Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts

Starting at the Public Garden by the deluxe Taj Hotel (formerly the Ritz) and extending westward through Boston's Back Bay (map), Newbury Street is the Boston byword for chic, trendy and stylish.

Premium international shops, choice local boutiques, art galleries, bistrots and cafes line both sides of the street, sharing space with graceful old residential stone-and-brick townhouses, some of which have been converted to office and/or retail space.

Vehicular traffic is one-way heading west on Newbury. There is some parking at meters and a few small parking lots, but open spaces are rare during the busier times of the day and evening.

Newbury Street is a great place for a stroll. One way to do it is to take the subway Green Line to the Hynes Convention Center/ICA Station on Massachusetts Avenue (map).

Exit the station doors, turn right, then right again onto Newbury and stroll the mile (1.6 km) to Arlington Street and the Public Garden.

Walking fast, you can make it in 15 minutes, but the point is to walk slow and enjoy, so allow 30 to 50 minutes, more for shopping or a meal break.

If you have more time and want more variety, walk westward from the Public Garden along shady Commonwealth Avenue, admiring the beautiful Back Bay townhouses. When you reach Massachusetts Avenue, turn left, walk south to Newbury Street and return eastward to the Public Garden.

Plan at least 45 minutes for this round-trip walk, more realistically an hour to an hour and a half, or even two hours if you shop and dawdle.

This walk is perfect if you're staying at the Taj Hotel or the Four Seasons Hotel, as you can start and end at your hotel.

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