2 days in Boston

Day by day

1. Day 1: Freedom Trail and Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market

   Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, Boston Common and Public Garden and Museum of Fine Arts, then Fenway Park in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Freedom Trail

      A red-brick line in the pavement links sixteen historic sites over about 4 km: Boston Common, the State House, the Granary Burying Ground where Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and John Hancock are buried, the Old State House near the Boston Massacre site, Faneuil Hall, the Paul Revere House, Old North Church and, across the river in Charlestown, USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument.

   2. Late morning

      Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market

      Behind it, the 1820s granite colonnade of Quincy Market is a long food hall, and the cobbled plazas between the market buildings fill with street performers.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: New England clam chowder

      Union Oyster House near Faneuil Hall, open since 1826 and among the oldest restaurants in the US, and seafood restaurants all over the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Boston Common and Public Garden

      Next to it, the Public Garden of 1837 is a Victorian botanical garden with a lagoon, weeping willows and the Swan Boats, pedal-powered boats that have carried passengers since 1877. Children climb on the bronze ducklings from Robert McCloskey's book Make Way for Ducklings near the Beacon and Charles streets corner.

   5. Late afternoon

      Museum of Fine Arts

      It also has a major Impressionist collection with dozens of works by Monet, and celebrated Japanese and ancient Egyptian galleries.

   6. Evening

      Fenway Park

      Arrive early to walk Jersey Street and Lansdowne Street, which fill with food stands and bars before the first pitch.

2. Day 2: Old North Church and Paul Revere House and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

   Old North Church and Paul Revere House, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, New England Aquarium and USS Constitution, then Fenway and Lansdowne Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Old North Church and Paul Revere House

      A few blocks away, the Paul Revere House of around 1680 is the oldest building in downtown Boston.

   2. Late morning

      Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

      In 1990 thieves stole 13 works, including Vermeer's The Concert, and empty frames still hang where they were, because her will required the galleries to stay as she arranged them.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lobster roll

      Neptune Oyster in the North End is known for its warm buttered version; seafood shacks on the waterfront and in the Seaport serve the cold style.

   4. Afternoon

      New England Aquarium

      Harbour seals and sea lions live in an outdoor marine mammal centre, and whale-watching trips leave from the wharf in the warmer months.

   5. Late afternoon

      USS Constitution

      US Navy sailors lead free tours of her decks, and the USS Constitution Museum stands next to her in the Charlestown Navy Yard.

   6. Evening

      Fenway and Lansdowne Street

      Sports bars, the House of Blues and the MGM Music Hall around Fenway Park, packed on game and concert nights.

Before you go

• Fenway Park: Popular games sell out; buy through the Red Sox's official ticketing rather than street resellers.
• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Entry is by timed ticket; book online for weekends.

If it rains

• Swap in Boston Public Library, Central Library (Back Bay): Sit in the courtyard on a sunny day; it is one of the calmest spots in Back Bay.
• Swap in Museum of Science (Charles River): Book planetarium and Omni shows when you buy entry; the lightning show is included with admission.
• Swap in Institute of Contemporary Art (Seaport District): Find the Mediatheque, a stepped room whose single window frames nothing but the water below.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 18–21 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.1 hours in December to 15.3 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. The T's four subway lines meet downtown at Park Street, Downtown Crossing, Government Center and State; the Green Line's branches serve Back Bay, Fenway and the museums.

More or fewer days

• One day in Boston
• 3 days in Boston
• 4 days in Boston
• 5 days in Boston
• 7 days in Boston

Questions travellers ask