Back Bay
The Back Bay, once a stagnant pool of water behind the Public Garden, now holds some of the most exclusive real estate in Boston. A stroll down Newbury St. will take you from high fashion to hip ice cream parlors, and a walk back up Commonwealth Ave. will let you take in some of the most elegant townhouses in the city. With its rows of historic homes and a vibrant commercial district to boot, Back Bay is an elegant and exciting place to live. Back Bay iis also home to the Public Gardens and Boston Common. 

Bay Village
Created by landfill in the 1820's by developer Ephraim Marsh, Bay Village has been known as the Church Street District, South Cove and Kerry Village. Many of the homes look like smaller versions of Beacon Hill townhouses because the craftspeople who built the Beacon Hill residences settled in this area and built local residences for their own use.

In more recent times, Bay Village was home to many speak-easys during Prohibition. It housed major players in the film industry such as MGM, RKO and Pathe. Townhouses on Piedmont, Winchester and Church Sreets were demolished to make way for film warehouses. Bay Village was also the home of the Coconut Grove nightclub, which burned to the ground in November of 1942. The aftermath of this disaster led to the creation and enforcement of stringent fire codes nationwide in the hope of preventing another tragedy. In 1983, the City Council enacted an ordinance forbidding exterior alterations in Bay Village without the approval of a Historic District Commission.

Beacon Hill
The beacon on this hill that used to warn settlers about foreign invasions is long gone, and today Beacon Hill is a close-knit community in a downtown location. The neighborhood's cobblestone streets and brick rowhouses directly border the Boston Common and the Public Garden, American's first botanical garden. The gold leaf of the State House Rotunda adorns the hill and shines across the Common. A great place for families, this historic neighborhood is a blend of classic Boston architecture and expansive green space.

Brighton
Brighton, like neighboring Allston, was home to agricultural plots and stockyards in post-colonial days. The extension of street car lines in the 1800s, however, encouraged residential growth, and soon houses and apartments were built across the neighborhood. Unlike Allston today, Brighton is fairly quiet, especially at night. The neighborhood, which is primarily populated by graduate students, young professionals and families, consists of an intricate network of streets lined with houses and small apartment buildings. Local family businesses mix with national chains of pharmacies and banks along Brighton's main drag, Washington St, which runs straight through Brighton Center to Oak Square.

Charlestown
The traditional home of employees at the now-decommissioned Navy Yard, Charlestown has experienced a shift in its population and industry. The Navy Yard, a national historic landmark, has been converted to residential and office space, and an increasing number of young professionals are joining the families who have lived in the area for years. These newcomers are discovering Charlestown's renovated rowhouses and its accessibility to downtown Boston and the North End. Many residents walk to work in downtown or simply down to the nearby waterfront, both of which are only five minutes away.

Chinatown
Chinatown may have been built on a landfill, but you'd never know it while walking around this neighborhood. What identifies this area of the city is the truly mixed uses of land. Residential properties co-exist with family owned and operated businesses, local institutions and, of course, some of the best Chinese restaurants in the country. With four community murals and old ads still adorning the sides of brick buildings, a walk through Chinatown is a cultural and historical journey through the past. Chinatown is also unique in how accessible it is to residents and visitors alike with several nearby MBTA stations and major roadways.

Dorchester
Dorchester is Boston's largest neighborhood and also its oldest, founded a few months before the city itself. The neighborhood's historical diversity is exhibited in its architecture, from the old Victorian homes of wealthy Bostonians to the multi-family dwellings of later groups of immigrants. Today, Dorchester retains its diversity. Its main thoroughfare, Dorchester Avenue, connects many close-knit neighborhoods and thriving commercial districts of all kinds. Dorchester is also home to the University of Massachusetts at Boston and the John F. Kennedy Library.

Downtown
Downtown is really the heart of the city. Many companies and agencies have their headquarters in the area, and City Hall and the State House are also located here. The area comes alive each weekday around noontime as thousands of corporate business folks and other downtown employees break for lunch and do some quick shopping or run errands.

East Boston
A lot of neighborhoods claim to be diverse, but East Boston is the real deal. East Boston has always been a neighborhood of immigrants and in recent years it has become home to people from all over South and Central America as well as South East Asia, Haiti and Eastern Europe.

Though it is well known as home to the airport, East Boston is full of wonderful stores and restaurants representing its different ethnic groups. Long-time Italian restaurants stand next to Brazilian cafes. Its housing is a mix of historic and new, with many three deckers lining its streets. In recent years, homeowners have been restoring the historic homes of the area to their former glory.

