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When newcomers arrive in Boston, they often think of the real city as purely The Back Bay, Beacon Hill, The Financial District and those Duck Boats that circle those parts of town.

But Boston has several other areas that are attractive, relatively central, and often more affordably priced.

Chief among these areas is Brookline (actually a separate town) that is located just beyond the Back Bay. Brookline has a lot of appealing features: Much of the Victorian, bowfront architecture is reminiscent of the South End and Back Bay and this town has an urban feel, although there are also many stand-alone, single family houses with yards. Public transportation is good, as the Green line subway trains run throughout Brookline. Brookline has its own commercial districts with movie theatres, coffee shops, bookstores, ethnic restaurants and grocery stores and it is possible to live without a car. The schools are highly-ranked and the town is considered very safe which gives the town a “family” feel and more age diversity than you will find in central Boston. The area is green and clean, and there is usually a park or two within a few blocks of wherever you happen to be. Apartments are usually significantly larger than those available in the North End and Beacon Hill, and usually much less expensive.

To be sure, Brookline does not have the bustle of Back Bay. It feels more like exactly what it is — a town — but it does retain a certain urban quality that makes it a very pleasant place to live.

Cambridge, a separate city north of Boston and across the Charles River, is also appealing to recent émigrés. It offers close proximity to Harvard and MIT, proximity to Kendall Square’s new biotech labs and research companies, cultural and racial diversity, intellectual stimulation, good dining and good shopping. Cambridge apartments are also usually less expensive than similar apartments in central Boston. Some people like to think of Cambridge as the funky “left bank” to Boston. One in five residents of the city is foreign born.

Another option for those willing to look beyond Downtown is The Fenway Neighborhood, where hundreds of new luxury condominiums are now being built.

Neighborhood facts: Brookline had a population of about 59,000 in 2006. The average home price in 2007 was close to $700,000. The town was named one of the best places to live in America by Money Magazine. The city of Cambridge had a population of about 100,000 in 2007. The average price of a single family home in the city was $546,000 .It is the fifth most populous city in the state. About 20,000 people live in The Fenway. The average home price for a condo in that area was about $362,000 in July 2007.
Outer Neighborhood Links

• Fenway Action Coalition
• Fenway Civic Association
• Fenway Cultural District
• City of Cambridge
• Town of Brookline
• Cottage Farm Neighborhood Association
• Boylston Street Neighborhood Association
• Brookline Arts Association

Outer Neighborhood Picks

• Brookline
• Best Neighborhood Bakery: Clear Flour Bakery, Authentic breads of Italy and France, right in Brookline.
• Best Place for Eyeglass Frames: Vizio Optic, truly unique, Euro-designs with unbeatable style.
• Best Crepes: Paris Creperie (Coolidge Corner): 278 Harvard Street, Brookline
• Best Russian Market: Bazaar International Gourmet, 1432 Beacon Street, Brookline
• Best Russian Bookstore: Petropol, 1428 Beacon Street, Brookline
• Best Dessert: Finale Restaurant, the molten chocolate cake is a favorite.
• Best Pizza: Upper Crust, the pizza is better than most American take-outs.
• Best European-Style Cafe and Bakery: Athan’s Bakery, artisan pastries, good coffee, nice atmosphere.
• Best Bagels: Kupel’s Bakery, 421 Harvard Street, (617) 566-9528, fresh and tasty bagels.
  
• Fenway
• Best Authentic Italian Trattoria: Trattoria Toscana,
  130 Jersey Street, Boston, MA. True Italian food, not Americanized.
• Best Place to See an Intelligent Movie: The Museum of Fine Arts Film Program.  Chock full of cinema from all over the world.
• Best Pizza: Bertucci’s — the pizza is thin crust and similar to what you mind find in Italy.
• Best Wine: The Wine Gallery, featuring wines from all over the world.
• Cambridge
• Best Place to See an Intelligent Movie: Kendall Square Cinema. Specializing in foreign and independent film.
• Best Gourmet Food Shop: Cardullos.  Delicacies of all kinds from all over the world.
• Best Bread Shop: Iggy’s Bread of the World — real bread!!!
• Best Crepes: La Creperie (Harvard Sq): 1154 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge. Maybe it’s not France, but it’s close.
• Best Hot Chocolate: L.A. Burdick, featuring artisan chocolate and a mean hot chocolate.
• Best Furniture Store: Abodeon, featuring an interesting mix of vintage and contemporary furniture, home accessories and gifts.
• Best Pizza: Gran Gusto, 90 Shepherd Street (617)-441-0400. Authentic Italian pizza, straight from Naples.
  
• Somerville
• Best Wine and Cheese Shop: The Wine and Cheese Cask, better than average selection of vino and cheese.
• Brighton
• Best Grocery Store for Asian, African and Indian foods: Super 88 Market, the leading Asian supermarket chain in the Boston area.
• Best Thai Restaurant: Bamboo. It’s the freshest, healthiest Thai food that you’ve ever eaten.