Downtown

Downtown Boston is best described as the center of Boston’s northeastern peninsula but also encompasses the Boston Common, the Public Garden, Downtown Crossing, Midtown, Theater District, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, Waterfront, Chinatown and the Leather District. Home to City Hall, the bustling Downtown area includes tourist attractions such as the historic Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, The New England Aquarium and over 5 miles of waterfront. Located east of the Boston Common and West of the Financial District is Downtown Crossing. Intersecting at Washington, Winter, and Summer Street, Downtown Crossing features large department stores as well as restaurants, souvenir sellers, general retail establishments, and street vendors. Portions of this area are closed to vehicles enabling pedestrians to walk freely in the street. A commercial and cultural center for Boston’s Chinese community, Chinatown (located along the southern edge of Downtown) is one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Boston. Marking the eastern entrance to the Chinatown at the intersection of Beach Street and Surface Road stands a gate with an imperial guardian lion on either side. Chinatown consists of a dense mix of Asian restaurants, shops, bakeries and residential living in historic buildings. Just east of Chinatown, between Dewey Square and Kneeland Street, is the small neighborhood of The Leather District. Named after the dominance of the leather industry in the late 19th century, the nine blocks area is known for that same era’s brick warehouse structures. The Leather District’s close proximity to South Station, Boston’s rail transportation center makes it a very accessible area. Residential living options in the downtown area range from historic apartment buildings to modern glass towers.