The Back Bay
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Maybe it’s the wide, tree-lined boulevards or the graceful Victorian mansions. Maybe it’s the fact that people in this part of town spend a lot of time people watching. Whatever it is, there is something about the Back Bay that feels a little bit like Paris. And perhaps there’s good reason for this. When the city decided to fill in the swamp that was formerly the Back Bay in 1857, it laid out the neighborhood’s streets following a French model. To this day, the Back Bay retains a little bit of that… je ne sais quoi.
Now, more than 150 years after much of it was built, the Back Bay is still really the beating heart of Boston. If Beacon Hill symbolizes Boston’s past, and neighborhoods like Fort Point and SOWA represent the city’s future, there is something about the Back Bay that feels absolutely “now.” Gracious townhouses, condos and single-family mansions line Commonwealth and Beacon Streets. Trendy boutiques, sidewalk cafes, exclusive art galleries, and luxury retailers line Newbury Street. Copley Square, the Prudential Center, the Public Library and the John Hancock building remain the architectural gems of the neighborhood. The Commonwealth Mall, Copley Square and the Christian Science Plaza are Boston’s answer to the Italian concept of “piazza.” Grab a bench and feed the pigeons, listen to an outdoor concert, picnic on the grass, or meet your amour.
Meanwhile, New York-style luxury condominium buildings are springing up along Boylston Street, adding to the neighborhood’s bustle. You’re apt to see all types on Back Bay streets, from celebrities, to pampered urbanites, to college students to street bums. It is this eclectic mix that gives the neighborhood its unique sense of vibrancy.
Neighborhood facts:
The Back Bay is home to 26,721 residents.
Neighborhood Links
- Boston Back Bay Association
- Back Bay, City of Boston
- The Back Bay Sun
- Back Bay Nag
- Newbury Street League
- Friends of Copley Square
- Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay
Where to go in the Back Bay for:
- Furniture: Montage, No Crate & Barrel here. Montage is a family-run business dedicated to modern.
- A Tailor: Newbury Tailoring Company, no-nonsense, precise tailoring done quickly.
- Good Coffee: L’Aroma Cafe. Good coffee in an unpretentious atmosphere.
- Kitchenware: Bliss Home, offering dinnerware, housewares, furniture and textiles.
- Avant-garde clothing: Stil, carrying many fashion-forward lines from Europe.
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