A City Break in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Do you want to enjoy the delights of shows, shopping and eating out on a US city break but you’ve done NYC? Nearby Philadelphia has all this in spades, as well as history, nightlife and some of the finest artwork once to adorn the walls of European houses.

I drove into Center City Philadelphia with Bruce Springsteen’s lines in my head but I felt anything but alone in this vibrant city. Philadelphia has the variety of architecture found, in my opinion, in the best cities. It has the glittering skyline you would expect in a mightily modern American city.

Then there’s the House of Betsy Ross who sewed the first American flag (and more importantly ran her own business in what was very much a male preserve). And of course there’s the imposing bulk of City Hall and the gracious 18th century residential streets. Or the art deco of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s suburban station.

The charm of each district in Philadelphia’s supremely walkable Centre City is unique and the combination of old and new world architecture very attractive. But it’s the people who make this house a home. Philadelphians tell it like it is and offer only the warmest welcome. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).