The Harvard Tour is more than just a college campus tour, it’s a history lesson full of fun stories.

Boston’s a city full of history, There are many things that are labeled the ‘first’ or the ‘oldest.’ This includes Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Harvard University was founded in 1636 as Newtown College by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was renamed Harvard University in 1638 after John Harvard, its first benefactor who donated all of his book collections to the university.

The university first hosted 9 male students and have since grown to house more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all around the world. The tour itself is free and open to the public. It’s led by current Harvard students who will be able to tell you more about the campus life. It’s one hour long and a perfect way to start the day.

After the tour, you can enjoy Harvard Square, a nice area with a lot of great restaurants, cafes and stores. There are things like Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, Au Bon Pain, etc. but there are some nice restaurants and cafes around too. Some of my Harvard Square suggestions:

For Harvard merchandise, go to the Harvard Coop.

You can find Harvard Merchandise everywhere in the city but since this is on the school’s campus for Harvard students and visitors, there’s probably a lot more to choose from here and less expensive than buying from other touristy spots.

For coffee go to Crema Cafe.

There are a lot of cafes around Harvard Square but I love this one. The interior’s nice and it’s a nice place to sit down and relax.

For sweet treats (like cupcakes), go to Sweet.

Who can say ‘no’ to cupcakes? Sweet has few more stores around the city and it’s my go-to place when I have a sweet tooth.

For sit-down brunch with mimosas and bloody mary’s, go to Tory Row or Russell House Tavern.

I love sit-down brunches and I definitely enjoy a glass or two of mimosas during my brunch. These two have yummy food menus as well.

For a quick/healthy grab to eat, check out Clover Food Lab.

Clover is all around the city with their food trucks as well but this is their HQ. The loft style interior is cute and their food is great. Whenever I feel like getting a healthy breakfast with fruits, this is my go-to spot in Harvard Square.

For a slice of pizza, go to Pinocchio’s.

Hidden in a small alleyway with a tiny red door, Pinocchio’s is pretty popular amongst Harvard students. If you are not looking for anything big and just want to grab a quick slice, Pinocchio’s is the place to go!

For books, visit Harvard Book Store or Raven Used Books.

I love walking around book stores and Harvard Square is the perfect place to do so with a number of different book stores around the area. But these two are my favorite because I just love spending time going through different sections without having a particular book to look for – and once I find something I want to read, it’s like finding a hidden gem. Used books are my favorite as well. It makes you feel you are sharing an interest with someone else.

There are also a lot more shopping options apart from that including Mint Julep, Anthropologie, Second Time Around, etc. So it’s a perfect place to walk around. During the summer, it’s also really nice to sit outside to watch people or even go sit in the park by the river. Not to mention, Harvard and Harvard Square is absolutely gorgeous to take photos of.

For the full Harvard Tour schedule, check out the calendar.