City Guide
Boston, Massachusetts
Four places worth the detour in Boston, and three hotels we'd actually book. Start at the Gardner, where the empty frames tell you more than the paintings do. Work down from there.
At a glance: 4 place guides, 3 hand-picked hotels, vibes that skew historic and boutique.
Editorial index last updated
Our picks in Boston
Ranked. Start at the top and work down as far as your weekend allows.
- 1
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: A Venetian Palace and Famous Art Heist
One woman's Venetian palace, still hung exactly as she left it. The empty frames from the 1990 theft are the part nobody warns you about.
- 2
Mapparium Globe: An Inside-Out Journey Through Stained Glass
You stand inside the globe, not in front of it. The whispering does something to your sense of scale that a map never will.
- 3
Brattle Book Shop: Exploring Boston's Century-Old Open-Air Library
Three floors of rare books and an outdoor lot of cheap ones. Family-run since 1825, which in this city still counts for something.
- 4
Forest Hills Cemetery: A Victorian Necropolis with a Miniature Village
A Victorian garden cemetery with a miniature village of stone houses hidden inside it, each a copy of a real one. Go for the sculpture, stay because nobody else is there.
Where we'd actually stay
| Stay | Vibe | Why here |
|---|---|---|
| The Dagny Boston | Historic, Boutique | Boston's first art deco building, reimagined into a luxury boutique hotel. The library lounge alone is worth the stay. |
| The Godfrey Hotel Boston | Historic, Scenic | A beautifully restored 1906 building in downtown Boston with a rooftop bar that serves some of the best cocktails in the city. |
| The Verb Hotel | Boutique, Hidden Gem | A rock 'n' roll boutique hotel steps from Fenway Park, with vintage vinyl decor and a heated outdoor pool that feels like a private oasis in the city. |
Know before you go
The Gardner sits on the Green Line E-train at the Museum stop, or the 39 bus down Huntington Avenue. The Mapparium bans photography inside and charges for the guided tour, so budget the time rather than the camera roll. Forest Hills opens its gates at 7 a.m. daily and runs seasonal tours, with a downloadable map if you would rather wander alone.
Common questions about Boston
Is Boston worth a weekend?
Yes, and a weekend is about right for our four. The Gardner is the one we'd give the most time to.
How many of these can you do in a day?
Two, comfortably. Three if one of them is Brattle Book Shop, which takes exactly as long as your restraint allows.
Which one should we do first?
The Gardner. It sets the tone for the rest, and the empty frames are the thing people talk about afterwards.
Do we need to book anything ahead?
The Mapparium runs on paid guided tours, so check the schedule before you turn up. The rest you can walk into.