Fenway / Kenmore
The Fenway, perhaps best known as the home for the "boys of summer," is more than just a ballpark. It is actually a dense urban neighborhood with a considerable amount of green space (the "Fens"). Although the Fenway consists of a large number of college students, it also contains a significant population of professionals, young and old. The famous (or infamous) Landsdowne Street, bordering the Mass Pike on the North and Fenway Park on the South, is home to many of Boston's most popular clubs and watering holes. If you travel the street, however, keep your eyes open for the occasional home run ball that clears the green monster.

Fort Point
Tucked between the South End, Downtown, South Boston and the Seaport, is Fort Point. Prior to the age of the automobile, Fort Point Channel was the critical link between docking ships and rail cars. Much of the land primarily occupied by warehouse and manufacturing, is now being developed for residential usage. Now there are magnificent lofts with open floor plans, featuring elements of original architecture.

Jamaica Plain
Yes, Jamaica Plain is a part of the City of Boston; no, it is not its own town. Diversity is the strength of "JP," to which it is lovingly referred by residents. Every ethnicity, socio-economic stratum, and sexual orientation is well represented in this neighborhood sandwiched primarily between Roxbury and Brookline (Brookline is its own town). The rich diversity in JP has created a strong character of social awareness and tolerance among neighbors and residents.

Mission Hill
Once filled with farms and most of the breweries in Boston, Mission Hill today is an architectural landmark district with a combination of freestanding houses built by early wealthy landowners, blocks of traditional brick rowhouses, and many three deckers. Many families and some students and staff from the nearby Longwood Medical Area come to Mission Hill for the affordable rents. A diverse community in proximity to downtown, Mission Hill offers its residents an excellent view of the city from an historic neighborhood.

North End
How many other big cities can boast having a neighborhood where residents walk the streets, visiting local fruit stores, butcher shops and corner markets for their groceries? The North End is most famous for its plethora of Italian restaurants and strong ties to Italian roots. With a different Italian Festival every weekend throughout the summer, there rarely is a dull moment in the North End. Need another selling point? The North End is considered one of the safest neighborhoods in Boston.

Roxbury
A drive through Roxbury is both a history lesson and a tour of a modern urban neighborhood. One of the oldest neighborhoods in Boston, Roxbury has long thrived on its proximity to downtown while retaining its neighborhood qualities. Home to a great number of parks, schools and churches, a visitor can see Boston's history in the architecture and landmarks of the neighborhood. At the same time, Roxbury is a thriving community with a multitude of housing options and a variety of ethnic shops.

Seaport
Due to its prime location on Boston Harbor, the Seaport District of South Boston was an industrial area dominated by storage, warehouses and docks. The city's commitment to improving the Waterfront has resulted in a boon for development in the Seaport District as well. In addition to the variety of existing seafood restaurants, there are also plans for new art venues and landscaped green spaces.

South Boston
If the dictionary had a listing for neighborhood pride, there would be a picture of South Boston next to it. Its residents are famous in town for their love of and loyalty for their neighborhood. And it's no wonder. Southie boasts miles of beaches and waterfront parks that culminate in Castle Island. There, visitors can enjoy the Revolutionary War era fort, get a bite to eat at Sullivan's, play in the playground, fish off the pier, or simply take a stroll. South Boston is densely populated - known for three deckers and rowhouses, there are single family homes in the neighborhood too. It is also home to a great variety of bars and pubs and, more recently has been the location for some new restaurants. Year round, a visitor can find residents strolling up and down Broadway doing their shopping and greeting their neighbors.

South End
The South End, with its blocks of Victorian brick row houses, upscale restaurants, and art galleries, is swiftly becoming one of the most popular places to live in Boston. Many of the row houses underwent renovation starting in the 1960s, and today the neighborhood is filled with a diverse mix of families, young professionals, a gay and lesbian community and a thriving artistic center. Trendy restaurants brush shoulders with coffeeshops and Mom & Pop grocery stores along Tremont Street and its side streets all the way down to Washington Street, which is experiencing an artistic revival - a significant number of artists are moving in, and galleries are cropping up around the area to show their works.

Waterfront
Next to the North End, sits a historic collection of wharfs along Boston's inner harbor. Many of the original buildings have been converted from warehouses to lofts and luxury condominiums. Near to the North End, the Financial District, Haymarket and the Seaport, the Waterfront offers fine dining and shops along with splendid views of the ocean.

West End
The West End, considerably impacted by Urban Renewal of the 1970s, is a small but significant community tucked behind Beacon Hill. Historically an ethnically diverse and vibrant neighborhood, the West End today is economically anchored by Massachusetts General Hospital.