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Who are the Ainu people of Japan

With fewer than five months to go until the start of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Olympic officials have canceled a dance performance by Japan’s indigenous population, the Ainu people, that was set to be part of the event’s opening ceremony on July 24.

Kazuaki Kaizawa, an official at the Hokkaido Ainu Association, told Reuters that they received notice that there wasn’t any room to fit them in the ceremony. “We have been preparing and it is a disappointment, but we hope there will still be a chance for us to show Ainu culture elsewhere.”

There has been no further comment from Olympic officials on the matter.

The Ainu’s origins

The Ainu are Japan’s indigenous people, with a population that has mainly been (and still is) concentrated in Hokkaido, the country’s northernmost island, though they’ve also historically resided in the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. They worship animals and nature, particularly the elements. Their population numbers have dwindled over the years, and a survey conducted by the Hokkaido government in 2013 found that the total number of Ainu people living in Hokkaido at the time was 16,786. The survey does acknowledge that the scope was limited so the numbers are likely larger — but not by much, keeping them as a minority group.

Very little is known about their origins, and whether that’s due to forced assimilation or some other factor remains unanswered. Starting around the 15th century, a series of Ainu uprisings occurred as a direct result of the Japanese wanting to use much of their land for trade. Eventually, the Ainu were conquered and the Japanese were allowed by law to own Ainu land. In 1899, the government forced the Ainu to assimilate by enacting the Hokkaido Former Aborigines Protection Act, which regulated education for Ainu children — meaning that their own traditions and customs were erased to be replaced by the national education system the rest of Japan was following. In addition, the law banned the Ainu from speaking their language and participating in their own cultural events and religion. The effect of the law can still be seen today as the Ainu language is listed as critically endangered by the Endangered Languages Project.

Work to repeal the act began in 1970, due to the resolve of the Hokkaido Association of City Mayors and the Ainu Association of Hokkaido. In the coming years, the Ainu’s determination paid off through small victories, such as in 1987, when Ainu representatives participated in the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations for the first time in Switzerland; in 1989, when the ILO Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, revised the 169th international treaty to reject the past push for assimilation and support indigenous people’s rights; and in 1990, when the United Nations declared that 1993 would be designated as the “International Year of Indigenous People.”

But the bigger wins came toward the end of the 20th century and into the 21st. In 1996, the Hokkaido Former Aborigines Protection Act was repealed, and the Law for the Promotion of Ainu Culture and the Dissemination and Advocacy for the Traditions of the Ainu and the Ainu Culture was enacted. And just last year, the Japanese government passed a law that officially recognizes the Ainu as “indigenous” and requires its different governments to promote Ainu culture as reparations — though some activists believe that the motion is not enough.

Where to experience Ainu culture today

Akanko Ainu Kotan

While people won’t be able to experience Ainu culture at the Olympics this year, there are still a number of ways tourists in Japan can do so when visiting the island of Hokkaido.

As part of the 2019 law, a national Ainu museum and park is set to open in April 2020 in Shiraoi on Hokkaido. This will build upon the existing Ainu museum in Shiraoi, much of which is outdoors. The current Ainu Museum replicates a traditional Ainu village, with recreations of their houses, spaces where they would keep animals, and the like. It also has a cafe that serves traditional Ainu food. It’s currently closed for renovation until this April when the rest of the new national Ainu museum will be completed.

Akanko Ainu Kotan

The Ainu settlement of Lake Akan, home to about 120 people, is open to visitors daily. This particular settlement is known for its craftspeople who create magnificent works of art, such as detailed wooden carvings of animals, which can be perused at craft shops. Besides browsing potential art purchases, visitors can eat traditional Ainu food at various restaurants in the area and watch traditional Ainu dance performances, an art form that was listed as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2009, at the Ikor Theater. Lake Akan also hosts the annual Iomante Fire Festival, where musical and dance performances are put on to continue preserving Ainu culture.

Also on Hokkaido is Nibutani, an area with several Ainu villages. Nibutani also has a museum dedicated to Ainu culture. Called the Biratori Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum, it focuses on everyday items used by the Ainu people. Many of these items, ranging from clothing to instruments, have been designated by the Japanese government as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property. The museum also has a hands-on learning center where visitors can try their hand at wood carving and embroidery, though this must be booked in advance.


