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    Recommended Reviews - Harvard Square

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    Jo S.

    Lively, crowded area that I had to visit. Needed to see Harvard University, such a great, historic pillar of education. My husband used to come here in his college time, but now he didn't recognize much. Nice architecture if you choose to wander the streets around. Lots of restaurants and stores, but I wasn't impressed with the options, lots of chains unfortunately. Initially, we wanted to dine here, but the choices were poor. T-stop is right in the middle of everything, very convenient. Cute area, but not super impressed. I wish I had more time to check Harvard's campus. The area has some character, too bad it's taken over by generic chains. I guess it's like this everywhere!

    The image features a tall church steeple with a white spire and architectural details, set against a bright blue sky. The steeple is attached to a brick building partially obscured by green trees, which frame the scene. The sky is mostly clear with a few small clouds, and the overall setting appears to be in a peaceful, outdoor area near a historic church.
    Vivian W.

    Harvard Square can be found right next to Harvard University.  It's a small square that's full (almost to bursting) with groups of tourists from sunrise to sunset.  Despite the plethora of tourists, it's still very much worth paying a visit to this small square.  There's so much history here, and its wide range of eateries and small shops gives the place a charm that's unique and vibrant. Tip: The best time to visit is in the evening or late afternoon.  At those times, you'll find the smallest number of tourists here

    J David H.

    Harvard Square is a great place to checkout if your visiting from out of town. The shops, eatery's and live street performers make it a must to visit. If your local then your probably annoyed by the tourist and I'm sorry. You can find the Coop which is the Harvard Bookstore and much more. My daughter enjoyed walking, shopping and eating at the square. A highlight was the live music which was in the green space. But they also had performers in the alleys. I'm not getting the haters here as this is certainly not in the three star scale whatsoever. There is construction around a few of the areas I walked. Come and enjoy.

    Nico Samneil S.

    Nothing much here. Stores filled area. Thinking much of like the time square kind of vibes.

    Cliff C.

    Cool, cool, cool. So much history. So many greats have been here. Great food in this area. Do not eat before you go here. Try Mr. Bartley's. The burgers and the milkshakes are amazing. You have to stop by the bookstore and buy a Harvard T-shirt. Also stop and see the famous chess players.

    Tiffany D.

    Friend recommended to visit this square. I'm guessing it's a Main Street for Cambridge. I always imagined Boston to be red brick buildings, which painted the picture for me on the East Coast vibes! This common central is what I had imagined Boston to be. It's a good stroll with boutique shops here and there.

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    Big square in Cambridge Harvard square has hotels hair salons restaurants banks and much more Harvard square is great

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    Page 1 of 5

    Harvard Square Reviews in Other Languages

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    Review Highlights - Harvard Square

    fit. Hacking up lungs in cars, to lost cars, to CVS afternoons, to meeting old friends for Cheech adventures, it was all so

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    Prospect Hill Monument - The 4 Story Stone Castle Structure was built in 1903 & is where the first national flag was hoisted by George Washington @ Prospect Hil

    Prospect Hill Monument

    (34 reviews)

    I run everywhere in Somerville and today's course was through the monument. Nice view during the…read morerun. Grass area someone was working out which was nice as well. Good hill training.

    AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! I LOVE CASTLES! This is one of the Secret…read moreHidden Gems of America that most people have never heard about or been to before. The Prospect Hill Monument is a stone structure in the shape of a mini Castle & is located in Somerville, Massachusetts just outside of Boston. This is a residential area with homes. It is also a historic site & provides panoramic views of Boston & surrounding cities. There is also a small park in this neighborhood here with green grass, park benches & a good spot for picnicking & relaxing. It's great place to visit Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall with a changing natural New England landscape. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU PARK OTHERWISE YOU MAY GET A TICKET. Park only at the signs where it says it's OK to Park; it's a residential area. You can also visit here by Mass Transit too. This site is only a few blocks away & up the hill from the bustling heart of Union Square. There are a lot of local businesses & eateries there. The medieval fortress tower was constructed out of stone & steel. It was built in 1903 to commemorate the site's military importance during the Revolutionary & Civil Wars. The Tower stands 4 stories tall. Climb the stairs to the the first outdoor open deck, & you'll see great views of Boston, Somerville, & Cambridge. The inside of the tower & top were open pre-pandemic periodically at various times. Check the website for current info & updates. Be sure to go all around the tower on the ground level. There are plaques with lots of detailed info all around the tower. Also check out all the signs throughout the Park telling you even more info about this spot & how it was instrumental in uniting the colonies. On January 1, 1776, General George Washington himself who would later become the first President of the United States, during the Revolutionary War hoisted the very first national flag of America on this very spot. It was called the Grand Union Flag & predates The Famous Betsy Ross Flag. Our current red & white Stripes with 50 Stars flag is not flown here. Lots of people miss this. Zoom in with your camera & you will see the First Flag of America. The Grand Union Flag is still flown here on top of the tower. It has red & white stripes but with the blue British Union Jack in the corner instead of the Stars. It's Pretty Cool that they still fly our very first national flag here. To make it worth your trip be sure to visit the extremely popular Union Square Donuts which has Great Donuts & is only a few blocks away. It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really Rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

    Memorial Hall - Ceremony at the Transept www.bom-photo.com

    Memorial Hall

    (11 reviews)

    Harvard Square

    Quote: Inspired by Christopher Wren's Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford, England, Sanders Theatre is…read morefamous for its design and its acoustics. A member of the League of Historic American Theatres, the 1,166 seat theatre offers a unique and intimate 180 degree design which provides unusual proximity to the stage: End Quote It feels like a warm wooden church inside, I just saw Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble there, and it was WONDERFUL! The theatre itself, is gorgeous. Walking up to the building is very scenic. However, seating wasn't ergonomic in 1922, so it's hard wooden benches and your feet will fall asleep during the show. But check it out if you would like to see a classical performance or Harvard art event, in a student, casual environment. I think it may be sometimes only available to Harvard students and affiliates.

    If you're inspired by beautiful architecture, you *must* catch a performance at Sanders Theatre…read more When I walk into the space, my spirit is uplifted and can't help but gaze around me and drink in the amazing style of this place. Rich, dark woods, beautiful soaring archways and central dome, lovely tile in the entrance hall... it's just a lovely space. The acoustics in the space are quite amazing, too. I sing with the Cambridge Community Chorus, and we're performing a show there this coming Sunday... we've had two rehearsals so far in this space and the sound is absolutely amazing. The space itself serves as a natural amplifier, and the harmonics in the room are such that the tones and frequencies blend prettily in ways that other spaces just don't convey. The statements about the seating being uncomfortable are true... but regardless, if you have an opportunity to see a show at Sanders Theatre, you should do it. Uncomfortable seats notwithstanding, it is a truly magical experience.

    Washington Tower

    Washington Tower

    (3 reviews)

    A historic tower with unrivaled views of the Harvard skyline, the Charles and the gleaming Boston…read moreskyscraper. It's located deep within the beautifully gothic (and annoyingly one-entranced) Mt Auburn Cemetery and stands head above their veritable collection of world trees and strange crypts. It's a stone tower with a disabled-unfriendly stone stairwell that could well induce vertigo, but please forgive it as it's 150 years old. At the top there's room for a good 10 or more to enjoy the panorama. Go on a clear warm day and earmark a good 20 minutes of your time to relax at the top and take it all in. Don't be one of the tick-it-off crowd and head down as soon as you've got your photo.

    Washington Tower is noted for its great panoramic views of Boston and Cambridge. Honestly, Boston's…read moreskyline pales in comparison to other global cities. Nevertheless, as a resident of Boston for almost 4 years I knew I had to see it for myself. I would give it five stars; however there were a couple things that detracted from my visit: 1) there are no clear signs indicating where Washington tower is in relation to the rest of the cemetery 2) it was super windy when I went in to the top in May, and the wind made the view from the top almost unbearable because it would blow us left and right and made me feel cold and unnerved 3) naturally, because this is outdoors, bugs were here in swarms; there were bees and flies and even mosquitoes--yikes! Overall, I am glad I got to check it off my bucket list but I don't think I will be coming back anytime soon. I would even dare say that the view from the Charles River might be better ;)

    Boston Harbor Islands

    Boston Harbor Islands

    (23 reviews)

    Waterfront

    This is a nice area to enter into the wharf area. Amer around and player area for the kids to start…read moreand then across the street is the Christopher Columbus Park and the wharf with the aquarium. Lots of things to do and great for just walking around and enjoying the day.

