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.
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