As one of the oldest settlements in the USA, Boston has plenty of history to experience, yet, with a large, young student population and a coastal and countryside location, there are also plenty of other activities to enjoy. Even though the Charles River separates them, for the tourist, Boston and Cambridge are one city.

Some of the city's main attractions are walking tours. The Freedom Trail takes in the city's revolutionary past, while the Black Heritage Trail highlights Boston's part in the USA's anti-slavery history. Boston's oldest section, the North End, now the Italian quarter, contains Boston's narrowest house, at 44 Hull Street, which is 2.9m (9.5ft) wide.

Boston Common is as old as the city and provides a huge central plot of greenery where cattle and sheep originally grazed. To its north and northeast sides is Beacon Hill, historically the centre of power and wealth. The gilded dome of the Massachusetts State House is a useful marker. To the south side of the common are Chinatown and the Theater District.

Over the river is Harvard Square, which is actually a triangle. Its focal points are old buildings clad in Virginia creeper and the gamut of cafes, bookstores, shops and eating places, all the necessities for a thriving student community.

Toward the mouth of the river, Charlestown, a centre of the Irish-American community, is where shipbuilding used to be the major industry. The USS Constitution, launched in 1797 and better known as ‘Old Ironsides', having survived many hard-fought campaigns on behalf of Thomas Jefferson, is open for tours.

For views of the city, with your feet still on the ground, go either to North End's Copp's Hill Burying Ground or across the river to the Bunker Hill Monument. The best aerial view is at the Prudential Skywalk Observation Deck.

Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau
2 Copley Place, Suite 105
Tel: (617) 536 4100 or 1 888 733 2678/SEE BOSTON.
Website: www.bostonusa.com  
Tourist information booths are located at Boston Common and the Prudential Center, 101 Huntington Avenue.

Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
10 Park Plaza, Suite 4510
Tel: (617) 973 8500 or 1 800 227 6277/MASS.
Website: www.mass-vacation.com

The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau website (www.bostonusa.com) lists deals comprising discounts, family offers and coupons for sightseeing, dining, shopping and accommodation. These include BostonUSA Specials, which are coupons, and the Family Friendly Pass, which includes accommodation savings and 2-for-1 attraction discounts.

The major visitor pass is the CityPass (tel: 1 888 330 5008; website: www.citypass.com), which allows free admission to six attractions - Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts, New England Aquarium, John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Skywalk Observatory and the Harvard Museum of Natural History. It lasts for nine days and can be purchased from the attractions on the day or online in advance.

The GoBoston Card (tel: 1 800 887 9103; website: www.gobostoncard.com) offers a one- to multi-day card for free admissions to over 70 attractions, plus shopping, restaurant and lodging discounts.