Compact,
walkable, historic and clean, Boston blends old-world charm
and modern convenience better than many American cities. Disastrous
'urban renewal' in the 1950s provoked such a furious backlash
that Boston now has some of the best preserved historic buildings
and neighborhoods in the country. In some cases, preservation
has crossed the line into Disneyfication: the North End is as
neat and tidy as Frontierland, and Faneuil Hall Marketplace
is a combo theme park and shopping mall unto itself. But the
varnish doesn't stay on too long: with over 50 colleges and
universities in the area, Boston's cultural juices are always
flowing.