BACK BAY
The easily navigated grid of streets in Back Bay bears little resemblance to the labyrinthine lanes around Downtown and the North End. In the mid-1800s Back Bay was filled in to accommodate Boston’s mushrooming population and, by the late 1800s, the area had become a vibrant, upscale neighborhood. Home to many of Boston’s wealthiest families, the area was characterized by lavish houses, grand churches, and bustling commercial zones. Many of the original buildings stand intact, providing an exquisite 19th-century backdrop for today’s pulsing nightlife, world-class shopping, and sumptuous dining.
1.Trinity Church
When I. M. Pei’s 60-story John Hancock Tower was completed in 1976, Bostonians feared that Trinity Church would be overshadowed by its gleaming upstart neighbor. Yet H. H. Richardson’s masterpiece, dedicated in 1877, remains just as vital to Copley Square, and as beautiful, as it was on its opening day (for further details see Trinity Church).
2.The Esplanade
The perfect setting for a leisurely bike ride, an invigorating jog, or a lazy afternoon of soaking up the sun, the Esplanade is one of the city’s most popular green spaces. This ribbon of green hugging the Charles’ riverbanks was inspired by Venetian canals. July 4th at the Esplanade’s Hatch Shell concert venue brings the world-famous Boston Pops Orchestra along with thousands of revelers to enjoy the incomparable mix of music, good cheer, and awe-inspiring fireworks. Use caution if on the esplanade at night.
View from the Esplanade
3.Boston Public Library
700 Boylston St • 617 536 5400 • Open 9am–9pm Mon–Thu, 9am–5pm Fri & Sat, 1–5pm Sun (Jun–Sep: closed Sun) • Tours: 2:30pm Mon, 6pm Tue & Thu, 11am Wed, Fri & Sat, 2pm Sun • www.bpl.org Although this McKim, Mead, & White-designed building went up in 1895, the Boston Public Library was actually founded in 1848 and is the oldest publicly funded library in the country. The interior’s Greco-Roman style cues lavish use of marble, and John Singer Sargent’s powerful Judaism and Christianity mural sequence clearly illustrates how valued public education was when the library was constructed. Guided tours offer insight into the building’s architecture and history.
Boston Public Library
4.Newbury Street
Over the years, Back Bay’s most famous street has proven to be amazingly adaptable, with fashion boutiques blending seamlessly into their mid-19th-century brownstone environs. This is the liveliest, most eclectic street in Boston: a babble of languages, skater punks alongside catwalk models, and delivery trucks and Ferraris jockeying for the same parking space (for further details see Around Newbury Street).
5.Gibson House Museum
137 Beacon St • 617 267 6338 • Tours 1pm, 2pm, & 3pm Wed–Sun • Adm • www.thegibsonhouse.org One of the first private residences to be built in Back Bay (c.1859), Gibson House remains beautifully intact. The house has been preserved as a monument to the era, thanks largely to the efforts of its final resident (the grandson of the well-to-do woman who built the house). So frozen in time does this house appear that you might feel like you’re intruding on someone’s inner sanctum, and an earlier age. Highlights of the tour include some elegant porcelain dinnerware, 18th-century heirloom jewelry, and exquisite black walnut woodwork throughout the house.
6.Prudential Center
800 Boylston St • 617 236 3100 • Open 10am–9pm Mon–Sat, 11am–8pm Sun Although it’s difficult to imagine, the Prudential Tower’s 52 stories seem dwarfed by the huge swath of street-level shops and restaurants that constitute the Prudential Center. With its indoor shopping mall, eateries, supermarket, cluster of residential towers, and massive convention center, the Prudential Center is like a self-contained city within a city. For a jaw-dropping view of Boston, visit the Skywalk on the tower’s 50th level (for further details see Prudential Skywalk), or the Top of the Hub Lounge, two floors above.
7.Commonwealth Avenue
With its leafy pedestrian mall and belle époque-inspired architecture, Commonwealth Avenue aptly deserves its comparison to les rues parisiennes. A morning jog on the mall is a popular pastime, as is the occasional picnic or afternoon snooze on a bench. Highlights include Boston’s First Baptist Church (110 Commonwealth; closed to non-worshipers) and the pedestrian mall’s stately statues, including the William Lloyd Garrison bronze, sculpted by local artist Anne Whitney.
Commonwealth Avenue
8.Christian Science Center
175 Huntington Ave • 617 450 7000 • Library open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun • Adm • www.marybakereddylibrary.org While believers head for the Romanesque-Byzantine basilica, the library (entered from Massachusetts Avenue) emphasizes inspirational facets of the founder’s life (for further details see Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910)) rather than church doctrine. The Mapparium, a walk-through stained-glass globe with 1935 political boundaries, remains the most popular exhibit. Peer into the newsroom of the Christian Science Monitor. Outside, a 670-ft (204-m) reflecting pool, designed by I. M. Pei, is lined with begonias, marigolds, and columbines. The café is a good spot for lunch.
