Mr (or Ms) Worldwide

One city, countless countries — discover the world through the lens of The City on a Hill.

By: Saniya Makenova

Josie Zevin

Have you ever wanted to travel the world without the inconvenience of stamping your passport? If so, Boston is the perfect place for you! All you need to get around is a CharlieCard and an appetite for adventure. 

This historic city hums with global energy and features a kaleidoscope of cultures that attracts visitors from all over the world. With the Charles River flowing through the heart of this international scene, the bridge between Boston and Cambridge connects not only the two parts of the Greater Boston Area, but also the worlds they host. 

From Italian espresso and cannolis in the North End, Korean barbecue in Allston, to Dominican bites in Eastie, Boston brings the world’s best flavors straight to your table. To further immerse yourself in the city’s cultural blend, pay a visit to the wide variety of neighborhoods it offers. Each one feels like its own country, and tells its own unique story. Surrounded by a diverse palette of languages, wall art, music and markets, Boston is a living, breathing, constantly expanding world map. 

While traveling the continents could take years, the Massachusetts capital condenses a web of global spirits into a walkable distance. Moving from neighborhood to neighborhood, explore each of their local bookstores, venues, parks and museums to fully indulge in the global energy that Boston so brightly radiates.

Yet another key ingredient in Boston’s melting pot is the generations of college students that have deeply rooted their customs and traditions in the city’s groundwork. By exchanging knowledge, ideas and collaborating on projects, college students from all over the world create a crossroad of cultures on each campus. Through international film showcases, art exhibitions and guest speakers, the world-class universities of Boston make the world feel more reachable, tangible and alive.

In fact, you don’t even have to go looking for it—rather, it finds you. From street musicians to the languages echoing through lecture halls, immigrant murals and annual celebratory festivals, Boston opens doors to endless world tours wrapped in brick, history and city rush. If I haven’t convinced you yet, consider the clinking cups of Turkish coffee in Cambridge, Latin beats in Jamaica Plain, mouthwatering smells of dumplings in Chinatown and South Asian markets in Harvard Square. 

If you’re looking for a memorable weekend getaway, don’t get discouraged by Logan’s overwhelming TSA hustle because Boston is the ultimate destination for a passport-stamp-worthy escapade—minus the airport security lines.