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What is cocido madrileño

One of Madrid’s most typical dishes, if not the most typical, is a hot one. It’s easy to think about sun and hot weather when thinking about Madrid, and that isn’t wrong, but in winter the city can get chilly (relatively, at least, with temperatures in the 30-, 40-, and 50-degree Fahrenheit range). It’s on these days that the classic Madrilenian stew hits home as an important part of Madrid’s gastronomy.

Cocido madrileño (literally “Madrid stew”) is a three-course meal of soup, chickpeas, and vegetables and meats. The name alone doesn’t define what gets thrown in the mix. Chickpeas are essential. Potatoes, carrots, and cabbage are usually added, but sometimes leeks, turnips, and green beans are included, as well. Pork is the typical meat (chorizo; tocino, or bacon; and morcilla, or blood sausage, are common), but some people add chicken or beef. It’s a dish regularly served at family gatherings and on special occasions but is also on the menu at restaurants.

While the ingredients vary depending on who’s making it, cocido madrileño is always a filling meal.

Photo: Cruz Blanca de Vallecas/Facebook

There’s not a single origin story for cocido madrileño, but it’s believed that the roots for the dish are ancient. Many historians trace the stew back to adafina, which is a traditional Sephardic Jewish dish cooked on Fridays and eaten the following day on the Sabbath. Adafina also has chickpeas as the main ingredient, accompanied by vegetables and lamb. The ingredients slowly cook together in a clay pot, allowing the household to observe the Sabbath when it’s forbidden to work. During the Spanish Inquisition in the late 1400s, Jews were forced to either convert to Catholicism or leave the country. Those who remained had to prove their conversion, and eating ingredients prohibited by Judaism like pork and blood sausage was one way to do so.

Other experts posit that cocido madrileño is the evolution of olla podrida (literally “rotten pot,” similar to France’s pot pourri, or “putrid pot”). Olla podrida was popular around the 16th century when the stews were commonly called pots because of the dish they were made in. Olla podrida is made with a base of beans or chickpeas that’s slowly cooked with vegetables and meat, which was typically pork though the recipes for olla podrida varied throughout Spain. It should be noted that olla podrida was typically a lower-class dish made with meat and vegetable leftovers or trimmings. Like cocido madrileño, the broth was usually served before the meat and vegetables. Over time, the word cocido (stew) took the place of olla (pot).

Today, cocido madrileño is the most typical dish in Madrid with a uniform recipe (with the exception of slight cook-by-cook variations). It’s said that it’s a meal en tres vuelcos, or “in three turns,” in reference to the three servings. First, there’s the broth the ingredients have been prepared in, which is usually served as a soup and sometimes includes noodles. Then there’s the chickpeas, vegetables, and potatoes. Finally, there’s the meat. Though this is the most traditional, it’s not always served this way. Depending on the family or person eating, the cocido could also be eaten all at once, by combining the soup and chickpeas, by combining the meat and vegetables, or by any other possible combination.

Photo: Lhardy/Facebook

Because it’s a hot dish, cocido madrileño has always been served in winter. Yet, given its modern popularity, it’s now possible to find it in many restaurants around the city year-round (yes, including the scorching hot summers). Regardless of what time of the year you visit, don’t leave without trying some for yourself.

Where to try cocido madrileño

What happened to the Aral Sea

Reaching what is left of the Aral Sea will take a long time no matter where you choose to depart from. Located in a remote corner of Central Asia between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the lake that was once the fourth largest in the world has been receding for the past six decades, with disastrous consequences for the communities relying on its waters. The dark pools staining the vast expanse of arid flatlands that can be seen today on a map represent a fraction of what the Aral Sea used to be. Registered in UNESCO’s Memory of the World archives, the ecological tragedy that damaged the region was caused by a force that turned out to be much fiercer than global warming — the Soviet Union’s agricultural policies.

What happened to the Aral Sea

Photo: Google Maps

Until the 1960s, the Aral Sea covered an area of 26,000 square miles surrounded by arid steppes, which provided the USSR with tens of thousands of jobs and over 15 percent of its fish catch. This, however, was not enough for the Soviet government, which in the second half of the 20th century, decided to convert the dry region into one of the world’s largest cotton plantations.

