Back Bay

One of Boston’s most beloved neighborhoods, Back Bay is bordered roughly by the Charles River on the north, the Public Garden on the East, Columbus Avenue on the south, and Kenmore Square to the West. Boston’s Back Bay is a historic district recognized for its high concentration of Victorian-era brownstones and brick townhouses.

This high-end neighborhood is also known for its broad, tree-shaded streets – including the famed Commonwealth Avenue Mall – the sprawling green lawns of the Charles River Esplanade, and the world-class shopping on Newbury Street. Homes here run the gamut from pristinely kept 1-bedrooms to grand limestone mansions that run close to 10,000 square feet.

Architectural details vary as well, from the pressed brick and sandstone of the French Academic to the stained glass and wrought iron of the High Victorian Gothic, to the carved gargoyles at copper cresting of the French Chateauesque style.

What is Back Bay known for?

• Best shopping: Newbury Street, Copley Place, The Shops at the Prudential Center
• Most green space: Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Public Garden, Charles River Esplanade
• Best jog: Charles River Esplanade
• Elegant architecture: Victorian brownstones with inviting front stoops and small but well-tended gardens
• Best 4^th of July celebration: July 4^th Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular