25 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN PHILADELPHIA

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Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love, the home of the Quakers and the "children of freedom", of the American revolution and of tolerance and of course ... Rocky! But it is also pure history, because although the life of the United States is relatively short, it is also exciting, and in Philadelphia some of the events that would mark the future of this country occurred. We talked among other things about the signature of independence! Next we will tell you 25 things to see and do in Philadelphia

Do you know who the Quakers were? They were a group of "friends" who founded a religious society in England in the seventeenth century. Although they do not have an official creed, it is considered one of the historically pacifist churches. They follow the foundations of Christianity, although somewhat more realistic: let's say they apply the theories of ancient scriptures to seek to defend truth, equality, honesty and peace. They came to the United States by the hand of William Penn and today, although they are not too many, they gather in groups that, before promulgating a unique religion, fight for social rights.

1. Independence National Historical Park. It is an “L” shaped area in downtown Philadelphia where most of the historical monuments are concentrated, some are the Liberty Bell or the Independece Hall:

2. Liberty Bell. It has become the symbol of the city and it is not for less (or is it?): It was played on the first reading of the declaration of independence. Eye, the lines that form are not even normal, you can do it and enter the enclosure where it is exposed, or look for a glass window further south of the park to see it from outside.

3. Independence Hall. It is the building where the declaration of independence was signed, a place quite visited by the locals for its historical importance, although the building is no big deal. Mind you, before entering you have to withdraw the ticket at the Independence Visitor Center (free), if you are very interested do not waste time!

Tip: this tour will take you to know the main historical places of Philadelphia, if you have little time it is a good idea

4. Market St. It is the street with more atmosphere of Philadelphia. Here there are bars and cafes, restaurants and in its surroundings also some interesting visits such as:

5. Elfreth's Alley. The oldest residential street in the United States, dating from the 1720s. It is barely 100 meters long, but it is a bit like transporting to the past. We are very fans of old facades, of colorful doors and windows, so we loved it! Ah, it's a historic site but there is still some inhabited house!

6. Betsy Ross House (entrance $ 3). Something further south is this house where this lady lived and where, apparently, she sewed the first flag of the United States in her own room, by order of George Washington, George Ross and Robert Morris. This flag was the one that was waved in the Independence Hall in the reading and proclamation of independence.

7. First US post office. This building is located on Market St and if you have to pick up an Amazon package, you know you can do it at the country's first post office! Behind is the Benjamin Franklin Museum (5 $), with samples about the life of the famous character.

8. Benjamin Franklin's Tomb. In this area you can also find his grave, in the cemetery of Christ Church. If in case the visit of a cemetery is not something very happy, it will be less when you know that to enter it you have to pay $ 2.

9. Historic houses and mansions in Society Hill. Further south is this residential area with some old houses that are preserved as they were in the past and that you can visit inside (of course, always paying a ticket). Two of them are: Powel House (1765) andHill-physick (1786), neither are they from the other world ...

10. First US bank. Founded in 1791, it cannot be visited but the facade is impressive.

11. Chinatown. It is the fourth largest Chinese neighborhood in the United States (after New York, San Francisco and Boston), although it does not look too authentic or bustling, it is always an ideal place to find cheap food and change your air.

12. Reading Terminal Market. Although if you are hungry we can not skip this stop: in this market you can find lots of dishes in very different positions, including the specialty of the city: the cheesesteak (a beef sandwich with cheese), and some with Amish products. There is also a food market area with fresh products. We visited him on a Sunday at two in the afternoon and he was up to the ball, but it is undoubtedly one of the best visits in Philadelphia.

And yes, the cheesesteak is very rich XD

13. Philadelphia City Hall. This huge mole that occupies an entire block is probably the most impressive building in the entire city and the largest with municipal functions in the United States. It dates from 1901. You can visit the interior and climb the tower 167 meters high ($ 15 both visits, $ 8 only the tower). You can make the reservation on this website.

14. One Liberty Observation Deck ($ 14). Although if you want stunning views of the city, this is your place. You can book your ticket without a queue here. Included in the Philadelhia Pass.

15. From the town hall you can take the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, with flags from around the world. It is left on the right Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, with a beautiful facade and a striking dome.

16. The Franklin Institute. While the entrance to the museum and exhibitions is paid ($ 20), you can go to the main hall with a huge dome and a no less impressive statue of Benjamin Franklin in the center. Nearby there is the Rodin Museum, the most important dedicated to the artist outside of Paris. If you plan to visit the Rodin Museum and the Art Museum you can buy the combined ticket here.

17. The staircase of the Museum of Art. One of the most watched places in Philadelphia, not only for those who have visited the city, but also for all those who know the mythical Rocky scene, where he climbs these 72 steps at full speed with the motivating little musician (which we have all sometimes hummed) and starts to jump up ... We refresh your memory:

18. Rocky statue. The commemorative statue could not be missing, almost as photographed as the Liberty Bell (well, actually the tail was sooo much smaller).

19. Visit the Edgar Allan Poe's house (free), where the writer lived for a year. In addition to being a place with historical load, it is not bad to enter to know inside as it was a house of the mid-nineteenth century.

20. Approach theLibrary Hall, although the building is not old (dating from the mid-20th century), it has since hosted the American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743 by Franklin (among others) and of historical importance. In the building there is an interesting collection of books, including a copy of the declaration of independence and the first edition of Darwin's Origin of Species.

21. If you have time you can go to Fort mifflin, a fort of the year 1771 that passed through different hands. Currently part of its structure is still used by the US Navy, becoming the oldest strong asset in the country. Its somewhat remote location and its entrance ($ 8) make it a little less attractive.

22. Spend an afternoon atFairmount Park, the first park in Philadelphia. In its extensive terrain you can see historic houses, gardens, monuments and green areas where you can relax.

23. Do not miss the Philadelhphia Magic Gardens ($ 10), to meet another type of street art and extravagant.

24. Take an excursion ... Washington it's a great idea 😉 or you can also go explore the Lancaster area, where one of the amish communities largest in the United States.

25. Come back 😉

How to get?We arrived by bus from New York. It takes between 2 hours and 2 hours. The price varies, but you can find tickets from $ 1 with the Megabus company. In New York it leaves from a stop in the street, near Hudson Yards Station; in Philadelphia he arrives at 30th St Station.
How to get around in Philadelphia? You can move by subway or bus (ticket price $ 2.25). You also have the option of buying a daily ticket for $ 8 (you can take up to 8 times public transport) or move in Uber, get € 20 off your first trip if you register with this link. But the best thing, if you stay more or less in the center, is walking. You can practically reach any side of interest on foot.
Where to sleep in Philadelphia? We stayed in an Airbnb studio. If you are interested in this form of accommodation, do not wait and register a new account with this link to have € 35 discount on your first reservation.