The Aral Sea’s water was supplied by two of the major rivers in Central Asia, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya. The new plans to boost Soviet agriculture established that, rather than feeding the lake, the water sources should be diverted to form the irrigation system necessary to sustain the growing cotton industry. Under Khrushchev’s rule, engineers built 20,000 miles of canals, 45 dams, and more than 80 reservoirs to redirect the water to irrigate the fields.

Photo: Angelo Zinna

Uzbekistan did become one of the world’s top cotton-growing regions, but while from an economic perspective the strategy was successful, the cost for the environment was unprecedented.

With rainfall composing only one-fifth of the lake’s water supply, the Aral Sea began shrinking rapidly from the 1960s. Over the course of four decades, the basin decreased to a tenth of its original size, ultimately almost splitting into a northern section on the Kazakh side and a southern section on the Uzbek side. In the summer of 2014, a satellite image from NASA’s Terra Satellite showed that, for the first time in modern history, the eastern lobe of the Southern Aral Sea had completely dried up.

Left, the Aral sea in 2000, with its 1960 borders drawn in yellow. Right, the Aral sea in 2018. Photo by NASA Earth Observatory.

The impact of this human-caused ecological disaster continues to be felt by the local communities that try to survive in fragile conditions. The fishing village of Moynak, south of the Aral Sea, once a town of over 30,000 people, has witnessed over half of its population leave as the lakeshore shrunk further and further away. The disappearance of the Aral Sea, however, didn’t only affect job security. With water being substituted by a vast expanse of barren soil, the climate is changing, making rainfall even scarcer. Sand and salt are now transported by the wind together with dangerous chemical substances used to fertilize the cotton plantations, contaminating the whole region.

The chemical weapon test ground: Vozrozhdeniya Island

Until 1948, Vozrozhdeniya was an anonymous patch of soil among the turquoise waters of the Aral Sea. The 75-square-mile island used as a launching base for local fishermen acquired a different purpose as the Soviet government decided to transform this isolated corner of the planet into a testing ground for some of the deadliest chemical weapons in existence.

Unknown in the Western world, Vozrozhdeniya Island became the host of the top-secret Aralsk-7 project. From the end of WWII to the fall of the Union, this remote territory remained a hidden site where poisons and viruses were converted into weapons. According to the BBC, anthrax was cultivated in large fermenting vats next to smallpox, bubonic plague “and exotic diseases including tularemia, brucellosis, and typhus.”

With the fall of the Soviet Union, the goings-on on Vozrozhdeniya gradually emerged from the shadows, and while a joint American-Uzbek operation attempted to clean up the place, reports on the safety status vary widely. What’s more, the island is no longer an island — with the evaporation of the Aral Sea, Vozrozhdeniya has become part of Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan desert, and the contaminated soil is now connected to the rest of Uzbekistan’s territory.

Located 225 miles from Moynak, Vozrozhdeniya remains far from accessible. Visitors with an inkling for dark places are slowly reaching the toxic wasteland, however, and it is possible that the area will open up to tourism in the near future.

Attempts to bring the Aral Sea back

Photo: Angelo Zinna

The agricultural policies put in place by the Soviet Union continued unchanged after 1991. Under the presidency of Islam Karimov, who took power in Uzbekistan after independence and governed until his death in 2016, the cotton industry stayed within the control of the state, which pushed to keep its status as one of the leading producers without considering either the human or environmental cost. The production of water-intensive cotton has depleted much of the Uzbek territory of its topsoil, causing land to dry up as a result of the unsustainable monoculture.

But hope survives in the Northern Aral Sea, where efforts to save what is left of the basin have shown positive results in recent years. As part of an $86-million project funded by the World Bank, Kazakhstan has erected the Kokaral dam, an eight-mile-long dike completed in 2005 which has led to an incredible 11-foot increase in water levels in just seven months. The return of water in the lake has meant a return of fish, with catches growing after years of poor gains. Optimism is back in the town of Aralsk as the northern section of the Aral is being saved.

Visiting the Aral Sea

From Almaty, Kazakhstan, a train journey of at least 20 hours is necessary to get to the sleepy fishing village of Aralsk, the northern access point to the Aral Sea. Aralsk can also be reached by train from Aktau in the west. From the village located, you will have to join a tour to reach the shoreline, the sea bed, or any of the villages that once surrounded the lake. The local expert is Serik Dyussenbayev who has collaborated with the NGO Aral Tenizi, which has been providing local fishermen and their families with social and financial support while helping in the re-establishment of the sea.