    All my daughter wanted this year for her 22nd birthday was for the family to spend the day on the…read more Islands, specifically George's and Lovell's and that's what we did. We haven't been in about 10 yrs and was so happy to see some amenity upgrades to keep people interested. They added a little playground/ slide for the kids, doesn't look Civil War ish but I'm sure is helpful for young ones lol a fantastic Welcome center with items they've found on Island or that era and a 9 minute movie introduction to the History of George's Island All Islands are carry out what you bring in so be aware of that. George's Island has Salty's food bar with really good prices considering everything has to be brought over on the ferry. We like to picnic and have a feast for dinner once back on the mainland. Bathrooms were clean and plentiful on George's and a composting loo on Lovell's. Free water taxi to Island hop to the other Islands to explore. I've been coming here since I was 12 and I'm SO happy that the BHI are growing with the times and there is still such an interest. The views of the cityscape are just awesome, it's like a world away even though you can see the skyline. LOVE IT ! Also, in all this time we've driven into the city to park but chose to go out of Hingham this time. We'll stick with that from Now on unless we need shopping downtown. Hingham offers free parking with the purchase of the Island ticket!! And Wahlburgers is just down the street with additional shopping if your not exhausted from a day of beach-combing

    The Grand Union Flag - The 4 Story Castle Structure has a little Park @ The Grand Union Flag - The First National Flag of the US flies over Prospect Hill

    The Grand Union Flag

    (1 review)

    AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! This is one of the Secret Hidden Gems of…read moreAmerica that most people have never heard about or been to before. Come here & you can see America's First National Flag - The Grand Union Flag, flying in the wind on top of Prospect Hill Monument. You may have to use your camera to Zoom in to really see it. The Monument is a 4 Story Castle Like Structure built in 1903 with great views of multiple cities including Boston. Cambridge & Somerville. There is also a little park here too. THE HISTORY In the 1700's the British flag reigned supreme. Then came our battle to become an independent nation. During the Revolutionary War, the colonies had their own individual flags like Massachusetts, & New York etc. General George Washington who would later become the first president of the United States commissioned a flag to be made to bolster the morale of the troops. The Grand Union Flag was created & featured 13 red & white stripes. There were 7 red & 6 alternating white stripes representing the 13 colonies who were all united together in this battle. Now in the upper hand corner was the British Union Jack. So this unification flag shows for the first time the colonies were uniting together & putting themselves first. They were separating themselves from British rule & fighting for their independence from Britain. George Washington himself hoisted the Grand Union Flag here on Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776 to give a big morale boost to his newly formed Continental Army. The 13 colonies represented on the flag are Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina & Georgia. This flag is before & predates the famous Betsy Ross Flag. Now this spot is located in Somerville, Massachusetts which is just outside of Boston. This is a residential area with homes. BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU PARK OTHERWISE YOU MAY GET A TICKET. Park only at the signs where it says it's OK to Park; You can also visit here by Mass Transit too. Be sure to go all around the tower on the ground level. There are plaques with lots of detailed info all around the tower. Also check out all the signs throughout the Park telling you even more info about this spot. It is a historic site & provides panoramic views of Boston & surrounding cities. Go up the stairs to the first landing & see the views.. Pre Pandemic the inside & the top of the monument were open at certain times. Check the website for the latest info & further details. There is also a small park in this neighborhood here with green grass, park benches & a good spot for picnicking & relaxing. It's great place to visit Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall with a changing natural New England landscape. See my review of the Prospect Hill Monument for more details. This site is only a few blocks away & up the hill from the bustling heart of Union Square. There are a lot of local businesses & eateries there. To make it worth your trip be sure to visit the extremely popular Union Square Donuts which has Great Donuts & is only a few blocks away. It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really Rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

    Harvard Square - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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