OK, here we go......this is by no means an exhaustive list
(the great city of Boston deserves much more than what I've jotted down), but it's geared toward a timeshare or hotel stay and what you might consider while there a week or even a few days.)
I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge right away our dear friend and Boston native Jeanne, aka "Beaglemom3" of TUG fame (now living in Ireland in her dream cottage on a beautiful little hillside)
who was the lone giving and selfless soul who inspired us,
and initiated our great love for her city, and took a full day out of her busy life to pick us up, take us around, even to many of the places listed, including Lexington & Concord, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Walden Pond, a long ride through the countryside to see the amazing Fall foliage in October, and more!
We could never repay you, Jeanne, and we forever love you.
Boston Restaurants:
ALL of those listed below are personal favorites, but those in
RED are special!!
(Reservations a MUST, at LEAST 2-3 weeks in advance for a few.)
I like to use OpenTable online whenever possible.
A quick note: if you happen to experience a waiter or a restaurant staff member "with an attitude" on rare occasion, let it go! You're dining elbow-to-elbow with other patrons, the kitchen is hot, the food takes a lot of attention, their days are crazy, and that's just how it is. That's life in North End's "LITTLE ITALY" (& many big cities), and it should never diminish your amazing experience there.
They sometimes feel rushed to get you out and someone else in, so it's their "duty" to make it known. Absolutely does not bother ME, it's very understandable, and it shouldn't you. Instead, embrace it, and give them a most hearty
"Grazie mille, and can't wait to come back"......and you know what? It's true.
Personal favorites:
**Limoncello…awesome restaurant, a favorite in my "Top 3", one of the the best Italian spots, beautiful romantic interior, quiet, highly rated. Adjacent to Paul Revere House. Must call for reservations WAY ahead!!! Request table on "LEFT half" of restaurant, alongside the middle dividing wall after entering---nice view of wall mural, more romantic.
http://www.ristorantelimoncello.com/
**Mama Maria's...very romantic, awesome food, top of hill near Paul Revere House.
Absolutely as good as it gets, "Top 3" for sure, and won’t disappoint. Request upstairs window table!!! Reservations WAY ahead!!!
**Nico...very romantic, highly rated, great food.
**Lucca....great food, highly rated, nice ambiance, slightly quieter than many.
**Legal Seafoods…very popular, busy, awesome seafood, adjacent to Marriott Long Wharf Hotel
along Boston Harbor.
**Giacomo's....crazy busy, no reservations, must wait in line, but very good food, very touristy.
**Union Oyster House..Historic tavern, oldest in America, very cozy and quiet, "Kennedy booth", occasional so-so reviews but still very good.
**James Hook & Co...small beyond-casual waterfront "dive" but an absolute gem, awesome lobster roll,
best clam chowder anywhere, popular with businessmen who walk from financial district for lunch. A must-do.
**Strega Ristorante... crazy busy, loud, but great food...awesome lamb chops and Italian dishes.
Love it.
**Mare Oyster Bar…...new location---small, intimate, energetic, great food.
Note: imho, the following can be said for many of the North End Italian restaurants: very crowded
at times but great fun, amazing authentic Italian food is to be found everywhere, waiters sometimes aloof but no problem, that's just life in Boston....worth it and beyond enjoyable! Love the elbow-to-elbow experience in many of the the North End Italian restaurants!!! "Moderate to high noise levels" are commonplace but it's all good, cool atmosphere...much like NYC delis.
Know that dining is
strictly cash only in "Little Italy", and don't camp out--- when finished after a reasonable time, leave, as others are waiting for a taste of Italy too.
Other great spots, all very highly rated:
*Pomodoro
*Carmelina's
*Trattoria Il Panino
*Bricco
*The Daily Catch
*Sam LaGrassa's (Financial District--sandwiches, deli)
*Neptune Oyster....(small, very crowded, long waits, always mentioned but overrated imho)
*Black Rose Irish Pub..across street from base of Custom House clock tower, great food/ bar, simply fun!!!
Pizzerias:
**Regina Pizzeria...oldest pizzeria in America, small historic corner of building,
awesome food, a must!
*Galleria Umberto...pizza
*Antico Forno Pizzeria
....and there are
many more......Always keep in mind that you can duck into ANY restaurant
in North End's "Little Italy" and get a GREAT meal-----
In all fairness, I didn't intend to rule out any of those not mentioned,
but I do know that those on the list have been tested and are very worthy!
.....and remember, I haven't even begun to try (or mention) the "non-North End" spots. There are dozens and dozens of outstanding world-class restaurants, and the pursuit of a definitive list would be exhausting and nearly impossible.
Plus, we tend to stick to those walkable from the Custom House area.
My joy will be discovering the others and testing them some day.
Bon appetit, and Cheers!
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ZAGAT survey of NORTH END restaurants:
https://www.zagat.com/c/boston-ma/north-end-restaurants
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PASTRY SHOPS in North End: all great…. From The Godfather: "Leave the gun, take the cannoli..."
*Modern Pastry (inside tables!!!)
*Bova's Bakery
*Maria's Pastry
*Mike's Pastry
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When finished with dinner and walking back to Custom House or Long Wharf Hotel,
stop by a pastry shop and get cannoli, then stop by V Cirace's and get a couple of bottles
of a good Italian wine.
V Cirace & Son---wines and spirits in North End (at North & Richmond)
http://www.vcirace.com/
https://goo.gl/maps/AKYyMnYLgWS2
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"Things to Do in Boston": (might take a few visits to do these,
but pick & choose. Of course the concierge has dozens more great ideas.)