A standard 4WD trip across the sea covers approximately 180 miles on dirt road, crossing the seabed among herds of camels, rusting fishing boats, and semi-abandoned villages. The tiny settlement of Akespe, where only nine families live today, emerges among the sand dunes of this environment. A hot spring sees some local visitors coming for its thermal muds. Other than that, encounters with other humans should not be expected — the area is just one huge expanse of emptiness surveyed by eagles on the hunt for prey hiding among the low vegetation.

Photo: Angelo Zinna

From the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, travel time is not much shorter, with Moynak, one of the few settlements left in the region, over 800 miles away.

Compared to the Kazakh route, the Uzbek part of the Aral Sea is a lot more popular among visitors. The main attraction on this side of the border is the “ship cemetery,” a photogenic collection of vessels standing tall in the middle of the steppe, reminding tourists where the water once was. While on the Kazakh side most abandoned ships have been dismantled, the town of Moynak, in Uzbekistan, relies heavily on tourism and is, therefore, protecting these impressive sights. Overnight tours can be organized from Khiva and Nukus.


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Airbnb surveillance suggestion

In an attempt to put an end to unauthorized wild parties in its listed host properties, Airbnb is encouraging hosts to install surveillance equipment. The equipment, which can be attached to ceilings or walls, would monitor decibel levels and alert the host’s smartphone when the noise gets too loud.

As part of its new “party prevention” campaign — which also includes banning “open-invite” parties or events — Airbnb is offering hosts discounts on three monitors, with one even able to sense changes in motion, temperature, and humidity. According to Airbnb, the goal of the campaign is to limit irresponsible behavior and reduce damage to homes.

“We want to help you protect your space, maintain the privacy of your guests, and preserve your relationship with neighbors,” says the company’s website. “This means helping you detect issues in real time.”

Although the equipment does not record sound, only registers noise levels, even those in the security community believe it’s a step too far. CyberCare UK told The Times that “people expect privacy in houses and hotels; you wouldn’t expect to be monitored,” and described the devices as “creepy.”


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USDA mushroom test strips

Foraging for mushrooms in the woods is fun and all, until you accidentally ingest a poisonous mushroom and need an emergency trip to the hospital. According to the Mycological Association, of the 10,000 different large fungi in North America, fewer than 100 are “dangerously poisonous,” but those can prove fatal to both humans and animals. To help identify toxic mushrooms, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has developed a portable test strip that can help you quickly determine a mushroom’s safety.

The strip detects amanitin toxins in a tiny piece of a mushroom and can also be used to test the urine of a human or dog after consuming a potentially dangerous mushroom. A positive or negative result can be determined within 10 minutes.

According to ARS microbiologist Candace Bever, “We developed the test primarily for mushrooms as food products. Serendipitously, it was sensitive enough to also detect the toxin in urine. Our hope is that doctors and veterinarians will be able to quickly and confidently identify amatoxin poisoning rather than having to clinically eliminate other suspected gastrointestinal diseases first.”

But the method isn’t foolproof. The test strip only identifies the presence or absence of amanitin toxins but does not detect other toxins that can cause serious illness. Therefore, it cannot solely determine if a mushroom is safe to eat or not.

A company called Amatoxtest is currently in the process of licensing the technology, with the goal of making the test strips available to the public in late 2020.


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Air New Zealand Economy Skynest

Air New Zealand is blurring the line between economy and first class, giving coach passengers a taste of the lap of luxury. The airline just filed patent and trademark applications for a six-sleeper pod called the Economy Skynest, which would make lie-flat sleepers available in economy. The Skynest would have two rows of three bunks spanning over 6.5 feet, and each bunk would come with bedding and privacy curtains to make it easier to sleep.

Photo: Air New Zealand/Facebook

Mike Tod, chief marketing officer for Air New Zealand, said, “A clear pain point for economy travelers on long-haul flights is the inability to stretch out. The development of the Economy Skynest is a direct response to that challenge.”

The Economy Skynest would be installed in some of the airline’s longest flight, including the Auckland to Newark service starting next year.

According to Nikki Goodman, general manager of the airline’s customer experience, “We see a future flying experience where an economy-class customer on long-haul flights would be able to book the Economy Skynest in addition to their economy seat, get some quality rest and arrive at their destination ready to go.”

