Where do you run your walking seminars? We run walks in Rome, Paris, Florence, Venice, Naples, London, New York and Istanbul. There are over 170 scholars and specialists in our network. We have physical offices in Philadelphia, Rome, and Paris.
My family and I attended your context tour of the Cloisters today and were very happy to see that you have continued in NYC the high standards we found with Context in Italy. It is always a privilege to be in the presence of such scholars in their element.
Last summer we had a client approach us with a new idea. She was spending nearly a month in Paris with her children and had heard about our Family Program of walks designed for kids and led by museum educators. We normally think of these as tours—one-off experiences that families enjoy during a visit. But what if, this client asked, she string together many of these—including a number of customized walks—into a kind of immersive, cultural summer camp. Wow, we thought, what a great idea. Read more »
At Context, our philosophy has always been about promoting and protecting the cultural heritage in each of the cities in which we operate. This heritage most familiarly comes in the form of monumental sites such as the Colosseum or iconic topics such Gothic architecture in Paris. But it also exists in smaller, sometimes more interesting, off the beaten path sites such as the Croton Aqueduct in New York or topics such as Thomas Jefferson’s time in Paris. Very often, however, these less well known aspects of a city’s heritage can be overlooked by enthusiastic visitors and busy locals.
Last week, the African American Meeting House, located in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, reopened after a multimillion dollar historic restoration. The Meeting House is part of the Museum of African American History which has campuses both on Beacon Hill in Boston and on the island of Nantucket. The National Historic Landmark had be closed to the public for 6 years during the restoration.
The search for Context’s City of Literature heads back over the Atlantic now, as docent Alex Goldfeld brings us the case for Boston.
The first Bostonians were not concerned as much with literature as with literacy. Massachusetts passed the country’s first laws requiring public education in the 1640s, and three of the schools they established, all over 365 years old, are educating children in the city of Boston today. In neighboring Cambridge, the first printing press in the English colonies was established in 1638, just two years after the creation of what is now the international grande dame of higher education: Harvard University. Ever focused on religion and the expansion and survival of their own way of life, the Puritans did not leave behind a rich body of literature, but rather the standard of an educated citizenry. Read more »
After what seems like weeks of rain in May, June has finally brought 85+ degree heat to the northeast corridor. When it’s sunny and steamy like this, sometimes it can be hard to get excited about being in the city with miles of asphalt trapping the heat. And sometimes, we find ourselves dreaming about remote, cooler, leafier climes. The good news is, we don’t just have to dream. If you’re city bound this summer like we are, here are some of our favorite day trip escapes right within the city limits!
Boston
Located in the neighborhood of Forest Hills in Boston, Arnold Arboretum is the oldest arboretum in North America. This small 265 acre gem was designed as part of the city’s Emerald Necklace between 1878 and 1896 by Frederick Law Olmsted, and is both a living museum (under the administration of Harvard University) and a public park (under the administration of the Boston Park Services.) The park boasts some of the world’s best examples of maples, crabapples, lilacs and rhododendrons, as well as the one of the finest views in the city from atop Peters Hill.
Philadelphia
If you are looking for shaded, unruly, seclusion, descend into the 7 mile long ravine that is Wissahickon Valley Park.With over 1400 acres of stunningly scenic hiking trails and lookout points, you can amble up to Cucumber Meadow or the Treehouse, or rock hop along the creek when the water isn’t too high. Let yourself get lost in the woods, and you won’t be surprised that artists and writers such as Edgar Allen Poe found the valley to be mesmerizing and inspirational.
New York
Although Central Park is a very reliable go-to for green relaxation in New York City, Prospect Park in Brooklyn is certainly its equal in beauty, covering over 585 acres. Designed by the same landscape architects as Central Park, Olmsted and Vaux, in the 1860′s, it is now home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest. From picnicing, to hiking, birdwatching or horseback riding, your day can be as active or as laid back and secluded as you’d like.
In honor of the summer season, we’re offering a discount on walks which incorporate public parks and spaces in our US cities. Enjoy 15% off our Meatpacking District and High Line, Brahmins of Boston, and Front Yard America walks in July and August. Just mention PARKS when booking.
One of our favorite ways to travel is to stay in small inns, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts. We feel this is a great way to further steep yourself in the cultural fabric of a city and neighborhood. Not only is the architecture usually more interesting (and sometimes historically significant), but the proprietors are locals who value the cultural heritage that surrounds them and make it part of their daily mission to share it with visitors, while providing a homier, personalized lodging experience. Boston is the perfect city to take advantage of such accommodation. Below are some of our favorite places to stay in the city:
Chances are that a child in Boston knows not only the names of Santa’s reindeer and Snow White’s dwarfs, but also all eight of Mr. & Mrs. Mallard’s ducklings from Robert McCloskey’s classic children’s tale, Make Way for Ducklings (originally published in 1941). Read more »
Context Travel is proud to announce the launch of its Mobility Program. Since its foundation, Context remains a network of scholars and specialists in the world’s cultural capitals and aims to provide transformative experiences for intellectually curious travelers. However, due to the physical nature of some of its cities, this often excluded access for travelers with mobility concerns and physical disabilities. With this in mind, we have created a dedicated program to better serve these travelers.
To mark Black History month, we asked Boston docent Alex Goldfeld about the African American experience and heritage in early Boston history. Here’s what he had to share with us.
As we begin 2011, the staff and docents at Context have been busy putting together some new and exciting walks and seminars across all of our cities. Â From hands on creative workshops to thematic visits, let’s take a minute to see what our Hot New Walks are for 2011. Â Whether a repeat visitor or first time adventurer, these selection should whet your appetites for the upcoming trip you may be planning. Read more »
Last summer we had a client approach us with a new idea. She was spending nearly a month in Paris with her children and had heard about our Family Program of walks designed for kids and led by museum educators. We normally think of these as tours—one-off experiences that families enjoy during a visit. But what if, this client asked, she string together many of these—including a number of customized walks—into a kind of immersive, cultural summer camp. Wow, we thought, what a great idea. Read more »
