The Freedom Trail in spring: colours of Boston
A city steeped in history, I found Boston especially pretty in Spring. This artist edition looks at the fresh Springtime colours found following The Freedom Trail.
Boston Public Garden
Although not part of the Freedom Trail, we began our walk at this beautiful park, right next door to Boston Common, where the trail starts. Boston Public Garden was the first public botanical garden in the US, established in 1837. A gorgeous park to explore, it’s especially stunning in Spring when the trees are laden with pink and white blossom and there are tulips of every colour, creating incredible colour combinations. If you’re there in season, I highly recommend a trip around the lagoon on the famous Swan Boats.
The Swan Boats of Boston Public Garden
The Freedom Trail
The Freedom Trail is a red-brick path, about 2.5 miles in total, along the city’s streets that takes you to 16 locations that played key roles during the American Revolution. From museums to Churches and meeting places, it’s a great way to see a lot of central Boston, particularly when the trail picks up after Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, and the crowds thin out.
If you’re doing a self-guided walk, I’d recommend allowing the best part of a day to take it all in at a leisurely pace as from start to finish it's a few hours.
The trail begins at Boston Common, which is the oldest public park in the US. It feels like each section or district along the trail has a distinct vibe - you're walking through varied neighbourhoods. Downtown contrasts terracotta-coloured brickwork and neutral stone of the historic buildings with steel and glass of skyscrapers. North End is full of residential brownstones and Italian restaurants whilst Charlestown has a slower pace and is full of pretty pastel houses.
Whilst it can be extremely busy, Quincy Market is a good place for stopping off for lunch whilst on the trail with so many places to choose from - or head to North End if you're after something Italian.
We followed the trail all the way to the finish at Bunker Hill Monument. Although we were way too tired to do it, you can climb the monument.
Other Boston places not to be missed:
Eat:
Thornton's for breakfast - sweet and savoury and everything in between.
Joe's on Newbury Street - I've been twice and it's not disappointed! Think classic American comfort food like burgers and potato wedges and French dip sandwiches.
Drink:
Drink - a really cool basement cocktail bar where they make drinks based on what you like. There's no 'list' as such - attentive bar staff ask you what kind of things you like and then come up with something. I absolutely loved the cocktails they concocted for me, and would rate this as one of the best cocktail bar experiences I’ve had!
See:
Fenway Park - catch a baseball game if you can or take a tour if it's out of season or the Red Sox are playing away. It's the oldest surviving ballpark in the US (dating back to 1912!)
Mapparium - this is so cool, it feels a bit hidden as it’s located inside the Mary Eddy Library but definitely worth a visit! It’s like being inside the globe, with a walkway that runs through the middle. It’s a new way of seeing the globe and the stained glass is absolutely stunning.
Art inspired by Boston
