Visit Boston and Massachusetts: what to do and see?

What to do in Boston and Massachusetts?

The founding state of the United States, welcoming prestigious universities known all over the world, located on the east coast, between ocean and nature, Massachusetts is one of those places that are both dynamic and captivating that we often see in cinema or television. From Boston, the capital, to the magnificent Cape Cod, a piece of paradise between land and sea, passing through the legendary Salem witches or the mythical Harvard, let's explore together the Bay State!

Boston, capital

Historic, cultural and economic centre, Boston is a very unusual city in the United States. Part integral of the famous BosWash , this 800-kilometre urban area that goes from Boston to Washington, but still retains an identity that is unique to it. A historic city that is on foot, it is part of the agglomerations that breathe, where one feels pleasantly free without being suffocated by the huge skyscrapers.

To discover it, just follow the red thread. Indeed, Freedom Trail is a road traced to the ground, a kind of big red wire that runs on nearly 4 kilometers across the city.

It passes through all monuments and places to see or to visit. From Boston Common, one of the oldest public gardens in the country, to the site of the Battle of Bunker Hill, a high place of the war of independence, passing through the seat of government, the statue of Benjamin Franklin, the Old Corner Bookstore or the USS Constitution boat, everything is within reach.

In the centre, the historic Beacon Hill district is typical of Boston with its old town houses typical of red bricks, narrow paved streets and its Victorian atmosphere of the nineteenth century England. Today, it is one of the most sought-after and sought-after districts to live there.

Finally, during a walk near the port, do not miss to taste a « Clam Chowder » . This typical dish of Boston and traditional of New England is a kind of thick soup with palourdes that is absolutely succulent.

Harvard and MIT: two legendary universities

It's hard to talk about Boston without evokeing these two universities all over the world. Located in the nearby city of Cambridge, they evoke above all the excellence of teaching and research, but also a particular student atmosphere and an almost mythical history. Think more: Harvard is the oldest in American universities, founded in 1636, and is part of the Ivy League, this very select club from the top eight universities in the country. The richest university in the world, attracting students from all over the world, it was on his campus that Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook. Campus visit regularly by students who immerse you in the many anecdotes of daily life on site.

The MIT ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) is he, dedicated to science and technology. Created in 1861, it is a world-renowned university with many Nobel Prizes and world-class teachers. The MIT is also a symbol of excellence, since many fictional characters are graduated, like Howard Wolowitz in the series The Big Bang Theory , Peter Bishop in the series Fringe , Tony Stark in the movies Iron Man or Benjamin Gates in his adventure films, further strengthening his popularity. Just like Harvard, campus visit also . It makes you want to go back to school, doesn't it?

The Witches of Salem

Often mystified, still as legendary and sometimes romance, the famous episode of Salem's witches shook the region in the seventeenth century. In 1692, Salem was a small coastal town without history, but everything changed sharply when hundreds of people were accused of witchcraft and about 20 of them were sentenced to death after unspeakable trials.

It all started with three young girls at suddenly disturbing behavior: they speak an unknown language, they drag their feet and lose all their social marks. A kind of hysterical crisis of which several witches are supposed to be responsible. In a hostile and heavy climate, conducive to slanderous denunciation and under the pressure of a certain religious conservatism, this episode of witch hunt will always remain attached to the city of Salem.

Several explanations were made to explain these behaviours: religious extremism, child abuse or hallucinogenic substance from the seed of the rye ergot – close to the LSD. The doubt always flats and the city takes advantage of it to revive the tourists of the passage, this unique and tense story that has marked it forever. Several very interactive museums with re-enactment by actors re-live this era like the Witch Salem Museum, the Witch House or the Witch Dungeon Museum.

Not to be missed, in another style, the beautiful historic house with seven gables, one of the most typical and well-known of the city. Perfect to discover its beautifully furnished rooms, its secret staircase and live the daily life of these newcomers on the new continent.

Cape Cod, between land and sea

Near the island that sinks into the Atlantic Ocean, Cap Cod is one of these natural places that amaze travellers. Imagine: huge beaches of fine sand, picturesque and typical ports, a large nature reserve, small towns with unique charm, lighthouses overlooking the wild coast... In short, it is a condensed of natural beauties preserved and appreciated by tourists.

The town of Sandwich is part of these typical and authentic little jewelry. It is the oldest city in the course, founded in 1637 by pilgrims from Europe and fleeing religious persecution. There are beautiful gardens, typical small houses, art galleries and antiques that bring a touch of bucolic to the city, also known for its former glass factory founded in 1825.

On the east coast of Cape Cod, the "Cape Cod National Seashore" is the wildest protected natural part. It is a large park of dunes, moors, cliffs and ponds. A unique natural ecosystem that can be found on foot or by bike, along the great cycle path that crosses the course.

Finally, Provincetown is the busiest city in Cape Cod. At the same time eccentric, artistic, cultural and atypical, it is a picturesque and vibrant city, on narrow streets, overlooked by the Pilgrim’s Memorial Monument, a great tower that offers a 360-degree view.

It is also from Provincetown that cruises take place to observe whales in their natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean. Show guaranteed!

Plymouth, the symbol

A little further south of Cape Cod, Plymouth is an important city for the Americans, since it was founded in 1620 by pilgrims from Europe on the famous Mayflower. It is also the second oldest still existing American city.

To touch the finger this distant time, it is possible to see the place where these pilgrims landed and visit the replica of the boat which is firmly moored in the port. A beautiful historical dive to understand the daily lives of these women and men who have chosen to exile themselves to resume a new life in a new territory.

Finally, the Plimoth Plantation is a magnificent open-air village-museum that reconstitutes the daily life of these pilgrims who came to settle in the region in the seventeenth century. A beautiful dive in a daily life far from being easy for the time!

Main photo credit: Wikimedia – Rick Berk