Passengers would be able to book a time slot in the pod, and beddings would be changed for each new passenger scheduled to have a lie-down.

Before you get too excited, keep in mind that the Economy Skynest isn’t a foregone conclusion just yet. Air New Zealand will make its final decision on the Skynest in 2021.


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Duck entangled in plastic NYC

It’s always tragic when an animal becomes entangled with plastic debris, or is otherwise affected by human waste, but such stories can also be refreshing, uplifting examples of the good side of human nature. This week, for instance, a widespread rescue mission is underway in New York city’s Central Park as both rangers from the city’s parks department and bird enthusiasts search for a duck reportedly entangled by a piece of plastic. The duck, a female merganser, has a plastic ring caught around her beak and neck, preventing her from feeding.

I should be thrilled to see this Common Merganser hen, seen on the Lake in Central Park today, as it marks the 199th bird species I've seen in the park since I got back into birding in '16. However, it's tough to see it suffer due to our use of plastic. Rescue attempts ongoing. pic.twitter.com/hRTT9vzv6M

— Bradley Kane (@WinoBradNY) February 23, 2020

Once park officials became aware of the situation, rangers were dispatched in kayaks to search for the duck, remove the plastic, and bring the creature to the Wild Bird Fund rehabilitation center. Others, including avid bird watchers and bird photographers, took to the park themselves to assist in the search.

As of right now, rangers haven’t been able to locate the duck, but they’re seeking any help they can get. On the Manhattan Bird Alert Twitter page, rangers put out a call to the community for any tips on the duck’s whereabouts. “If you see her, let us know!” the account says. Hopefully, the crowdsourcing effort pays off.


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World’s largest man-made wave

Waves and desert might sound like polar opposites, but champion surfer Kelly Slater is bringing the two together in a big way. The Kelly Slater Wave Company is taking part in a project to build the world’s largest man-made wave in the California desert, which will let surfers ride a massive open-barrel wave located nowhere near the ocean.

The wave will be located on a 400-acre site in La Quinta, California, at the base of Coral Mountain and will include a resort, private club, dining venues, adventure sports facilities, and residential homes. The wave basin itself will house 18 million gallons of water, accommodating around 25 surfers — five on the main wave and 10 each on smaller waves.

Construction on the wave will start in early 2021 and is slated for completion sometime in 2022.


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Things to do in Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn, the capital and largest city in the northern European country of Estonia, is an innovative and creative hub at the intersection of Northern and Eastern Europe. Here, ancient castles and cobblestone streets marry with repurposed warehouses and sleek, modern urban districts. The city of about 425,000 is a city of contrasts, both the best-preserved medieval city in the region and home to the third-most startups per capita on the continent. The capital’s unique beer culture, entrepreneurial energy, and fun repurposed neighborhoods make it one of the coolest cities in all of Europe. Here’s what to expect.

Baltic and Scandinavian influences are seen throughout the city.

Photo: Oleksiy Mark/Shutterstock

Estonia’s location on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea makes it part of the Baltic states along with Latvia and Lithuania. But the roots of its people and language are actually Finnish since the country is just across the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki and the rest of Scandinavia. This means that Tallinn is right at the crossroads of Northern and Eastern Europe, with Gothic architecture seamlessly blending both worlds, home to dense Baltic forests with thousands of Scandinavian islands.

Tallinn’s three redeveloped commercial neighborhoods make an ideal day’s walk.

Photo: kavalenkava/Shutterstock

A weekend, or even a day, in Tallinn should be spent on foot, taking in the distinct character of each of the city’s neighborhoods. Book lodging in the Old Town city center where a room at the Hotel Bern or a similar local boutique runs about $60 per night. From here, access is easy to the trendy new districts that have popped up over the past decade, fueled by the country’s welcoming attitude toward new businesses and residents (it’s quite easy to register a business in Tallinn, even if its business is done online).

Chief among the redeveloped neighborhoods is the refurbished Port Noblessner area. Blue-collar workers used to build and assemble submarines here for the Soviets during the years of occupation. The Maritime Museum showcases the region’s history, but it’s still an active port today. The neighborhood is home to the popular Põhjala Brewery, and surrounding the brewery are a slew of new condo developments and a groovy night club simply called Hall. The gorgeous ShiShi home decor brand’s flagship is also found here, alongside the Michelin-chef-helmed 180°eatery and the Kai Art Center. The neighborhood is easily walkable in less than 15 minutes from the city center, the walk itself an engaging way to take in the city’s Gothic architecture.

