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Somerville
City in Massachusetts, United States

Somerville

Somerville is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States.

Plan a trip to Somerville→From Providence/Warwick

As of the 2020 United States census, the city had a total population of 81,045 people. With an area of 4.12 square miles (10.7 km2), the city has a density of 19,671/sq mi (7,595/km2), making it the most densely populated municipality in New England and the 19th most densely populated incorporated municipality in the country. Somerville was established as a town in 1842, when it was separated from Charlestown. In 1972, 2009, and 2015, the city received the All-America City Award. It is home to Tufts University, which has its campus along the Somerville and Medford border.

Get in

Getting to Somerville

Since Somerville is so tightly bound to Boston, please refer to the Get In and Get Around sections of that article for all the gory details. Somerville also shares several transit options with nearby Cambridge. Somerville was long starved for rapid transit, but with the completion of the Green Line extension to Union and Medford/Tufts in 2022, this has started to change.

See

Worth seeing

Somerville doesn't really have any show-stopping "must see" sights. It's all about relaxing, taking your time, and letting the quirky character of the neighborhood soak in. For example you might see a few of the more than 200 backyard shrines, built to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary; often referred to as "Bathtub Marys".

  1. 01
    Brickbottom Artists Association

    1 Fitchburg St (T: Lechmere),.

  2. 02
    Museum of Modern Renaissance

    Picture a gorgeous old building (once a Unitarian church) lived in by a Yoga-practicing artist couple, who often look inward for inspiration.

  3. 03
    The Old Powder House

    This is the oldest stone building in Massachusetts, dating from around 1704.

  4. 04
    Prospect Hill Monument

    Climb this tower for great views of Boston.

  5. 05
    Somerville Museum

    Volunteer run, visits are by appointment only.

Do

Things to do

Most tourists spend their time near Davis and Porter Squares, within walking distance of each other. Residents sometimes avoid those crowds by hitting their favorite spots in Union Square and the Winter Hill area. They're further from the T, but it's a great way to get out there and meet some real Somervillians.

  1. 01
    Arts at the Armory

    191 Highland Ave (T: Porter),.

  2. 02
    George Dilboy VFW Post 529

    Plays host to various dances and acts, ranging from swing to electronica to circus and vaudeville.

  3. 03
    Legoland Discovery Center

    598 Assembly Row (T: Assembly), toll-free: +1-866-228-6439.

  4. 04
    The Rockwell

    Plays, concerts, stand up, wrestling shows, the works really.

  5. 05
    Sacco's Bowl Haven
  6. 06
    The Somerville Theatre

    This movie theater shows fairly cheap 2nd-run movies as well as live musical acts.

Eat

Where to eat

  1. 01
    Kelly's Diner

    Traditional 1950s dining car in Ball Square, usually has a line out the door on Sundays.

  2. 02
    Man-O-Salwa Kabob & Grill
  3. 03
    The Neighborhood Restaurant

    It is worth visiting Union Square for, especially in the summer months.

  4. 04
    Fasika Ethiopian

    Ethiopians looking for a new place after they lost their lease took over a local bar and put a partition down the middle, keeping the bar on one side and having seating on the other.

  5. 05
    Sound Bites

    Voted "Best Breakfast in Boston" many times.

How locals move

Getting around Somerville the local way

  • Get inThe F4 water taxi runs between Long Wharf and the Charlestown Navy Yard.

From Wikivoyage: Boston/Charlestown, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.