Downtown Boston Freedom Trail Walking Tour – History & Architecture

Key facts

What's included

Itinerary

Explore Boston’s historic sites along the Freedom Trail, from Faneuil Hall to Boston Common, with stops at key landmarks and stories that shaped the city and nation.

1. Stop 1

   The history and architecture of the Downtown Freedom Trail from Faneuil Hall to Boston Common, including sites like Quincy Market, Old State House, Boston Massacre Site, Old South Meeting House, Old Corner Bookstore, Old City Hall, First Schoolhouse Site, King’s Chapel, Tremont Temple, Old Granary Cemetery, Park Street Church, New State House, and Boston Common.

   1 hour 10 min

2. Stop 2 Pass by

   The marketplace known as the 'Cradle of Liberty,' where protests led to the American Revolution. Look up at the famous grasshopper weathervane.

3. Stop 3 Pass by

   The cobblestone ring marking the spot of the 1770 skirmish between Redcoats and colonists, sparking rebellion.

4. Stop 4 Pass by

   Site of the 1713 building where the British colonial government was based. The Declaration of Independence was first read from its balcony.

5. Stop 5 Pass by

   The Old Corner Bookstore, built in 1718, originally a residence and apothecary, became a bookstore in 1828.

6. Stop 6 Pass by

   The brick church where signals were given to start the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

7. Stop 7 Pass by

   The Boston Irish Famine Memorial, depicting Irish families suffering during the Great Famine and their prosperous immigrant counterparts.

8. Stop 8 Pass by

   Old City Hall at 45 School Street, once home to Boston’s City Council, designed in the French Second Empire style.

9. Stop 9 Pass by

   The Boston Latin School, founded in 1635, the first public school in America, with a statue of Benjamin Franklin marking its original site.

10. Stop 10 Pass by

    King’s Chapel, founded in 1686, a historic church with over 330 years of history, from colonial times through the American Revolution and into today.

11. Stop 11 Pass by

    The Omni Parker House, established in 1855, the oldest continuously operating hotel in the U.S., known for hosting presidents and creating Boston Cream Pie.

12. Stop 12 Pass by

    Tremont Temple, the first integrated church in America, founded in 1839, known for its history of racial inclusivity and hosting significant speeches.

13. Stop 13 Pass by

    The final resting place of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock, one of the most visited cemeteries in the U.S.

14. Stop 14 Pass by

    Boston Common, the oldest city park in the U.S., covering 50 acres in downtown Boston.

15. Stop 15 Pass by

    The State House with its iconic 23-karat gold dome, serving as the seat of Boston’s government since 1798.

Meeting point & pickup

Meet at the start point outside 28 State Street, on the NW corner of State and Congress Streets, across from the Old State House. The tour does not end at the starting point.

Departure Point: Outside 28 State Street (Citizens Bank Building), NW corner of State and Congress Streets. Note that this tour does not return to the starting location.

Cancellation & confirmation