Boston - Get Around

Bordered by the harbour and the Charles River, Boston has been an attractive destination since the first settlers set foot on it in 1630.

Walking Boston or taking the 'T' (trains, trolleys and subways) is easy, but the old streets lose their charm when you try driving around them.

The financial district and historic sites are downtown. Go west for 19th-century Beacon Hill, grassy Boston Common and city square, Government Center. A little south-west is wealthy Back Bay. Find Little Italy in The North End, naturally on the north side. See the 200-year-old warship USS Constitution in Charlestown's Navy Yard across the river and academic Cambridge just to the west.

Grab a map and start walking. It's the easiest way to get around the populated areas. Stroll the redbrick sidewalks of Beacon Hill or follow the historic trails. Amble around the Public Garden and the Boston Common. Catch the breezes off the Charles River on the Esplanade.

The 'T' – the subway, trolleys and trains of the Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority (MBTA) – operates four lines (blue, green, red, orange). It's the most efficient form of transportation, unless you get caught on the Green Line on the day of a Red Sox game.

MBTA runs 170 bus routes. They are not the speediest, especially when traffic is snarled, but they are cheaper, can handle people with disabilities and get to more of the city's nooks and crannies than the subway.

Taxis are plentiful and can be hailed on the street or reserved by telephone. If this is your chosen mode of transportation and you like to chat with the drivers, be aware that talk is not cheap. There is an additional tariff when coming from the airport.

If you are staying in a hotel around Boston Harbor, beat the airport traffic by taking a boat from Logan Airport. In the summer months, spend the better part of the day exploring the historic Harbor Islands or party anytime of the year aboard an Odyssey Cruise.

The Boston Visitor's Pass for unlimited use of MBTA services are available in one, three or seven-day increments and can be purchased online, by mail or at the stations. Tokens for travel are also obtainable at station booths. To keep your sanity, do not drive – Boston is difficult to navigate and parking is expensive.

Visit the Boston Common and Harvard, both established in the mid-17th century. Fast forward 140 years to the American Revolution and walk the Freedom Trail. Ride the T, America's first subway (est. 1897).

Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority (MBTA) website