City Information     Flygbilejtt -           Queensway Travel
Airport
Boston Logan International Airport is 6 km from the city centre. Flight time from London is 7 hrs 15 mins. Logan International Airport is the nation's 17th busiest airport and the world's 26th busiest airport, based on passenger volume. There are five passenger terminals each with its own ticketing, baggage claim and ground transportation facilities. International Flights all arrive at Terminal E. However, please note that some International Departures use Terminal C, so it is very important to check with the individual airline to ascertain the correct departure terminal. Terminal E offers a number of decent restaurants, including sushi (Arigato Sushi) and a beer specialist (Shipyard Brew Port Restaurant). The Arrivals level has plenty of banking services, internet access is available in two sites on the Departures level.

Airport to City Centre

Taxis charge $1.50 for the first quarter mile, plus 25 cents per each 1/8 mile thereafter (or $2 per mile). Idling and waiting time is $20 per hour. An airport service fee of $1.50 is added on entering and leaving the airport and the customer pays all tolls (generally $3 leaving airport only). The trip into town takes between 20 mins and1 hr, depending on the day and time. Alternatively, free blue and white MASSPORT buses link all air terminals with the airport ‘T’ station. Take the ‘T’ Blue Line to Downtown Government Center for $1. Trains leave frequently. The MASSPORT water shuttle runs across the harbour to Rowes Wharf, which is convenient for the business district. Pay $10 for the pleasant 7-min trip, which departs every 15 mins weekdays and every 30 mins on weekends; note that the last boat leaves the airport and Rowes Wharf at 2000 hrs. Take any bus (free ride) marked Water Shuttle for a ride from the air terminal to the water shuttle docks. For more information on transportation to and from Logan International, visit Website: www.massport.com/logan.

Orientation

Boston is situated on Massachusetts Bay, protected by a peninsula (Cape Cod) that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. To its north lies the Charles River Basin, which extends from Cambridge to Boston Harbor. To the south, the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) bisects the city, with links to the Expressway for points north and south. Central Boston’s easternmost points are at Rowes Wharf and Fort Point Channel (a burgeoning artists’ enclave). It is split into six main areas of activity: Back Bay, Downtown, Waterfront, North End, South End and Beacon Hill. Currently the Downtown area and Waterfront are undergoing a massive highway project. Dubbed ‘The Big Dig’, it is the most expensive highway-tunnel-rebuilding project in American history. With an expected completion date of 2004, much of the Central City and its roads are in a constant state of flux. Be warned: today’s barricade may be tomorrow’s new ramp and vice versa.

Around the City               Flyg stol -        Queensway Travel

Despite the system’s age, Boston’s public transport system serves the Downtown area well, though beyond the city core, it may crawl. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operates daily bus, train and streetcar services in both the city and the nearby suburbs. Some subway stations have local scenes painted by fine artists. Others are subterranean concert venues with guitar, flute and percussion played by struggling musicians. A large black ‘T’ on a white circular sign marks ‘T’ stations. A single trip on any underground conveyance costs $1, while surface buses cost 75c. Buy tokens for the ‘T’ at each station in the manned booth and you must pay with exact change as you board buses. A bargain is the Boston Visitors Passport, which entitles you to one, three or seven days’ unlimited travel. Buy one at the ‘T’ station for $6, $11 or $22 respectively. Maps and timetables are also available at hotel concierge.

What is Interesting

Back Bay: This historic area adjoining the Charles River Basin was, until 1890, under water. Now, it is a major cultural area with a distinctly European feel. Stroll along tree-shaded Beacon St, which skirts the Public Garden; laid out in 1861, it features a wealth of fountains, acres of grass and trees, colourful seasonal flower beds, statues and a lighted public skating pond. Fashionable shops and chi-chi restaurants abound along Newbury St, where trendy hair salons vie with pricey antique shops, while the more avant garde shoe and clothing shops reside at the upper end, beyond Gloucester St and all the way to Massachusetts Ave. Stop for coffee and soak up the atmosphere. Copley Sq gracefully blends the architecture of old and new. The Esplanade is a riverside park suitable for jogging, roller-blading or sunbathing. During evenings and weekends in summer, frequent outdoor concerts and films are offered free of charge.

