Motorcycle Tour: New England

Boston rises along the shores of the northern Atlantic, at the mouth of the Charles River, and stands as one of the oldest and most learned cities in the United States, the cradle of the American Revolution and the intellectual capital of New England. Exploring the centre means following the Freedom Trail, the red-brick route linking sixteen historic sites: it begins at Boston Common, America's oldest public park, and leads to the gold-domed Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church and the Granary Burying Ground, resting place of the founding fathers. The trail continues to the Old State House and the site of the Boston Massacre, before plunging into the North End, the city's Little Italy, with its trattorias, pastry shops and the Old North Church tied to Paul Revere's ride. Crossing the river leads to Charlestown and the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. Boston's charm lives on in its residential quarters too: Beacon Hill, with red-brick townhouses, gas lamps and the cobbles of Acorn Street, and Back Bay, with its elegant avenues, the shopping of Newbury Street and Trinity Church facing Copley Square. Across the Charles, Cambridge is home to two of the world's most famous universities, Harvard and MIT, whose historic campuses make for an easy day visit. The city offers the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, while the waterfront Harborwalk leads to the New England Aquarium and the boats setting out for whale watching. The local cuisine celebrates the bounty of the ocean: steaming clam chowder, Maine lobster and fresh oysters in the eateries of Quincy Market. Blending colonial history, prestigious academia and a maritime spirit, Boston pairs European elegance with the pioneering soul of America.

Portland rises on a peninsula reaching into Casco Bay, on the Atlantic coast of Maine, of which it is the largest city and the vital heart. Its most authentic face reveals itself in the Old Port, the harbour district where nineteenth-century red-brick wharves and cobbled streets now house art galleries, craft breweries, restaurants and shops. Along the docks, fishing boats unload the lobster that made Maine famous: the lobster roll — chunks of lobster in a buttered bun — is an essential culinary ritual here, best savoured while wandering through the scent of sea salt and the bustle of gulls. Ferries depart from the harbour for the Calendar Islands, the archipelago scattered across the bay that invites day trips among lighthouses, beaches and fishing villages. South of the city, the headland of Cape Elizabeth guards the Portland Head Light, a lighthouse built in 1791 and among the most photographed in the United States, a white sentinel overlooking the ocean. Between art, sea and flavours, Portland welcomes travellers with the rugged, genuine charm of New England.

From Portland to the Canadian border, the coast of Maine is particularly picturesque, carved by dozens of fjords overlooking delightful towns such as Rockport and Camden, sought-after destinations for sailing enthusiasts. Bar Harbor rises along the rugged coast of Maine, on Mount Desert Island, welcoming travellers as the gateway to Acadia National Park, one of New England’s most spectacular corners. The town retains the intimate feel of an old fishing and shipbuilding village, with wooden houses, art galleries and a lively waterfront. From here you can reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard, where for part of the year you can witness the first sunrise in the United States. Coastal trails, glacial lakes and granite cliffs invite walking and cycling, while cruises depart from the harbour for whale and seal watching. The table is ruled by Maine lobster, served still warm in the lobster shacks overlooking the ocean.

Bangor rises on the banks of the Penobscot River, in the heart of Maine, and was once a thriving lumber capital, a legacy that survives in the elegant Victorian mansions of its neighbourhoods. A 31-foot statue of Paul Bunyan, the legendary lumberjack, stands watch over that past. Literature lovers seek out Stephen King's house, recognisable by its famous wrought-iron fence, while craft breweries enliven the local scene. About an hour's drive away lies Acadia National Park, with its rocky coastline and oceanside trails.

Portsmouth stretches along the Piscataqua estuary, an elegant New Hampshire port town where colonial heritage meets a lively dining scene. The open-air museum of Strawbery Banke preserves 17th- and 18th-century wooden and brick houses, witnesses to the colonial life of this early settlement. Along Market and Ceres Streets restaurants and cafés enliven the waterfront, while the gardens of Prescott Park host outdoor summer festivals. Boat trips sail from the harbour to the Isles of Shoals, and the scent of lobster from neighbouring Maine is everywhere. A refined destination where history, sea and fine food come together.