Old City, Philadelphia: neighborhood guide

Old City is the historic core of Philadelphia, a grid of brick and stone streets between Front and 4th Streets, bounded roughly by Race Street to the north and Walnut Street to the south. Independence National Historical Park covers several blocks of it, so the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center and the Betsy Ross House sit within a few minutes of each other.

The 3rd Street corridor from Chestnut to Vine is the shopping strip: small independent shops and galleries rather than chains. East of the neighbourhood, Penn's Landing runs along the Delaware River waterfront with restaurants, hotels and a seasonal ice rink, and hosts fireworks on New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July.

Evenings are busy. The bar and club section draws a young professional crowd at weekends, with music in venues and street musicians outside. Society Hill, immediately south, is quieter and more residential, with historic houses and fewer bars.

Stay in Old City if the historic sights are your priority and you want to walk to them before the crowds arrive. It also suits travellers who want dinner, drinks and a short walk back to the hotel. Two nights is enough for the neighbourhood itself; add nights if you are using it as a base for the rest of the city.

Look elsewhere if you need quiet at night: the neighbourhood has a busy bar and club scene, so ask about your room's position before booking and check recent guest comments on street noise. If your trip is built around Amtrak, Center City West around 30th Street Station is more practical. If you want museums and a calmer residential feel, compare the other neighbourhoods before booking.

Old City covers the range from quick lunch to a full dinner, with cafes, casual spots and small restaurants mixed in among the shops and galleries. The heaviest concentration of bars and music venues is in the club section of the neighbourhood, which is also where late-night noise comes from.

For a wider choice, walk west into Center City East, where the restaurant density is higher and the options run later (check). Penn's Landing adds waterfront dining, useful in summer. Book ahead for weekend dinners in the neighbourhood itself, when the bar crowd fills the rooms.

The Market-Frankford Line runs under Market Street with two stations in the neighbourhood, 2nd Street and 5th Street, which connects you to Center City and the rest of the subway network. Several SEPTA bus routes also serve Old City, and the PHLASH trolley covers part of the year, mainly for sightseeing rather than commuting.

By car, use the Philadelphia Parking Authority's parking finder to compare garages and rates before you arrive. Street parking in Old City is metered, limited and often capped at two hours, so a garage is the realistic option for a stay of more than an afternoon. Driving from Philadelphia International Airport takes roughly 20-25 minutes outside rush hour (check). Amtrak's 30th Street Station is west of the neighbourhood; check the route and journey time for a taxi or the subway before you travel.

On foot is the point of the neighbourhood: the main historic sites, the waterfront and the restaurant strip all sit within about 15 minutes of each other.