Based on our 4 trips to Boston--- October of 2013 & 2014 (when Fall foliage was peaking)
and in early December of 2016 & 2017 for a pre-Christmas treat. Both of those times were a lot of fun.
We're headed back to Boston again this coming October (2019).
First of all, walk, walk, walk. Boston is an easy city to navigate, and whenever you have the chance to walk a reasonable distance to your destination, do it. Take the "T" if necessary to other more distant spots of interest, but your lasting memory just might be the great walks. Walking to dinner is quite romantic, and the returns after dark offer a stunning view of the beautifully lit cityscape, especially the majestic Custom House clock tower which seems to watch over everything around her.
We stayed in two different places---initial visit at the
Marriott Long Wharf Hotel on the harbor, then
Marriott's Custom House (the historic clock tower) the other visits.
As side trips we went to the historic Revolutionary War towns of Lexington & Concord,
a random Amish Village in the countryside, the famous Walden Pond,
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (location of "Author's Ridge"), and the charming village of Ogunquit,Maine (picturesque fishing village with shops, amazingly gorgeous mile-long
walk along the elevated ridge/cliffs called "Marginal Way" which overlooks the waves
crashing into the rocky coast).
Custom House (now a "Marriott Pulse" property) is the big clock tower you always see in pictures, near Quincy Market & Faneuil Hall----it has villas with a limited kitchen, a living room, etc., and used to be the old customs house for ships as they came in. Walk in to check it out if you have a chance---it's fabulous and full of gorgeous marble...... very historic..... and there are gorgeous views of Boston in all directions from the observation deck, including the harbor, the city in general, and the famous North End. The Old North Church steeple is easily spotted. The “T” (subway) is across the street near the water (and near Marriott’s Long Wharf Hotel).
https://www.google.com/search?q=ima...X&ved=0ahUKEwji4ciUopPQAhVE1CYKHfScDmEQsAQIGg
From our stays at Long Wharf Hotel (other great hotels are also close by) and at Custom House, we loved to walk to dinner. Many of our favorite spots were located in the "North End" (Boston's "Little Italy"), and we walked through the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, crossing Atlantic Ave and proceeding up Richmond Street to North St & also two blocks farther to Hanover St. & then Salem St. Many of the great Italian restaurants are in these immediate areas. A couple more can be found by walking northward behind Quincy Mkt & Faneuil Hall (up Merchant's Row), crossing North St and going up Union St.
……...The Langham is another nice hotel, and there are numerous others near the North End.
V Cirace & Son---wines and spirits in North End (located at intersection of North St & Richmond St)
Drop in while walking home from dinner:
http://www.vcirace.com/
Freedom Trail (includes Paul Revere's House, Old North Church, Copp's Hill Cemetery, etc.)
http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/
USS Constitution (Old Ironsides")....museum and tour of the ship.
https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/
Harvard Yard & The Coop (bookstore)...take the T.
https://map.harvard.edu/
https://store.thecoop.com/
Cheers Bar- the original location in Beacon Hill, adjacent to Boston Common Park. (WALK around Beacon Hill, lots of famous people live there)
https://cheersboston.com/
Quincy Market & Faneuil Hall...really fun..many shops, good food, desserts, bakery items, candies.
https://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/
"Duck Tour"..amphibious boat, highly rated and maybe the favorite "must-do”.
http://www.bostonducktours.com/
Boston Museum of Fine Arts….http://www.mfa.org/
New England Aquarium….http://www.neaq.org/
Newbury Street shopping...beautiful street, old churches, cafes, flagship designer stores.
http://www.newbury-st.com/ ,Also Boylston Street.
Beacon Hill...historic brownstones, cobblestone streets, famous residences, shops, views of river.
http://www.beaconhillonline.com/about.htm
Horse & Buggy Tours...originate from area near Quincy Mkt/Faneuil Hall.
http://www.celebrateboston.com/tour/horse-and-carriage-rides.htm
Fenway Park ...home of the Boston Red Sox.
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
Boston Pops (Boston Symphony, Holiday Pops)——all descriptive of the symphony. ……an evening of fun with one of the greatest symphonies in the world. Look up the season’s performances -----
https://www.bso.org/
Ghost Tour…..book this and similar tours near the “T” entrance near Marriott Long Wharf Hotel. Several to choose from.
https://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/boston/,
http://www.hauntedboston.com/,
https://www.trolleytours.com/boston/ghost-tours
Out-trips from Boston (there are
many more possibilities, but these are what we did)
:
Newport, Rhode Island.... awesome side trip by bus tour (unless you drive) to see
"the mansions"(Vanderbilt and others).
For the sake of convenience, we used the day-long bus tour and loved it (bus tour well done, not rushed at all, time to have nice lunch harborside, plenty of time to see mansions at leisurely pace.) Concierge at hotel can arrange or plan, or book it.
Historic towns of Concord and Lexington... historic Revolutionary War towns, gorgeous in the Fall, visit nearby battlefields too.
Walden Pond (of author Henry David Thoreau fame)...gorgeous and tranquil.
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery ("Author's Ridge”)—where many famous authors are buried.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepy_Hollow_Cemetery_(Concord,_Massachusetts)
Coastal Maine (for example: Ogunquit, Me--- a small charming fishing village with cafes and shops, with
spectacular coastal vistas from the cliffs of "Marginal Way", a famous mile-long easy and leisurely walk.
Boston is our favorite big city in America!!!! Very walkable & also easy to use the "T”.
Or when you're feeling lazy, call Uber. Enjoy!!!
