It’s called the renaissance city but don’t be fooled. Providence has all the modern conveniences of any big city with the look of old. Built along the Providence River it has been compared to Venice Italy – there are even gondola rides in scenic waterplace park. Steeped in history, this true New England city has much to offer in the areas of art, fine dining, ornate shopping, and renowned universities and even boasts an Italian style piazza equipped with its own fountain!

Dining: Providence is home to some of the finest restaurants in the country. Many with five star ratings and specializing in Mediterranean cuisine. The historic Federal Hill section of the city is where you’ll find the piazza surrounded by restaurants for indoor or outdoor dining. Though there are quite a lot of upscale eateries there are also more casual ones, too. All of them delectable!

Entertainment: While strolling along the river after a scrumptious dining experience, be sure to try and catch Providence’s Waterfire. This is truly an event to enlighten your senses. As you’re walking along the river at beautiful waterplace park, the scent of burning embers permeates the air while calming music plays in the background. The fires illuminate the city!

If you happen to be in Providence during the day, take a stroll back in time and witness some of the best preserved colonial and federal period architecture on the “Mile of History”. Located on Providence’s Benefit Street, some of the homes are open to the public for tours but most are privately owned properties.

Arts: Providence is well known for its rich and very diverse art scene. After all it is home to Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), one of the premier universities in the country. Their museum, which is open to the public, is a perfect example of old and new meshing to form an extensive collection of Ancient and contemporary works all under one roof.

Feel like a night at the theatre? There are quite a few to choose from. For more traditional productions, the Providence Performing Arts Center would be the place. Trinity Repertoire is Providence’s premier theater showcasing our local talent as well as out of state writers, actors and producers. It’s been the home of award winning productions of the Charles Dickens holiday classic “A Christmas Carol” for 29 seasons and running. This city also houses the acclaimed Black Repertory Company which brings entertaining and thought provoking performances to life. For more alternative pieces of work, AS220 delivers just that.

Looking for a great dance performance? It will be hard to stay in your seat with those talented movers and shakers! Fusion works and the Island Moving Company bring contemporary interpretations of dance while Rhode Island College and Brown University have more of a mixed bag of dance styles. Both showcasing the schools diverse talents and welcoming performers from all over the country. Looking for something with an urban flavor? Off The Curb Dance Company offers the freshest in hip hop and street performances.

With so much history, entertainment, art and leisure, it’s no wonder why Providence has truly made its mark as one of the best cities in the country!