Newbury Street

At Arlington Street beside the Public Garden, Newbury Street begins. Eight short blocks run west through Back Bay. Brownstone stoops sit close to the curb; iron rails hold overgrown climbers; bay windows lay ovals of light across the brick. Weekday mornings bring the practical routine: a box truck noses into a loading space, an awning snaps forward, a tray of paper cups crosses a café threshold. A gallery props its door with a flat stone; chalk prices go up on a slate board; a rack rolls to the edge of the sidewalk and stops.

The tone changes block by block. Between Berkeley and Clarendon, small boutiques and record bins face quiet patios. Around Exeter and Fairfield, larger storefronts set deeper windows, and a steady crowd forms a slow current along the south sidewalk. A guitarist takes the dry spot under a gallery awning; across the street, a florist ties bunches of delphinium with thin twine and sets them on a wooden crate. Dogs pull toward water bowls outside bakeries. By late afternoon the light drops behind mansard roofs, glass signs start to glow, and the storefront reflections double the street.

Cross streets point to the rest of Back Bay. Copley Square sits a short walk south; the Prudential complex rises at the western end; the Hynes sign marks the Green Line stop near Massachusetts Avenue. Bicycles lean against meter poles. Cabs idle near Dartmouth when rain sweeps in. Winter brings strings of lights along the trees; summer shifts the tables outward so chairs touch the edge of the sidewalk and conversations scatter into the street.

Curb spaces turn over fast and resident permits dominate side streets, so driving rarely matches the pace on foot. A pre-booked ride with Boston Town Car can pull up at Arlington for a start near the park, or meet at Mass Ave for a west-to-east walk, then return for pickup at a set time. The street stays the focus; the keys stay out of the equation.