Boston is an historic and world-class city offering its residents and neighborhoods extensive resources and pleasures — museums, theatres, music halls, major hotels and outstanding restaurants, to name a few. Just large enough to experience the best of what an urban environment has to offer and small enough to cross town in 15 minutes, Boston is unique among cities. The surface and subway public transportation lines offer alternatives to driving. If you own a boat, you can dock it in several residential areas along the harbor, perhaps just step from your waterfront condominium and if a Learjet or helicopter is your preferred means of transportation, Boston is served by a major airport.

In addition to its city treasures, it is set amidst an abundance of natural resources. It is bordered by the Charles River to the west, the Mystic River to the north, Neponset river to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and is laced throughout with ribbons of green — Frederick Law Olmstead’s Emerald Necklace, Boston’s expansive park system. Beyond the city lie the mountains of Western Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, the stunning rocky coastline of Maine, the splendors of the Cape Cod National Seashore (the legacy left behind by President John F. Kennedy), Rhode Island and Connecticut. Within an hour or two, Boston residents can be skiing, sunning, boating or hiking depending on their pleasure. Boston is also a gateway to the rest of the world. Boston Harbor is docked with seagoing vessels sailing to the Caribbean and Europe, and Logan International Airport serves the nation and other continents.

Boston is the home of renowned universities and colleges, among them Harvard University and MIT. In Boston you will find some of the best hospitals in the world at the Longwood Medical Center, and the biomedical and tech industries flourish here. The financial and business communities continue to grow in Boston as it experiences a real estate boom that has lasted over 10 years.

With these influences along with centuries of history, Boston is and has long been a true melting pot of eclectic cultures, lifestyles and tastes. Chinatown and Little Italy are among the specialty neighborhoods that offer distinct cultures and cuisines, and Boston has one of the best thriving music scenes in the country. Boston sports have enjoyed a long tradition with the Red Sox, the Patriots and the Celtics among others. Boston also has one of the largest and liveliest gay communities in the country with extensive resources and the first gay marriages in Massachusetts having taken place here.

It is no wonder Boston is on every traveler’s list of American cities to visit — but it is also a place you undoubtedly will love to live.

Additional Resources:

Neighborhood Guide: www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/default.asp

Visitors' Guide: www.boston.com/travel/boston

Public Transportation: www.mbta.com