Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile walking route that links 16 official historic sites connected with Boston's colonial and revolutionary past. The idea came from the journalist William Schofield in 1951, and Mayor John Hynes put it into action. The route is marked in the pavement, mostly in brick, with special markers set into the sidewalk at each stop, so it is easy to follow without a guide.

The trail begins on Boston Common and continues to the Massachusetts State House, then passes Park Street Church, the Granary Burying Ground, King's Chapel and its burying ground, the site of the Boston Latin School, the statue of Benjamin Franklin, the Old Corner Bookstore and the Old South Meeting House. Through the old centre it continues past the Old State House and the site of the Boston Massacre to Faneuil Hall. In the North End it reaches the Paul Revere House, Old North Church and Copp's Hill Burying Ground, before crossing into Charlestown for USS Constitution and finishing at the Bunker Hill Monument.

Walking the trail is free, although some sites charge admission and keep their own opening hours. For background, the Freedom Trail Foundation runs guided tours led by guides in eighteenth-century costume. Its Walk Into History tour covers 11 of the 16 sites and departs several times a day, and a North End tour focuses on Faneuil Hall, the Paul Revere House, Old North Church and Copp's Hill. Private and custom tours are available all year. Combined tickets are sold at the Boston Common Visitor Center at 139 Tremont Street.

Allow at least half a day to walk the full route with a few stops inside, or a full day if you plan to visit the museums and USS Constitution properly. Comfortable shoes are essential, and as a general tip it is sensible to carry water in summer and to start early, before the busiest part of the day. Many people walk the downtown and North End section one day and save Charlestown for another.

The trail suits first-time visitors, families with school-age children and anyone interested in American history. It can be walked in either direction, and because it passes through central neighbourhoods there are plenty of places to stop for food, from Faneuil Hall Marketplace to the North End's restaurants and pastry shops.