PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia is a city of firsts. It was the place where the American Constitution and Bill of Rights were created over 200 years ago. It was the first town in the New World to be planned.

Old City History, industry, art and excellent restaurants meet in Old City, one of the oldest sections of town.

Society Hill Colonial-style brick pathways still weave through the serene neighborhood (along with modern streets), winding through small parks and tucked-away gardens and churchyards, several of which are open to the public.

South Street A mecca of cool shops, galleries, restaurants, clubs and bookstores, South Street keeps late hours, especially on weekends. Wildly painted facades demand time for savoring — everything from tatoo parlors to comic-book shops thrive here. You’ll also discover an eclectic collection of reasonably priced, always hopping eateries offering Middle Eastern, Greek, Italian, French, Spanish, Mexican and good old-fashioned homestyle cooking. Even those Philadelphia staples — cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and water ice — sometimes work their way into the mix here.

Bella Vista Not far from South Street lies the bustling Italian Market in this neighborhood. On Saturday mornings, carts and vendors spill over into the streets, hawking a colorful array of everything edible.


Rittenhouse Square This leafy urban oasis, centered on the great park that gives it its name. Bordered by upscale shops, fine hotels, elegant restaurants and brownstones, Rittenhouse Square entices visitors with tree-lined sidewalks and shaded park benches.

The Fairmount Area and University City These neighborhoods feature some of the city’s most important cultural buildings: The Rodin Museum, the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Fairmount Park, more than 8,700 wooded acres along the picturesque banks of the Schuylkill River.

And just across the Schuylkill on Philadelphia’s west side, the city takes on the feel of a college town, thanks to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. This area keeps getting better and better, and offers fine shopping and dining possibilities.

Chinatown The ornate four-story Chinese Friendship Gate at Tenth and Arch streets that marks Chinatown symbolizes the bond between the “friendship cities” of Tianjin, China’s third-largest city, and Philadelphia. Chinatown buzzes with the sights, smells and sounds of dozens of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Southeast Asian restaurants and markets. Also here is the historic Reading Terminal Market, where the cultural offerings extend way beyond things Asian.

Chestnut Hill Stately homes and tree-lined streets grace this 19th-century neighborhood on the northwest edge of Philadelphia. Offers riches of silver, antiques, fine clothing, jewelry, handicrafts, leather goods, cheeses and cookware. Although several chain stores have moved into Germantown Avenue, there are still enough owner-operated shops to give the street its own personality.