Christian Science Center and the Prudential Center
9.Berklee Performance Center
136 Massachusetts Ave • 617 266 7455 • Check website for details of concerts and performances: www.berklee.edu/BPC The largest independent music school in the world, Berklee was founded in 1945. The college has produced a number of world-renowned jazz, rock, and pop stars, including Quincy Jones, Melissa Etheridge, Kevin Eubanks, Jan Hammer, and Branford Marsalis. The state-of-the-art performance center hosts special events including concerts, plays, and film screenings.
10.Copley Square
Named after John Singleton Copley, the renowned 18th-century Boston painter, Copley Square is surrounded by some of the city’s most striking architectural gems, notably Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library. A hub of activities, the bustling square hosts weekly farmers’ markets, concerts, and folk dance shows in summer. The BosTix booth sells discounted tickets for theater, music, and dance performances.
EXPLORING BACK BAY
Afternoon
Grab a patio table at the Parish Café and enjoy an inventive sandwich while gazing out onto the Public Garden. Stroll one block over to Newbury Street and take in the impressive contemporary art galleries concentrated between Arlington and Dartmouth streets. Then cross back over to Boylston at Dartmouth and sit for a while inside Trinity Church where La Farge’s stained-glass windows top an inexhaustible list of highlights. And while you’re in an aesthetics-appreciating mood, traverse St. James Place to the Copley Plaza Hotel and lounge for a few moments in the ornate, Versailles-esque lobby. Next, cross Dartmouth to the Boston Public Library and admire John Singer Sargent’s gorgeous murals.
Now it’s time to warm up your credit card, so head back to Newbury Street for a dizzying shopping spree. Turn left onto Newbury for Boston-only boutiques such as Fresh and Trident Booksellers. Pause for a reinvigorating fruit smoothie or thick frappé at Ben & Jerry’s (174 Newbury St). At Massachusetts Avenue, turn left, then left again onto Boylston and continue to the Prudential Center for name-brand shopping – you’ll find Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and the like. Cap it all off with a bracing-cold cocktail and smooth jazz at the 52nd-floor Top of the Hub Lounge, where you can soak in Boston’s skyline – and, with any luck, a dazzling sunset.
Art Galleries
1.Robert Klein
38 Newbury St • 617 267 7997 • Closed Sun & Mon Everybody who’s anybody in photography vies for space at Robert Klein. Past coups include shows by Annie Leibovitz and Herb Ritts.
2.Copley Society of Art
158 Newbury St • 617 536 5049 • Closed Mon With a commitment to exhibiting works by promising New England artists, this non-profit organization has been providing young artists with that crucial first break since 1879.
3.International Poster Gallery
205 Newbury St • 617 375 0076 Arguably the most fun – albeit the most populist – gallery on Newbury St, the IPG stocks vintage posters advertising films, travel, food, and sports.
International Poster Gallery print
4.Arden Gallery
129 Newbury St • 617 247 0610 • Closed Sun This contemporary art gallery focuses on original paintings and sculpture, including bronze and other metals. It showcases up-and-coming abstract and realist artists.
5.Society of Arts and Crafts
175 Newbury St • 617 266 1810 • Closed Sun & Mon Devoted to art in craft media, this 1897 pioneer of artisanship sells a wide variety of studio crafts. Jewelry and ceramics also available.
6.Alpha Gallery
37 Newbury St • 617 536 4465 • Closed Sun & Mon Founded in 1967 to showcase contemporary artists from Boston, Alpha now covers the country and features modern masters.
7.Gallery NAGA
67 Newbury St • 617 267 9060 • Closed Sun & Mon; Jul & Aug Representing some of New England’s most regarded artists, NAGA is possibly Newbury’s best contemporary art gallery.
8.Nielsen Gallery
179 Newbury St • 978 369 7071 • By appointment only Favoring lush, contemporary paintings, and the occasional mixed-media sculpture, Nielsen is popular among Boston’s art cognoscenti.
9.Vose Galleries
238 Newbury St • 617 536 6176 • Closed Sun & Mon The oldest family-owned art gallery in the US (open since 1841), Vose specializes in American realist painting and works on paper from the 18th–20th centuries.
10.Barbara Krakow Gallery
10 Newbury St • 617 262 4490 • Closed Sun & Mon Since opening in 1964 with an exhibition of Ellsworth Kelly prints, Barbara Krakow’s keen judgment of contemporary art has earned her many fans – and customers.
Work by Jackie Ferrara, Barbara Krakow Gallery
Homegrown Newbury Shops
1.Johnny Cupcakes
279 Newbury St This boutique specializes in limited-edition crossbones-and-cupcake T-shirts. The joke continues with bakery case displays, aprons on the staff, and the smell of cake batter in the air.
2.Trident Booksellers & Café
338 Newbury St Trident is popular for its delicious, healthy sandwiches, strong coffee concoctions, and arguably the best-informed book and magazine selections in the city.
3.Newbury Comics
332 Newbury St Generally undercutting the chain stores on CDs, Newbury Comics delivers value along with a stellar selection of rare import CDs and a growing range of exclusive, rare and vintage vinyl, as well as concert videos, and the latest comics.
Newbury Comics
4.Fresh
121 Newbury St Chic grooming products for men and women, many of them based on such natural products as sugar (for face and body skin polish), clay (masks and lotions), and soy (facial cleaning gel).
