One of Hartford's most prominent Catholic churches is located in the heart of Parkville, home to the majority of the city's Portuguese-and Spanish-speaking communities. Mass is held once on Sundays and Holy Days in Spanish. There is also a Latin mass!

Chase Family Arena is known for hosting many basketball tournaments, championships and other regular fixtures. This multi-purpose arena opened in 1990 and is home to the Hartford Hawks basketball teams. The arena is well facilitated with comfortable seats, locker rooms and so on. The stadium has a seating capacity of around 4,000. Call ahead for ticketing information and other details.

Built as a replacement for the Gothic-style church that burned down in 1956, the current Cathedral of St. Joseph was built in 1962 with fantastic Parisian stained glass windows. There are beautiful bronze bells and ceramic-titled murals that surround the altar of this impressive modern cathedral.

Trinity Episcopal Church in Downtown Hartford is a unique 19th-century Anglican church that prides itself on its chairs rather than pews. This diverse, multi-ethnic house of worship is known for its strong musical tradition and acceptance of newcomers to the Hartford area.

An area that was once farmland, the South End of Hartford is home to the city's Italian-American community. Follow your nose to the many delis, restaurants, bakeries and small import grocery stores that line the street. You will see Italian flags just as often as you see the stars and stripes. Try some of the local favorites, like the First and Last Tavern and Mozzicato De Pasquale Bakery & Pastry Shop are necessary stop-overs during any trip down to this part of town.

The home of Farmington Avenue in Hartford is where Mark Twain lived from 1874 until he moved to Europe (due to bankruptcy) in 1891. This is where Twain wrote some of his most famous works, such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. There have been numerous recent efforts to completely renovate the estate along with the construction of the adjacent Museum which opened in 2003 that offers an exclusive documentary on the writer by director Ken Burns. Please note that only guided tours of the home are offered. 

The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center is dedicated to the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin and offers tours for history buffs and even specially designed ones for children. This is the home in which Stowe lived from 1873 until her death in 1893. The house includes authentic, restored furniture pieces as well as souvenirs from her journeys around the world. A library, located on the grounds of the nearby Day House contains books, manuscripts, images and more. Enjoy eight Victorian gardens on the grounds of the estate as well as several special events held throughout the year.

Riverside Park is one of Hartford's oldest public parks and this waterfront parks attracts young and old for a relaxing stroll along the water to cycling or hiking on one of the many trails. The series of four, 148-acre parks on both sides of the River are popular picnicking and excursion spots for Hartford's residents and the many people who work Downtown during the week. Visitors can use the boathouse for rowing along the Connecticut River or get permits to go fishing. During the summer months, there are numerous events at the riverfront venue at Mortensen Riverfront Plaza.

Old-timers of Connecticut will never forget the Hartford Circus Fire of July 6, 1944, and this memorial plaque stands in honor of those 168 people who perished in one of the worst circus tragedies to date. A result of coating the roof with paraffin and gasoline (placed to act as a water repellent), nearly 6500 people were inside at the time of the blaze. One of the most enduring legends of the disaster was Little Miss 1565, an unidentified child who was never claimed despite a well-publicized effort to find her family. In recent years, DNA samples have claimed to have solved the case; however, doubts still remain. Circuses were banned in many parts of Connecticut after the fire, up until the 1970s. The memorial is on the sport of the tent during that harrowing night.

This arena provides an indoor and outdoor facility with retractable walls, and it is the best place to see a live concert in Connecticut. The Dave Matthews Band has graced the stage every year along with the Virginia quintet for one of the summer's most unforgettable performances. This is an ideal place for all you beer lovers, since beer is served in great quantity.