In western Tallinn between the port and the heart of town is the creative center, aptly titled the Telliskivi Creative City. Loaded with cool street art, artist studios, and a renovated multi-story central market, this neighborhood has become a hub for the city’s young and expressive. A weekly flea market and hundreds of cultural events happen here each year, from art shows to concerts to spoken word — find out what’s on during your visit via the neighborhood’s official website. After wandering through the market, visit the famous Fotografiska museum of photography and allow enough time for a meal, as the museum has a zero-waste restaurant on site.

Finally, right next to Old Town sits the Rotermann Quarter, which was named in honor of a local Estonian business family. With its slew of renovated factories and industrial buildings, this area is now a bustling commercial center. Restaurant R14, with inventive cuisine and a killer wine list, calls the Rotermann home. Other highlights include the Tallinn Design House, which celebrates the best of local design in clothing, jewelry, traditional handicrafts, and more. The Estonian Museum of Architecture is also situated in the district. This is especially fitting as a number of renovated historical buildings have been recognized internationally for their architectural beauty. Be sure to walk by and photograph the old Town Hall building, St. Olaf’s Church, and the Great Guild Hall.

There’s no shortage of stops for a pint along the way.

Photo: Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock

The Baltic states are renowned for their Porters, originally brewed in the 18th and 19th centuries as a means to combat the often brutal winter seasons this far north. With a long tradition of homebrewing in the area, it only makes sense that Estonia has emerged as a craft beer haven — there are over 80 microbreweries in this nation of just one million inhabitants. Põhjala has led the charge as the Baltic’s largest beer producer, a worthy feat accomplished in just the near-decade since its 2011 opening. Here you’ll find locally inspired brews like the Rye River rye ale and Pilky Pilsner.

Another local favorite is Tanker Brewery, about 12.5 miles outside the capital’s city center and reachable by taxi or Uber. This operation has embraced the Estonian sauna tradition by producing a beer called Sauna Session, specifically to be enjoyed during its namesake activity.

Estonian brewers tend to embrace natural, and often foraged, ingredients. Põhjala has utilized juniper, rye, lingonberries, and blueberries, among other local rations, over the years for its aptly named “Forest Series.” Tanker has welcomed funky local additives like cloudberries, sea buckthorn, and black currant. If you don’t make it all the way out to Tanker, try one of the brews at one of Old Town’s beer bars, including Tuba Bar and Koht or at Pudel in the Telliskivi Creative City.

The city is fueled by a thriving community of entrepreneurs.

Photo: Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock

As previously mentioned, Tallinn is a hotbed of innovation and breeds more startups per capita than most better-known European cities. In fact, Estonia ranks third for most startups, a community that has produced the likes of Skype and attracted banking giant Transferwise. Other celebrated startups from this region include the rideshare company Bolt (formerly Taxify) and robot delivery beast Starship Technologies. Trend data indicated that most startups can be grouped into Location Services, Engineering & Technology, and Electronics & Hardware categories. Estonia’s success can be partially explained by its startup visa and e-residency programs, which allow Estonian residents and even non-residents to form and run a business based here.


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Best Boston Freedom Trail itinerary

Spend an afternoon in downtown Boston, and you may encounter a man in a waistcoat and breeches spouting facts about the American Revolution. The city’s top attraction is a set of 16 historic sites known as the Freedom Trail, and the costumed guides who herd tourists down the 2.5-mile red-brick path that cuts through northern Boston have become fixtures of the city. Impressive as their commitment to historical accuracy is, the Freedom Trail can be an opportunity to appreciate more than just Boston’s past. Consider an itinerary that loops in off-trail sites to showcase the best of the city from Beacon Hill to the North End, the colonial era to today. Follow these tips to turn your Freedom Trail tour into a full day on the town.

Start at Faneuil Hall and make a loop.

Photo: Marcio Jose Bastos Silva/Shutterstock

To do the Freedom Trail start to finish, travelers typically head north from Boston Common or south from the Bunker Hill Monument, following a relatively straight line between downtown Boston and Charlestown across the river. We recommend a more circuitous route. Begin your tour at Faneuil Hall, a Revolutionary-era meeting hall and marketplace that’s filled with shops and restaurants. Grab a bite at Quincy Market to fuel up for the walk ahead, then continue on to the North End sites: Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, Old North Church, and Paul Revere House.

