ToursWalking Tour of the North End and Old North Church: $35Thursday, November 7, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Ciao, bella! Welcome to the North End, one of the oldest Italian communities in America and the oldest neighborhood in Boston. We'll walk the area, searching out the colorful sights found on the narrow streets. The oldest church building in the city, Old North Church, is here, as is Paul Revere's home, the only 17th-century building still standing in the original city limits. The pungent aroma of smoked meats in the delicatessens mingles with the light perfume of fresh fruit at the greengrocer. From characteristic Italian cheeses to the city's best cannoli, you'll be in for a wonderful morning full of glorious sights and smells. We'll see shops, restaurants, and street performers at Faneuil Hall Marketplace and learn about Quincy Market, formerly colonial Boston's central market. Stop in one of the Italian bakeries for coffee and a light lunch on your own. Historic Lexington and Literary Concord: $65 (includes lunch)Friday, November 8, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. In Lexington we will walk along Lexington Green, site of the historic Battle of Concord and Lexington between the Minutemen and the invading British army. Here the "shot heard 'round the world" marked the start of the Revolutionary War. We will then go to the North Bridge Visitor Center, which has an excellent view of the Concord River and the Old North Bridge. Some of America's literary greats, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Louisa May Alcott, lived and worked in Concord. We will visit landmarks commemorating these authors and then tour the lovely Orchard House, where Ms. Alcott lived and wrote the classic novel Little Women, the most widely published children's book in the world. We'll end our tour with lunch at the Colonial Inn. Built in 1716 and operating as a hotel since 1889, it is an enduring landmark of gracious hospitality in historic Concord. Seafaring Salem, the "Witch City": $53Saturday, November 9, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Historic Salem, once a major seaport from which ships traveled to China and the East Indies, is commonly known as "the witch city." We'll visit the House of Seven Gables, the setting for Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic tale. The infamous witch trials of 1692 are illustrated in a multisensory presentation of witch hysteria at the Salem Witch Museum; then we'll visit the Salem Witch Memorial and the Peabody Essex Museum, which houses treasures from exotic foreign ports. Time is available for lunch on your own at the museum. A trip to Salem would not be complete without a drive down magnificent Chestnut Street, often referred to as one of the most beautiful streets in America, where we will view the Federalist architecture of Samuel McIntyre. Last modified: Monday, 23-Sep-2002 23:40:31 EDT |