Boston is one of the oldest and most charming cities in the United States. Incorporated as a town in 1630 and as a city in 1822, Boston houses almost 600,000 people. Over 12 million tourists visit the city every year, and now you can be one of them.
Walk the Freedom Trail, go for a ride on the Swan Boats, experience the art of shopping on Newbury Street, taste culinary delicacies in Boston’s great seafood restaurants.
Location
The city of Boston is located in the northeast of the United States, in the state of Massachusetts and in the Eastern Standard time zone.
With an area of 48 square miles or 124 square kilometers and an elevation of 3 meters or 10 feet, Boston has a population of 600,000 in the city itself and 3.2 million people in the metropolitan area.
- Language: The language spoken in Boston is American English and the currency is the US Dollar (USD).
- Telephone area code: If you wish to call to Boston, you need to dial 617 / 781, the telephone area code. The country dialing code is +1.
- Electricity: When you travel to Boston, you should know that electricity is of 110 volts AC, 50 Hz and you’ll need to use flat two-pin plugs or a third-round pin.
Weather
The highest temperatures are reached in July (80F) perfect for sunbathing, while the lowest temperatures are reached in January (21F), so please remember to bring warm clothes.
Perfect time to visit Boston
Boston is lovely no matter the time of the year you wish to visit it. The summers are warm and sunny, a little humid, and the winters are pretty wet. The finest temperatures are in spring and fall, neither too warm nor cold, and the autumnal colors are a real delight.
In Boston, the annual rainfall is 1054 mm (41.5 inches)
Holidays
We invite you to celebrate the national public holidays in Boston: The New Year’s Day, the Martin Luther King Day (the third Monday in January), Lincoln’s birthday (12th of February), Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February), the Patriot’s Day (third Monday in April), the Memorial Day (Last Monday in May), the Independence Day (4th of July), the Labor Day (first Monday in September), the Columbus Day (Second Monday in October), the Veterans Day (11th of November), Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November) and Christmas (25-27th December).
Travel in Boston
Rent a car
Many of Boston’s streets are quite narrow, so driving here might be a challenge. But if you are a good driver, you’ll have no problem. If you wish to get from the Logan Airport to downtown Boston, we advise you to take the Sumner Tunnel, only you’ll need to pay a small toll. When driving through Boston, you’ll definitely need a map, so make sure you get one. Many streets have identical names, so be careful.
On the Central Artery, pay attention to the “Big Dig”, a project meant to make the city even more beautiful. When you wish to park your car, we advise you to park on specific lots or garages, this way you certainly won’t get a ticket. You will find large public lots at the Government Center, the Prudential Center, at the Quincy Market, near the John Hancock Tower, at the Copley Place, and beneath the Boston Common. Smaller parking lots are to be found in downtown.
Boston subway/The T
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority subway, also known as the ‘T’ is one of the best subways in the United States and the first Public Transit System. The subway serves the city of Boston and Cambridge, and also the suburbs. When the subway moves inbound, it means that it goes to Boston, to the central stations Park Street, State, Downtown Crossing and Government Center; when it goes outbound, it means that it moves away from the city.
There are 4 different colored lines, green, red, blue and orange, of which you may find out information at the Park Street Station. The Green Line trains always stop at the Government Center, Park Street, Boylston, Arlington, and Copley. They are also called trolleys or streetcars. The Red Line trains stop to all stations between Alewife and Andrew. You can also bring your pet on the subway, but at rush hours, they have to be carried in containers. On the Blue, Orange and Red lines you may bring your bicycle during weekends and at off-peak hours.
Travel by bus
The bus takes you further into the suburbs than the subway or the trolley. Bicycles are allowed only on the Crosstown bus trails.
Trolleys
The Boston trolleys have reasonable prices; they serve some routes in the city, the suburbs and also Belmont, Allston-Brighton and Watertown.
Boston train
The Amtrak rail services connect the Boston South and the Boston Back Bay stations to New Haven, Providence, and New York City.
Taxi
There are very many taxis in Boston, reasonably priced and always ready to take you anywhere.
Commuter Boat
Every day, we invite you to travel through Boston by boat. The boats leave every 15 minutes Monday through Friday and every 30 minutes during the weekends, from Rowe’s Wharf to the Logan Airport and from the Long Wharf to Hingham.
Cambridge
Located across the Charles River, Cambridge consists of charming neighborhoods offering a wide range of attractions.
In Central Square, you’ll find the seat of the City government. Harvard Square and Inman Square are favorite destinations both for residents and tourists, due to their famous shops and restaurants. Most of Cambridge’s high tech and biotechnology industries are located in Kendall Square. If you are interested in Japanese restaurants, shops, and bookstores, we invite you to Porter Square.