, a promenade that runs through the different coastal areas of the bay, which is known as Harborwalk.

Boston Seaport

Is the newer area of the city, where large global companies are located, including pharmaceutical companies such as Verizon.

It is full of modern restaurants with some of the most exclusive terraces in Boston with views of the city.