Beacon Hill Historic Houses Tour (Self Guided), Boston

Boston’s historic neighborhood of Beacon Hill is quite a charm! One can spend hours here, admiring the elegant uniformity and restraint of the architecture; at times, perhaps, imagining people from the past in their horse-drawn carriages. Federal-style and Victorian row houses, narrow streets lit by antique gas lanterns, brick sidewalks and lavender-hued windows adorn the area, which is generally regarded as one of the most desirable and expensive in the city.

For a quick – but very engaging – tour of the historic buildings, start at the Gibson House Museum, where you’ll learn a great deal about Back Bay history and living in the Victorian times in general. Another highlight is the Nichols House Museum on Mount Vernon, which has likewise been preserved as it was left by its last occupant, Rose Nichols, and as such gives a great insight into the lives of Boston’s middle-class professional families of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Last but not least, don’t miss the several houses formerly owned by noted lawyer-politician Harrison Gray Otis, the first of which – a National Historic Landmark – is usually open to the public. You can get close to the furniture, walk around the rooms, and really internalize the grandeur!

Make sure to bring your walking shoes and to select a nice day for wandering around. Our self-guided walking tour will do the rest, acquainting you with some of Beacon Hill’s most exclusive addresses.