and beautiful setting. Head to the Frederick Douglass-
Isaac Myers Maritime Park to learn about African
American contributions to Baltimore’s maritime
industries. The museum is located in one of the city’s
oldest waterfront buildings.
Little Italy—true to its name—housed much of Baltimore’s
Italian immigrant community at the turn of the last century,
and to this day celebrates its heritage with a tight-knit Italian
community. The neighborhood’s open-air bocce courts are
a popular destination during warmer months, but in the
winter, nearby restaurant La Scala boasts Baltimore’s only
indoor bocce court. In September, see the Madonnari Arts
Festival, when South High and Stiles Streets come alive with
color as street artists create chalk paintings on the sidewalks.
Graffiti Alley
And, of course, a visit to Little Italy isn’t complete without a
good meal. Some of the best bets: Ciao Bella and Sabatino’s
for classic fare, or Germano’s Piattini and La Tavola for a
filling plate at an affordable price.
The Bromo Arts & Entertainment District gets its name
from the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, a landmark part
of Baltimore’s skyline for the last century that was built
by the namesake drug brand and is open to the public
for tours of the clock tower and artists’ studios. The
district is chockablock with music venues and theaters.
The Hippodrome, a theater built in 1914 that was once
Baltimore’s top vaudeville house, stages musicals Aladdin
and Cats among this season’s performances.
Just north of Penn Station, Station North is Baltimore’s first
designated arts district. It’s also a great place to see some
of the city’s colorful murals, thanks to innovative street
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art initiatives. See Baltimore artist Gaia’s tiger mural on
Maryland Avenue, and check out Graffiti Alley behind Motor
House. It’s the only legal place for open graffiti in Baltimore
and a popular photo backdrop.
And in a tucked-away spot along the Jones Falls stands a
tiny but outstanding museum—the volunteer-run Baltimore
Streetcar Museum, where those interested in the public
Little Italy
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