Back Bay & Copley Square: Self-Guided Tour

Back Bay & Copley Square: Self-Guided Tour

2 hours 30 minutes

Welcome to Boston’s Back Bay and Copley Square, where historic charm meets timeless elegance. This self-guided tour invites you to stroll through one of the city’s most beautiful neighborhoods, known for its stunning 19th-century Victorian architecture, tree-lined streets, and rich cultural heritage. As you explore, you’ll discover how this area grew from a marshland into a walkable urban oasis that remains one of Boston’s most iconic destinations.

Begin your tour in Copley Square, the vibrant heart of Back Bay. Take in the grandeur of the "Jewel of Back Bay", with historic landmarks that surround you, from the Romanesque Revival beauty of Trinity Church to the impressive Boston Public Library. Visit the Copley Public Library, one of Boston's most stunning buildings.

Discover Boston's "secret" shopping mall, hidden in plain sight amongst multiple buildings in Copley Square. Take in the magnificent Reflecting Pool, set against the backdrop of the Mother Church, one of Boston's most stunning plazas. Stroll through Newbury Street, lined with shopping boutiques and delicious restaurants. Visit the serene oasis of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, a quiet green promenade lined with historical statues.

1. Copley Square

The heart of the Back Bay neighborhood, Copley Square was designed to be the "jewel" of the neighborhood. The city of Boston gave significant financial incentives for various cultural, educational, and religious landmarks to move or open their primary location in Copley Square. The average visitor to Boston should be delightfully awe-struck when visiting this lovely spot. Today used for seasonal events, farmer's markets, and special gatherings.

A significant number of important Boston educational and cultural institutions were originally located adjacent to Copley Square, reflecting 19th-century Boston's aspirations for the location as a center of culture and progress.

These include:

  • Museum of Fine Arts
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • Harvard Medical School
  • New England Museum of Natural History (today's Museum of Science)
  • Trinity Church
  • Boston Public Library
  • Horace Mann School for the Deaf
  • Boston University
  • Emerson College,
  • Northeastern University
Boston Public Library

2. Boston Public Library

The first free municipal library in the United States and the third largest library in the country today.

3. Boston Marathon Finish Line

4. Boston Marathon Survivor Memorial

5. Prudential Mall

6. Glass Walkway

7. Southwest Corridor Park

8. Exit Southwest Corridor Park

9. Christian Science Plaza

10. Reflecting Pool at the Christian Science Plaza

11. The First Church of Christ, Scientist - The Mother Church

12. Mapparium

13. Newbury Street

14. Commonwealth Avenue Mall

15. Marlborough Street

16. Pedestrian Bridge over Storrow Drive

17. Charles River Esplanade

18. Arthur Fiedler Footbridge

19. Alexander Hamilton Statue

20. Berkeley Street

21. 500 Boylston Street - Courtyard

22. Trinity Church - Cloisters
Boston Hidden Gems