Philadelphia – ‘The Land of Brotherly Love’

Apr 30, 2012 by Stacey    No Comments    Posted under: Archive, Itineraries

Home to some of the founding fathers of United States like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and founding mother Betsy Ross – Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the fifth largest city in the United States. It is located on the banks of Delware River where it is joined by Schuylkill River. It is a city rich in culture with history dating back to the colonial era. The city was named Philadelphia by William Penn which is the Greek word for ‘Brotherly love’. Home to the nation’s greatest concentration of historic sites like Liberty Bell, Hall of Declaration of Independence, Philadelphia attracts more than 3 million visitors every year. Not only is Philadelphia a treat to people interested in history, it also offers many other tourist destinations like Elfrteh’s Alley, Philadelphia Zoo , gardens, museums, sports championships. This makes Philadelphia a popular destination for people of different ages, interests, likings and cultures.

Origin of Philadelphia can be traced back to the 17^th century, when the Europeans came and settled in the Delware valley. The history of Philadelphia is also known as the ‘Cradle of American history’. When William Penn was granted a charter from Charles 2 of England, he developed Philadelphia as a rural town instead of a big city. Even today Philadelphia offers the atmosphere of a small town though it has turned into a big city. Philadelphia was once known as the manufacturing capital of the country but now it has become more of a service oriented economy.

The most prominent tourist attractions in Philadelphia are the Liberty Bell and the Independence Hall. It is said that the Liberty Bell was rung to mark the reading of the Declaration of American Independence on 8 July, 1776, which has now become synonyms with American Independence. The bell developed a crack when it was first rung in Philadelphia but this crack has become an integral part of the bell’s character. Yet another famous attraction in Philadelphia is the Independence Hall which is the place where the Independence was declared and United States Constitution were discussed and adopted. Anyone who is visiting Philadelphia must not miss on these two iconic, historical attractions.

Philadelphia is also house to many science museums like Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia Museum of Art and Rodin Museum. The Fairmount Park, which is the largest park of Philadelphia and also the world’s largest landscaped urban park, is a treat to visit for all the visitors. Other tourist spots include a quaint old residential street the Elfreth’s Alley, Philadelphia Zoo, Franklin Court and the Christ Church. It is also a world class sports destination.

As Philadelphia has a no tax law on clothing, it is a perfect place to enjoy some shopping. The various boutique shops provide a variety to shop from vintage collections to hippest fashion. One can find chain stores, locally owned boutiques, book stores, art galleries, costume jewelers, sneaker emporiums spread across the entire city.

Philadelphia is famous for its cheesesteak and Italian dishes. But now, due to the increased number of tourists and passionate sports fans, contemporary global cuisines are available.

The climate of Philadelphia is temperate throughout the year but winters can be sometimes being harsh due to snow storms. Summer is the best season to visit Philadelphia.

Philadelphia is a perfect combination of architecture, history, culture, business making it a leading tourist destination. The visitors have experienced that they always want to come back to Philadelphia to explore and enjoy more.

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