One could easily argue that Boston, packed as it is with Revolutionary War sites (tea, anyone?), is the most quintessentially American city. Compared to other large U.S. cities, however, the cultural heart of New England practically flaunts its historical associations with the Old World. Founded by Puritan colonists from England in 1630, Beantown has grown into a graceful, immensely walkable city of narrow, crooked streets (many dotted by Irish pubs) – from the Italian-influenced North End to cozy Beacon Hill – with architecture encompassing Georgian, Romanesque, and Victorian styles. Saunter along the leafy banks of the Charles River as collegiate rowing crews glide by; squint a little, and you’ll swear you’re in Oxford. Geographical déjà vu may emerge again once the new wing of the city’s Museum of Fine Arts opens in 2010 (it was designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster, who recently put his stamp on the British Museum in London).