(From top): A youth skates between the old and the new — the Trinity Church built in 1870s and the John Hancock Tower; the Boston Gardens with the Paul Revere statue in the background; drummer Jermaine Carter plays on the street in Copley Square — he has been playing in the area for seven years

When visiting the US, one usually doesn’t go looking for history. The nation, not even 300 years young, has no Taj Mahals or Madurais to boast of. So it was with no small sense of awe that I found myself in Boston, a place where America’s history is displayed on nearly every street and old tombstones stand silent next to traffic-jams. Boston wears its age well. Having precious little history to care for, Americans have restored and scrubbed the old monuments to perfection, much to the delight of visitors and camera-clickers.

The best place to begin is at the city’s centre, The Boston Commons. Once a cow field for colonists and an organising ground for the American Revolution, it’s now a public park. The park itself isn’t much, but walk towards Beacon Street to get a look at the Boston State Capitol building, built in 1798. The dome is pure gold leaf, and can be blindingly brilliant in the afternoon light.

Take a left on Beacon and head towards the Gardens, a real treat for flora-lovers. You’ll find a lagoon with swan boats, wacky monuments, perfectly-kept flower beds and college students filming low-budget movies. Keep an eye out for a statue dedicated to the discovery of ether. It features a heroic looking doctor pressing an ether-soaked rag into a swooning patient’s face. An intoxicating sight, to say the least.

For more conventional art, head south till you find the famous Paul Revere statue. Paul is revered for riding at midnight in 1775 to warn the American rebels that “The British are coming, the British are coming!” Now, Paul stands facing Commonwealth Street, the address of the city’s richest blue bloods. This little slice of Europe is worth a stroll to soak up the atmosphere.

When you’re through with the upper crust, head south to Boylston to get some crust of a different kind. Boston is not a cheap city, and eating at all the swank restaurants in town is bound to bust your budget. Luckily, at the Parish sandwich caf?, you can sample creations of all the city’s most famous chefs in one place. Each chef has designed a signature sandwich, reasonably priced at around $10 each. There’s smoked ham with mango chutney and portabello mushrooms with walnut-parsley pesto. My favourite was also the most popular pick: the Zuni Roll, a Mexican tortilla rolled with cranberry sauce, turkey, bacon and cheese.

With a full stomach, it’s hard to drag yourself a bit farther down to Copley Square, but it’s worth it. This rough-hewn stone of the Trinity church is a stunner, and Boston public library across the way is equally impressive (ditch the crowds and walk up to the top floor and find beautiful murals and an illuminated miniature book collection). On the other end of the square is Boston’s tallest building, The John Hancock Tower, designed by famed architect I.M. Pei. Its smooth turquoise windows reflect the entire image of Copley church. Moon over the modern-ancient metaphors and click a great picture to take home.

Yet there’s only so much history a traveller can take. To get a sense of today’s Boston, dive into the cultural scene invigorated by Boston’s over 100,000 college students. Cross the Charles River and take in Cambridge, home to Harvard, MIT, literary wonderlands and the best nightspots.

The main shopping centre of Cambridge has got some of America’s best bookstores. Harvard Bookstore is a great spot for political titles, and just off Harvard Square a tiny gem, the Grolier Poetry Book Shop, is the oldest continuous poetry book shop in the US. The shop was frequented in the good old days by heavyweights like T S Eliot, E E Cummings and Allen Ginsberg. It stocks over 15,000 volumes and often has readings showcasing new talent.

While book shopping, act like a proper intellectual and have a cup of fancy chai at Tealuxe. The whole place is perfumed by rose bud, jasmine, green, black, red and white teas flowing into bulk bags or streaming into cups. I liked the Peachy White, a fruity China black tea and white peach infusion, but there are 70 other varieties to choose from. Tealuxe even runs tea classes for $25, where you can get steeped in history and sample gourmet brews.

Skip Harvard and its mostly boring brick buildings. Instead, check out the hot modern architecture at MIT. Near MIT on Broadway Street, you’ll find a giant warehouse clothing store called The Garment District. It is full of vintage 1940s dresses and new designer creations. For the ultimate in bargain shopping, go downstairs and sift through the mountain of clothes priced at $1.50 a pound! You’ll find students of all stripes tramping over sweaters and 1970s polyester pants, tossing off the rejects and clutching the better finds.