Photo: HDnrg/Shutterstock

Take your time surveying the North End, a neighborhood that has been lived in since the 17th century, but work in some newer landmarks too. En route to Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, stage a photo op outside Boston’s famously narrow Skinny House. After visiting Old North Church, detour to All Saints Way on Battery Street, where Boston resident Peter Baldassari has been curating an alleyway shrine to Catholic saints for years. From there, walk toward the water to find some of the best views in the city around Battery Wharf.

Photo: Caffé Vittoria/Facebook

Getting back to the trail, Paul Revere House closes out the North End sites. Around the corner, grab a cappuccino at Caffè Vittoria, said to be the first Italian cafe in Boston and a must-eat cannoli spot in Little Italy. Once caffeinated, start heading back toward Faneuil Hall, but stop by the little-known Rose Kennedy Rose Garden first. Located in Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, it’s the perfect secret spot to rest your feet a minute.

Breeze through the next set of sites.

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Sixteen landmarks sounds like a lot to squeeze into a few hours. Boston was a lot smaller in its early days, however, as is evidenced by the density of Freedom Trail sites in the downtown area. Clustered together are several landmarks that you can visit in relatively quick succession, including the Boston Massacre Site, Old South Meeting House, Old Corner Bookstore, Benjamin Franklin Statue, Granary Burying Ground, Park Street Church, and Old State House.

Two other sites offer additional tours. If you have the bandwidth, take the 25-minute tour of the Old State House, the city’s oldest surviving public structure, or either the Bells & Bones or Art & Architecture tour at King’s Chapel.

Do a lap around Beacon Hill.

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

After a big burst of sightseeing, it’s time to reward yourself with a leisurely stroll through one of Boston’s most charming neighborhoods, which begins just east of King’s Chapel. Home to the grand Massachusetts State House and some of the priciest old brick real estate in the city, Beacon Hill is a shopper’s and diner’s playground, with boutiques lining Charles Street, your choice of white-tablecloth bistros and brasseries, and cobblestoned Acorn Street’s glimpse into what early Boston might have looked like. Try Ma Maison if you’re ready for a meal.

Photo: Museum of African American History/Facebook

Though the Freedom Trail serves up more than enough historic sites on its own, Beacon Hill also plays host to the Black Heritage Trail. For a different perspective on American history, head to Joy Street for the Museum of African American History, housed in the former Abiel Smith School adjacent to the African Meeting House, both of which are National Historic Sites.

Don’t stop at Boston Common.

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You may find yourself breezing through much of the Freedom Trail, but Boston Common is one site where you’ll want to slow things down and enjoy the scenery. Sharing two edges with Beacon Hill, the Common was established in 1634, and almost exactly 200 years later, the Boston Public Garden was built adjacent to it in 1837.

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Though not technically a Freedom Trail site, the Public Garden is too lovely, and too convenient, to skip. Visitors know it best for the Swan Boats that ferry passengers across the pond. There’s something to do in the parks no matter the season, be it sprawling on the grass or ice skating on the Common’s Frog Pond. Depending on when you visit, see what’s on in the city as annual events like tree lightings and the Boston Freedom Rally are held in the parks, as well.

Don’t forget Charlestown.

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Most of the Freedom Trail connects neatly from the North End to Boston Common. The final two sites are located across the North Washington Street Bridge in Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood. Though often overlooked by visitors, even some who walk the Freedom Trail, Charlestown is where the Massachusetts Bay Colony originally settled, later developing ties to Boston’s Irish and naval heritage. Here, you’ll find the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill Monument, which commemorates the first significant battle of the Revolutionary War.

Photo: Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

If you want to do the Freedom Trail in one fell swoop, it makes sense to start your tour at Boston Common and end at the Bunker Hill Monument. Time permitting, however, we recommend splitting the trail into two tours to fully appreciate both downtown Boston and Charlestown. You’re more likely to climb to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument and visit the museum at its base that way. You’ll have time for the 45-minute USS Constitution Tour. And, depending on which you visit last, you can top it off with a seafood lunch at Pier 6, right there in the Naval Yard, or get a pint and Sons of Liberty Burger at Warren Tavern, founded in 1780.


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