Hartford is composed of 17 different neighborhoods with a vibrant and historic Downtown. Once (and sometimes still!) proclaimed the "Insurance Capital of the World," the city is booming with businesses.

Downtown

Downtown Hartford contains some of the city's oldest buildings, such as the Federal-style Old State House (1796) and designed by Thomas Bulfinch, architect of some of New England's other great state houses. The Center Church & Ancient Burial Ground right in the heart of the downtown area were part of the original congregations of the city, founded in the early 17th Century. Intermingled amongst the quaint 18th-and 19th-century architecture, lies the ultra-modern skyscrapers of today. Housing the headquarters of the nation's largest insurance companies, these skyscrapers are juxtaposed to their neighboring counterparts.

The downtown also hosts a variety of cultural venues, such as the Wadsworth Atheneum (an impressive collection of European art), the Hartford Stage Company and The Bushnell (first-run and national tours of Broadway's biggest shows), providing entertainment for tourists and locals alike.

If you prefer to spend some time in the outdoors, Bushnell Park offers a comfortable escape from the manic pace of downtown Hartford and a vintage carousel to please children of all ages. Close to Interstate 91 is one of the spots that includes scenic Riverfront Park, overlooking the majestic Connecticut River.

Parkville

Parkville is home to the Hartford's Portuguese-speaking community with plenty of streets lined with Portuguese and Brazilian shops, restaurants and even Our Lady of Sorrows, which still celebrates Latin Mass.

Frog Hollow

Named for its marshy land, Frog Hollow was originally home to a large African-American community prior to the Civil War. After the war and in the heart of America's Industrial Age, numerous immigrants came to the Hartford and worked at one of the many booming industrial factories that lined the Connecticut River throughout the 19th Century and the early 20th Century. Today, it is the heart of the Latino and Caribbean communities, with the main drag of Park Street earning the nickname of "New England's Spanish Main Street." Frog Hollow also is home to one of the country's premier liberal arts schools, Trinity College, which notes alumni such as playwright Edward Albee and political pundit Tucker Carlson. Pope Park, one of the city's original recreational areas, was created in 1898 by the Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architects, an architectural landscaping firm who designed parks and gardens in National Parks, college campuses and in the country's big cities.

Asylum Hill & West End

The peculiar name of Asylum Hill comes from the School that was founded here in 1807: the Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons, the first of its kind in the United States. In commemoration of this area's history, a statue of Alice Cogwell, the school's first student was placed at the intersection of Farmington and Asylum Avenues. Over the years, Asylum Hill has been home to Hartford's notable society, including writers such as Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain, both of which have museums dedicated to their lives and works in their former residences. Along with its famed residents, is the neighborhood's unique architecture, as seen in the two structures of Trinity Episcopal Church and Cathedral of St. Joseph.

Sheldon-Charter Oak & South Green

The original site of the city's Dutch settlement along the Connecticut River, Sheldon-Charter Oak is immediately recognizable to those arriving via I-95 into Hartford by the Colt Firearms Factory's blue onion dome. The 50 German-style houses constructed along the riverway were originally intended for the employees of the factory, a section known as Potsdam Village; however, only ten of these residences still remain. At the intersection of Charter Oak Avenue stands a monument to the Charter Oak, the oak tree that once stood that hid the Connecticut Colony charter during the late-17th Century.

Northeast

The neighborhood known as the Northeast is located in the upper corner of the city and was home to many Jewish and Irish immigrants who worked in nearby factories, such as the Fuller Brush Company and the Bishop Ladder Company. On July 6, 1944, during an afternoon performance of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the circus tent caught fire (it was coated with paraffin and gasoline, a common waterproofing solution at the time) and approximately 165 people lost their lives in the trample to escape from the burning tent. As a result of the fire, circuses were banned throughout Connecticut until the 1970s. Today, a memorial stands to those who died as a result of the fire.

North Meadows

In nearby North Meadows is one of Connecticut's great music venues, New England Dodge Music Center, formerly and most commonly referred to as The Meadows. Plenty of pleasant excursions can be had Riverside Park where there is ample open space for playing Frisbee, boating or even play cricket at the Cricket Club.

South End

Just as nearby New Haven has Wooster Street, Hartford has its Little Italy in the South End. Like several urban centers of the Northeast, the majority of the population of this neighborhood was Italian-American until the past couple of decades. Nonetheless, its past can easily be seen in the high number of Italian-owned businesses that still line Franklin Avenue (Little Italy). These walkable streets are full of bakeries and shops that during the day cater to locals and, in the evenings, restaurants and bars that appeal to out-of-towners.

The Quiet Corner (Northeastern Connecticut)

The northeastern corner of the state is lovingly referred to as "The Quiet Corner" since it is one of the least densely populated areas of the Boston-Washington, D.C. Corridor. This part of the state is filled with popular local shops, farms and vineyards that attract a healthy number of tourists throughout the year, such as the Mansfield Drive-In Theatre & Marketplace, G & L Country Barn & Christmas Shop and the Taylor Brooke Winery. During the academic year; however, the population of this quiet region comes to life with the University of Connecticut (UConn), which has nearly 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Of course, many also come to campus to see the Huskies' men's and women's basketball teams take on other Big East and top nationally-ranked teams.

Litchfield

In the opposite corner of the state is Litchfield and Litchfield County. The area is most popular with weekenders, leafers and honeymooners with its plethora of romantic bed and breakfasts, country inns, unique restaurants and day spas. If you are looking for a quiet retreat, not far from New York or Hartford, Litchfield is where you can really get a taste of New England life.

Connecticut River Valley

Nestled along the 407-mile (655-kilometer) long Connecticut River, the Connecticut River Valley contains some of the state's oldest and historic towns. Old Saybrook, located at the mouth of the River, was first called the Saybrook Colony (settled in 1635) and was the original site of Yale College from 1701 until it moved to New Haven in 1716. Just up the river is Essex, attacked by the British during the War of 1812, which draws visitors today with the lovely Griswold Inn and Essex Steam Train & Riverboat. Halfway between Old Saybrook and Hartford is Middletown, seat of Middlesex County and home to Wesleyan University.