Three romantic days in Boston

By Genevieve Brown

While Boston is a thoroughly modern city, during your visit you'll often feel as if you've stepped back in time. So much of the city remains unchanged -- the gaslit and cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill, the narrow alleyways of the North End, the ducks waddling at your feet in the Public Garden -- its romantic side is just below the surface. You'll find it in not only in the obvious places, but also in fleeting moments as you open the time capsule of Boston.

The quintessential "walking city," Boston provides unlimited opportunities for wandering hand-in-hand with your sweetie. Add a romantic dinner for two with a spectacular view or a ride on a swanboat and you're well on your way to a Boston vacation teeming with romance.

Amazing Freebies Worth Pursuing: Picnics in the Public Garden; dancing cheek to cheek at a concert at the Hatch Shell; crossing the Charles River to Cambridge via foot bridge; window shopping on Newbury Street.

Home Away From Home
The intimate Beacon Hill Hotel (12 guest rooms) is as romantic and charming as the neighborhood for which it's named. Located on the corner of Charles and Chestnut Streets, this neighborhood gem is conveniently located to the Boston Common and Public Garden. Its most outstanding feature is the private roof deck, perfect for sipping champagne before turning in for the night.

Jurys Boston Hotel: This newcomer on the Boston hotel scene has a great Back Bay location and posh digs in the former Boston police headquarters. The dual-floor lobby is sprinkled with stone fireplaces and cozy couches for curling up while the guest rooms feature pillow-top beds, 300-count linens and duvet covers, nightly turndown and 24-hour in-room dining. The Ireland-based hotel fits in nicely in the most Irish city in America -- you'll likely be greeted by Irish doormen and assisted by the Irish concierge.

Fifteen Beacon: This 60-room boutique hotel property sits perched atop Beacon Hill and is within walking distance of many of Boston's top attractions, but don't let that stop you from taking advantage of the complimentary in-town Mercedes chauffeured car service. Every room has a queen poster bed and a gas fireplace.

Day 1
On your first day in Boston, head for Back Bay, the home of the Boston Public Garden (adjacent to the less impressive but historically significant Boston Common, the oldest public park in the U.S.). The centerpiece of the perfectly manicured lawns and flowerbeds of the Public Garden is the lagoon that houses the Swan Boats. Enjoy a peaceful 15-minute ride on the swan-shaped paddleboats.

When you're ready to leave the tranquility of the Public Garden behind, exit at Arlington Street and make your way to the near end of Boston's most fashionable shopping and people-watching promenade: Newbury Street. The streets that run across Newbury Street are alphabetically arranged starting with Arlington, then Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, Exeter, Fairfield, Gloucester and Hereford. As you stroll, you'll pass Chanel, Burberry, Armani and a variety of high- to mid-range clothing stores, shoe stores and art galleries. Check out Calypso (Newbury between Clarendon and Dartmouth) for funky, high-end beach attire.

If your feet need a rest, there's no place better to stop for a light lunch than at the patio at the Armani Cafe (about halfway down Newbury Street at Exeter). Enjoy the Northern Italian fare and sip your wine leisurely -- the much-coveted patio tables are prime real estate for the best people watching in all of Boston.

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