People from all over the Boston area flock to this neighborhood on Friday and Saturday nights to dine at some of the city's best Italian restaurants along Hanover, Prince and Parmenter Streets. Literally blocks and blocks of restaurants, cafes, bakeries and Italian food stores line Hanover Street, the main commercial lane of the North End. On the weekends, there are outdoor produce vendors at Hay Market

and in the summer, several lively street festivals are held to honor patron saints. In the North End, one is apt to hear more Italian spoken than English.

Just outside the North End, in Boston's West End is North Station, the major hub of commuter rail service to the suburbs. Trains here leave every few minutes for points throughout the state. However, being part of Boston, the North End has access to all the cultural and commercial activity the city possesses and either by foot or by public transportation, North End residents can be wherever the action is. North Station and Hay Market Station are along two major MBTA train lines, as well as several bus routes.

Adjacent to North Station is the Boston Garden, the city's famous sports and concert venue, and home to the Boston Celtics Basketball team. Much of the North End is along the waterfront of Boston Harbor. Residential and commercial space is highly prized here and there have been a great many development projects recently.

Prices of homes in the North End reflect the neighborhood's central location and desirability. Condominium units are the predominant homes for sale in the North End.