The Common: A large open space next to Beacon Hill where cows and sheep once grazed, this is where the city residents walk their dogs and fly their kites. Beneath the huge expanse, there’s a large underground public car park. Just beyond the Common, the Public Garden is a large park teeming with flowers of the season. Numerous footbridges traverse the small pond on which Swan Boats glide in season (Apr-Oct). At the crest is the gilded dome of The State House, seat of government for Massachusetts. Note the handsome Park St Church as well as many other fine churches and historic graveyards (see Kings Chapel at the corner of Tremont and School Sts). At the base of the Common is the city’s theatre district, where Broadway plays and comedy clubs perform nightly.

Museum of Fine Arts: Important works from every major period are represented, including a fine collection of Impressionist and American paintings. The antique furniture is spectacular. The main building has a handsome colonnaded facade, dated 1909. Open daily except Mon. Admission $14. 465 Huntington Ave.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Venetian palazzo planted on the Fenway. Indoor courtyard, music room, tapestries, statues, café. An infamous theft of valuable paintings (still not recovered) took place here in 1996.

Paul Revere House: Paul Revere was one of Boston’s most famed Revolutionary War heroes. His family home at North Sq, which dates back to the 1770s, is now a museum and contains many personal artifacts and captures a distinct spirit of the era. Hours vary by season, so be sure to call first.

Old North Church: A lantern hung from the spire of the church was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. Open daily free of charge and services are still held every Sunday morning. 193 Salem St.

Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum: Currently closed due to fire damage, but likely to open early in 2002, the ship is a full-sized replica of one of a trio of tea clippers present at the original Boston Tea Party – the spark that ignited the American Revolution. The museum houses period exhibitions, related documents and artefacts. Open daily. Admission $6 for adults. Between Congress St Bridge and Northern Ave Bridge, opposite Fan Pier.

Quincy Marketplace: Built in 1826 as a meat and produce market. Today there are more than 100 shops and restaurants, as well as street vendors and performance artists. A major tourist attraction for young and old. Open daily from 1100 until late.

Shopping Lediga flygstolar      Queensway Travel

Boston has some of the most varied shopping on the East Coast. Large shops along Washington St and esoteric arts and crafts stalls at Downtown Crossing compete with tiny designer boutiques along Newbury St, smart shops inside the double-level Copley Place and newer shops at the Prudential. There’s something for everyone in every price range. Take the ‘T’ Green Line train marked ‘D’ Reservoir to Chestnut Hill stop (note there are four Green Lines and only the ‘D’ goes to Chestnut Hill) to see the classy Bloomingdale’s (very much like Harvey Nichols); the ride is approx 30 mins.

There is no tax on clothing and just 5% sales tax on all other items. In Cambridge, Harvard Sq abounds with bookshops; Porter Sq is an esoteric side trip; Central Sq is an ethnic melting pot; and the Cambridgeside Galleria (take the ‘T’ Green Line to Lechmere, which will be displayed on the train) has all that middle America desires.

The original Filene’s Basement is located below Filene’s department store on Washington St. Here, seasonal garments are automatically marked down each week – you can pick up a $175 pair of designer sports shoes for less than $30. It takes energy, but it’s good fun. Don’t think that the shops that call themselves Filene’s Basement (in other locations) are the same – they are a separate entity offering reasonable but not spectacular value.

Where to Tour  

The best walk is along the ‘Freedom Trail’, a 5 km route past the buildings and monuments synonymous with American Independence. The trail, marked in red on all good city maps, begins at Boston Common Visitor Information Center (near the Park St ‘T’ station), winds through the Downtown area, past Faneuil Hall, across the North End and out to Charlestown. For more information, call in at the Boston Common Visitor Information Center or the National Parks Service at 15 State St. Depending on stops, it should take about 3 hrs to complete, though full exploration of the myriad sights of historical importance will take far longer. Don’t miss the Bunker Hill Monument, Old Ironsides, or the famous Cheers bar (from the once-beloved TV show), just a few steps below The Hampshire House.