Boston is so much more than a university town. This historic American city has a longstanding love for art, with many noted works found within its city limits. From photography to sculpture and paintings to architecture, Boston has galleries and buildings to wow and inspire.
Where to Stay:
Centrally located Copley Square Hotel (from US $279) in Back Bay offers numerous luxe amenities and close proximity to the subway, the Boston T (MBTA US $2). This boutique boîte is proud of its 120-year-old pedigree as much as its modern interior. We also love how close it is to trendy Newbury Street, a hip spot for cute clothing boutiques and art galleries.
Where to Eat:
The welcoming atmosphere of Beacon Hill’s Scampo Restaurant (US $60 per person) pairs well with its tasty cuisine — an artistic mix of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours created by Chef Lydia Shire. Choose a seat at the mozzarella bar to watch chefs in action or sit under the warm glow of copper lights at the orange bar.
Ask to be seated downstairs at The Beehive (US $55 per person), a dining /jazz hotspot adjacent to the Boston Center for the Arts, to indulge in locally-sourced dishes inspired by Italian, Spanish and Moroccan traditions.
What to Do:
The Back Bay Fens, a series of public parks, is home to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (US $12 admission) found within an Italian palazzo. Considered the first American woman art collector, Gardner chose art and antiquities from ancient cultures through to the 20th century, including several portraits from friend John Singer Sargent.
Another wide-ranging collection of art can be found at the Museum of Fine Arts (US $22 admission). Make sure to visit the Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art designed by I.M. Pei.
Head to the up-and-coming Fort Point area and visit the Institute of Contemporary Art (US $15 admission) for its stunning permanent collection featuring Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, Tseng Kwong Chi and Shepard Fairey.
You can find Boston’s boho spirit in the South End, which was planned by architect Charles Bullfinch in the 1850s. Home to the SOWA Artists Guild (free admission) with 15 galleries and 50 artists’ studios, this neighbourhood is made for walking its brick townhouse and tree-lined streets.
Sweet Tip: Still want more art? Take the train ($6.75 one way) to Rockport, an artsy town an hour from the city. Stroll the shops and galleries at Bradley Wharf and Tuna Wharf, indulge in chowder or lobster rolls at Ellen’s Harborside or a musical performance at the Shalin Liu Performance Centre.