For a night out at a concert or art gallery, it’s best to check the local weekly, The Boston Phoenix, for event listings that suit your tastes. A perennial student favourite is The Middle East, a nightclub-restaurant with belly dancers and up-and-coming bands. T.T. The Bear’s Place is great for rock, and The Cantab Lounge has some of the best blues and jazz jam sessions I’ve ever heard. Below the Cantab is another literary treat ? a basement bar called The Third Rail (named after the dangerous, electrically-charged rail of the metro which you can often hear rumbling below the building). This bar often hosts poetry readings and competitions, and just entering the place makes you feel like a beatnik.

Or, for a free show, just walk around the streets near Harvard Square on a Friday or Saturday night. Crazy clowns, student bands, street corner rap artists and techno DJs take over the sidewalks and perform for the crowds. Add in two ice creams and you have the cheapest date in town.

Also, remember that no visit to Boston is complete without a visit to the North End, a tightly-packed Italian quarter where every other door opens onto a dimly-lit pasta restaurant. It’s tough to find a bad meal here, so let your nose lead you where it will.

Boston is a safe city and the police are incredibly helpful. Still, the beggars, especially in the main part of town, can test the patience of even a hardened Indian visitor. The best thing to do: avoid confrontation and walk away.

Of course, there are some lovely exceptions. On the edge of the Boston Gardens, standing outside the Unitarian Church, I met a polite man who promised a poem for a dollar. He stood on the sidewalk and recited quite a long and sad one by Dylan Thomas for me and my friends. It was beautiful. And in this capital of culture and learning, it was certainly a dollar well spent.

Photographs by Gretjen Helene Hargesheimer

Fact File

• Boston is compact, the subway system is excellent and parking rates are through the roof. All this means you should see the city on foot and ride the ‘T’ metro system (because of all the parking woes, even the most proper Bostonians do the same thing).

• The best time to visit is in the Fall. Every tree looks as if it has been set on fire and the sidewalks are littered in multi-coloured leaves. Summers can be sweltering and winter brings a few feet of snow and slippery sidewalks ? not for the weak-footed. Spring is pleasant and brings cherry blossoms all along the River Charles.

• If you’re short on time, take a Duck Tour (617-267-DUCK). You board a renovated World War II amphibious landing vehicle, which goes on streets and floats on water. See all the historical sights and take a dip in the Charles River while you listen to animated tour guides. One adult tour costs $26.

• Boston is definitely pricey, and a stay in a centrally-located luxury hotel like the Fairmont Copley Plaza (866-613-9330) will set you back by $300 to $1,500 a night. A great nearby alternative is the small and elegant College Club (617-536-9510), a well-restored old brownstone with antique furnishings in every room. Doubles are $160 - $175 a night.

My favourite holiday

Dolly Roy,
tea-taster/entrepreneur

A long, long time ago ? even before the Eighties ? I happened to visit one of the most charming places I’ve ever seen. At the time, I was working with the Tea Board and travelling all over, promoting Indian tea. We were in Marbella in Spain and someone suggested that I visit a small town called Mijas. A friend and I decided to check it out and were we glad! My stay in this quaint place has left everlasting memories on my mind.

Mijas is perched on a cliff, but right in front is the sea ? so the place will appeal to mountain lovers as well as those who swear by the sea. What was so special about Mijas is that no cars were allowed within the principal city ? everywhere one had to travel on a donkey. With its cobbled streets, quaint houses and of course, the donkey rides ? it truly felt like I’d stepped back in time.

The one week that I spent in Mijas was truly unforgettable and if I ever get a chance to return there, I’d do so in an instant.

Route map

Everyone’s talking about the Singapore Stopover Holiday deal? But what exactly does it come down to? Breathe easy, for we’re breaking it down for you. First of all you need to be travelling beyond Singapore on a Singapore Airlines ticket — obviously. Now on a twin-sharing basis, a payment of $30 will fetch you one night’s stay at a basic three-star hotel (with better categories of hotels, the rates go up) in Singapore, free airport-hotel-airport transfers, a 50 per cent discount on the a la carte menu at the coffeeshop of the concerned hotel, and a free pass to ride the SIA Hop-on bus, which is a great way to get around in the city.

In addition, you get free admission to any one (yes, just one and not more) of the following hotspots: National Orchid Garden, Sentosa Island Resort, Jarong Bird Park, Singapore River Boat Cruise. There’s some shopping action thrwon in as well. So don’t forget to pick up your discount voucher booklet from the Singapore Stopover Counter at the airport, which entitles you to a variety of shopping discounts.

Now, if you’re flying solo, you will have to pay $59 for the deal instead of just $30. Also, if you want to stay an additional night in Singapore, it will cost you $34 dollars per head if twin-sharing and $63 if you’re on your own. Contact your nearest travel agent or the Singapore airlines office for more details. The Singapore Stopover Holiday deal is valid till March 31 2007.