The smell of garlic will
tell you that you’ve arrived in the North End, Boston’s
"Little Italy". You’ll be tempted to while away the
day in a drinking espresso and munching on biscotti while
listening to Frank Sinatra croon. The sweet smells of freshly
baked breads and pastries lore you inside the bakeries; and the
numerous restaurants are not to be missed.
On a hot summer day, fat
old ladies will set up their chairs and sell you freshly made
lemonade and scream Italian at each other through across their
front stoops. Summer weekends also celebrate saints, when the
tangled streets are filled with crowds, parades, marching bands,
and carts selling everything from fried dough to calimari. The
most famous festivals are the St. Anthony festival and the
Fisherman’s feast, when a young girl "flies" from a
North Street window to offering flowers to the Madonna.
Continue along the Freedom
Trail to the Old North Church. (193 Salem Street, 523-6676)
During the ride of Paul Revere, a warning light in the steeple
of the church warned people: one if by land, two if by sea.
Paul Revere’s house is
located just behind the Old North Church (19 North Square,
523-2338) and is filled with a 17th century
furnishings and artifacts, as well as silver made from his shop.
Twinkling lights show a
pathway to beautiful flowers and peaceful statues at the
"Peace Garden" of St. Stephen’s church, the oldest
Italian church in New England. For more history, head over to
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, where some of America’s heroes
are buried. It also offers a wonderful view of the waterfront.
Commercial Street circles
around the North End and following it will lead you along Boston’s
waterfront. Stroll along until you find Christopher Columbus
Park; a peaceful, picturesque park that offers free summer
concerts. It’s also a nice spot to see the Fourth of July
fireworks.
Also on Commercial Street
was the site of the Great Molasses Flood of 1919, when a
four-story silo of molasses exploded, killing over a dozen
people and destroying bridges and buildings in its wake. On a
hot summer day, you can still smell the molasses.
At the corner of
Commercial and Prince Street, was the site of the infamous
"Brinks Job", where over $1.75 million dollars was
stolen. Prince Street may also be familiar to folks who remember
the commercial of Anthony rushing through the streets of the
North End to enjoy a steaming bowl of spaghetti.
It would be difficult to
single out a favorite restaurant, because honestly, they are all
fabulous. Follow the crowds, ask locals for favorites, and don’t
forget to go off the beaten track. For an authentic North End
experience, be sure to have a pastry at Mike’s Pastry, an
espresso at Café Victoria and a slice of pizza at Ernesto’s.
And if you want to be really sinful, head over to Dairy Fresh
Candies (57 Salem Street, 742-2639) for a piece of their
decadent chocolate.
THE
NORTH END
ATTRACTIONS