5.Hempest
207 Newbury St A true believer in the superiority of hemp as something to put on rather than inhale, Hempest showcases chic and casual styles fashioned from this environmentally friendly fiber.
6.Boston Olive Oil Company
253 Newbury St This family-owned shop offers more than 60 premium varieties of Extra Virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegars.
7.Second Time Around
176 Newbury St Before blowing your budget on that Chanel handbag, take a peek at Second Time Around, where used designer clothing and accessories get a second lease on life. Think head-to-toe Versace for a mere $100.
8.Condom World
332 Newbury St Check your inhibitions at this subterranean boutique’s door. While male anatomy-shaped ketchup dispensers deserve a laugh, some of the sex toys toward the back might raise some eyebrows.
9.Simon Pearce
103 Newbury St Fine blown glass and handmade pottery from this eponymous Irish designer and artist creates tableware with an upscale touch. Pearce signatures include classic goblets and other stemware.
10.Deluca’s Back Bay Market
239 Newbury St This old world-style corner market stocks fabulous produce, chilled beer, ready-made sandwiches, and imported delights of all kinds.
Nightclubs and Bars
1.Top of the Hub Lounge
Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston St Talk about a view: 52 stories above Back Bay, this bar dazzles with sweeping views, live jazz, deliciously sophisticated lounge food menu, and a wicked gin martini.
View over the city from the Top of the Hub Lounge
2.City Bar
65 Exeter St The epitome of a stylish yet discreet hotel lounge, City Bar serves up designer cocktails and light snacks.
3.Kings
10 Scotia St The 1950s were never so cool as they seem at this retro-styled lounge, pool hall, and bowling alley buried downstairs next to the Hynes Convention Center.
4.Storyville
94 Exeter St • Closed Sun–Tue Speakeasy meets nightclub at this lounge which serves hip bar food such as short rib casserole, and snazzy cocktails.
5.Whiskey’s
885 Boylston St Be sure to have ID in hand before putting pint to mouth at this lively bar. It’s full of hard-drinking collegiate types, who arrive around 6pm and stay until last call.
6.Bar at the Taj
15 Arlington St • Closes 11:30pm, 12:30am Fri & Sat Boston’s elite have been socializing at this elegant room facing the Public Garden since the 1920s.
7.The Pour House
907 Boylston St Cheap, hearty pub grub and occasional drink specials lure college kids to this two-story bar and grill. It’s loud, it’s crowded, and you’re bound to make a friend or two.
8.Bukowski Tavern
50 Dalton St A beer drinker’s paradise, Bukowski counts 100 varieties of the beverage. Its primary patrons are a professional crowd during the day and young hipsters at night.
9.Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar
271 Dartmouth St There’s always a festive mood at this trendy, Gothic-styled bar. Choose from the long list of specialty tequilas, accompanied by Mexican food.
10.Bristol Bar
200 Boylston St • Closes 1am Sharing room with the excellent Bristol Lounge, this sophisticated bar in the Four Seasons hotel charms visitors with its signature martinis.
Restaurants
1.Sorellina
1 Huntington Ave • 617 412 4600 • $$$ Regional Italian food with a contemporary spin is accompanied by a range of great wines and served up in a sophisticated dining room.
2.L’Espalier
774 Boylston St • 617 262 3023 • $$$ New England ingredients combine with high-style modern French technique to create memorable, luxury dining.
3.Deuxave
371 Commonwealth Ave • 617 517 5915 • Closed L • $$$ Elegant contemporary dining ranges from local lobster and scallops to caramelized onion ravioli. In summer, outside seating is available.
4.Douzo
131 Dartmouth St • 617 859 8886 • $$$ The serene setting of rich, dark wood and high ceilings makes one of the city’s best sushi restaurants something of a Zen experience.
5.Post 390
406 Stuart St • 617 399 0015 • Closed L Sat & Sun • $$$ This urban tavern near the South End border is a comfortable meeting spot, with three fireplaces, two bars, and an open kitchen on two levels.
6.Mistral
223 Columbus Ave • 617 867 9300 • $$$ Delectable French-Mediterranean dishes and an excellent wine list make Mistral an ideal dining venue.
7.Uni
370A Commonwealth Ave • 617 536 7200 • Closed L & Mon • $$$ Chef Ken Oringer presents his own interpretation of contemporary Japanese cuisine at this fine-dining restaurant in the Eliot Hotel.
8.Brasserie Jo
120 Huntington Ave • 617 425 3240 • $$ Bustling Brasserie Jo captures the savoir faire of 1940s Paris. Relish hearty French classics like steak roquefort.
9.Erbaluce
69 Church St • 617 426 6969 • $$$ Chef Charles Draghi brings French technical finesse to north Italian cuisine with a menu that changes nightly. Excellent, all-Italian wine list.
10.Grill 23
161 Berkeley St • 617 542 2255 • Closed L • $$$ Grill 23 harkens back to the days of exclusive, Prohibition-era supper clubs. Prime aged beef with an inventive spin is served in a sumptuously classic interior.
Entrance to Grill 23