USA

Somehow, suddenly, Philadelphia got cool. Rapid change has transformed Center City from the wayward capital of a defunct 'Workshop of the World' to a place teeming with stellar restaurants, comfortable cafes, world-class museums and some stunning architecture - not to mention those pretzels.

Before the 20th century

In March 1681, England's King Charles II granted William Penn a charter to a parcel of land west of the Delaware River. Charles dubbed the area 'Penn' in honor of William's father, with Penn the Younger adding '-sylvania', meaning 'woodlands'. Brimming with pacifist Quaker idealism, Penn regarded his colony as a 'holy experiment' and ensured as its governor and proprietor that its laws respected religious freedom and liberal government. Penn chose Philadelphia as the capital of Pennsylvania in 1682, optimistically naming it after the Greek for 'brotherly love'. A survivor of London's Great Fire of 1666, he made sure the city's design included a grid system with wide streets, not the narrow, winding maze that had caused so much havoc in England's capital. This format was to become the inspiration for most American cities.

Philadelphia quickly grew to become the second largest city (after London) in the British empire, before ceding that title to New York City. Opposition to British policy in the colonies became seated in the city, where colonial leaders would meet to plan their course of action. The result was the Declaration of Independence, and in 1790 Philadelphia became the temporary capital of the new United States before Washington DC got the job in 1800. The US Constitution was drawn up and first read here in 1786. Often led by the multitalented Benjamin Franklin, Philadelphia became a centre for developments in the world of arts and science.

Between 1793 and 1820 Philadelphia suffered five yellow-fever epidemics, which killed thousands but led to the construction of the US's first city water system. Philadelphia's fortunes declined in the 19th century, as New York took over as the nation's cultural, commercial and industrial centre. Philly never regained the stature of its early years, despite continued cultural and educational innovation, commerce and shipbuilding, and a brief boomlet following WWII.

Modern history

During the mid-20th century, Philadelphia, like many American cities, watched much of its middle class forsake the city for the suburbs. The 1970s saw Philly grapple with inner-city tensions, typified by the firefights between the police and the paramilitary MOVE group. However, by 1976, lavish plans for the nation's bicentennial had inspired a citywide cleanup and renovation campaign.

Recent history

The city's population continued to decline in the 1990s, but that didn't stop the urban renewal. Philadelphia has indeed become a model of just how much can be achieved, largely through the efforts of its two-term mayor, Ed Rendell. While preserving a good deal of its architectural heritage, and remaining a national centre of science, medicine and higher education, Philadelphia now boasts new theatres (including the impressive glass-enclosed Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts), a convention centre, new museums, hotels, restaurants and clubs. Center City's gastronomic scene has exploded with hundreds of new restaurants, many of them first rate. Despite the many successes, huge tracts beyond Center City remain depressingly poor and dilapidated.

Top Accommodation

Top Restaurants

Philadelphia's climate chart would make a hard mountain to climb with icy-cold winters at the start and end of the year and sweaty summers in the middle. Winds from the Atlantic Coastal Plain can be light cool breezes in summer or chilly gales in winter. Rainfall usually hovers around 76mm (3in) a year.

Average weather

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Transport

Getting around

Driving isn't recommended in central Philadelphia; parking is difficult and regulations strictly enforced. Most downtown distances are short enough to walk.

SEPTA provides comprehensive transportation service in the city and suburbs, both on rail and bus systems. A trolley bus is a good way to visit many of the sights. Three subway lines travel under the city.

Getting there and away

Philadelphia's airport, located just 8km (5mi) southwest of the city, is served by direct flights from Europe, the Caribbean and Canada, with connections to Asia, Africa and South America as well as over 100 destinations in the US.

Philadelphia International Airport is 8km (5mi) southwest of the city centre. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation System SEPTA runs rail lines from the airport into the city every 30 minutes. Shuttle buses, limousines and taxis also operate between the airport and the city. There are rental car agencies at the airport and in town.

Buses travel to Philadelphia from New York City, Newark, Atlantic City, Washington DC and even San Francisco (an excruciating 27-hour ride). If you prefer to take a train, Philadelphia is on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor route, which runs between Richmond, Virginia, and Boston, Massachusetts, via Washington DC and New York City. There are also trains west to Lancaster, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Chicago and south to Florida. NJ Transit has a frequent rail service between Philadelphia and Atlantic City.

Several highways lead through and around Philadelphia, making it easy to come and go by car. From the north and south, the Delaware Expressway (I-95) follows the eastern edge of the city beside the Delaware River, while the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276) runs east across the north of the city and over the river to connect with the New Jersey Turnpike. Ferries operate on the Delaware River between Penn's Landing in Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.

Health & Legal Requirements

Dangers and annoyances

Like most big US cities, Philadelphia has its share of homelessness and crime, but prudent travellers are not at any undue risk. Certain neighbourhoods are seedier than others and are considered 'unsafe'. These include Germantown, parts of West Philadelphia and South Philadelphia, and most of North Philadelphia. Though the majority of the Center City and other touristed sections of the city are reasonably safe, travellers should be aware of their surroundings whenever they walk in the city. After dark, some of the city's parks - particularly Fairmount - host numerous crimes, some of them violent. Most tourists won't visit or even see Philly's most dangerous spots.

Standard urban common sense applies: leave valuables at home; avoid walking alone through poorly lit areas at night; and if you're lost and confused, try not to look lost and confused. If you find yourself somewhere you would rather not be, act confident and sure of yourself; then go into a store and call a taxi.