Romantic Getaways in Boston

Boston is a walking city with a compact core, which is what makes it work for a couple’s weekend: you can cross most of it on foot in an afternoon, and the water is never far away.

The Public Garden and Beacon Hill

The Public Garden is the oldest botanical garden in the country and the swan boats run on the lagoon from spring into early autumn. Walk up into Beacon Hill afterwards for the gas lamps and brick on Acorn Street, which is about as photographed as a street gets and still worth it early in the morning.

The Waterfront and the Harbor

The Harborwalk runs along the water through the Seaport and the North End, and it is free. Ferries out to the Boston Harbor Islands run in season from Long Wharf; Spectacle Island and Georges Island are the two usually worth the crossing, one for the views back at the skyline and one for the fort.

Sunset along the Charles River Esplanade is the other option, and the view of the Back Bay skyline from the Cambridge side of the river is the better one.

The North End

The Italian quarter and the densest concentration of restaurants in the city. Book ahead on a weekend, and expect a queue at the two famous pastry shops on Hanover Street whatever time you turn up.

Rooftops and Views

The Skywalk Observatory at the Prudential Center and the top of the Custom House Tower both give a full view over the harbor and the river. Check current opening before you plan an evening around either.

Day Trips for Two

Salem is about 30 minutes by commuter rail or a seasonal ferry, and is far more than the witch trials. Rockport and Gloucester on Cape Ann are around an hour by train, and give you a working harbor and a coastline. Concord is a half hour out, with Walden Pond and the Old Manse.

Tips

• Boston weather turns quickly in any season. Bring a layer, and something waterproof between November and April.
• The T is the fastest way across the centre and a car is a liability downtown, where parking is expensive and the streets are not on a grid.
• Restaurants in the North End and the Seaport want reservations on a Friday or Saturday.