You could spend a week exploring all that Boston has to offer. The city’s small size, however, makes it easy to see different parts of the city on the same trip, no matter how much time you have. The only mandatory sightseeing is a walk along the Freedom Trail, which connects all of downtown’s Revolutionary War sites. Boston’s cultural attractions, for the most part, are grouped on the outskirts of downtown in the Back Bay, South End, and Fenway districts.

Art buffs can choose between several very different museums—the world-class Museum of Fine Arts, the charming Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the cutting-edge Institute of Contemporary Art. For sports fans of any age, a tour of Fenway Park is essential.

And in planning meals, it’s important to note that, while nearly all restaurants are open year-round, many of the city’s upscale dining rooms do not serve lunch and many do not serve breakfast. When in doubt, call ahead.

Even on a short trip, it’s worth getting across the river to Cambridge, Boston’s more bohemian “left bank.” In addition to a more laid-back vibe, this sister city is home to Boston’s most elite cultural institutions—Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.