Two of Philadelphia's oldest neighborhoods, a few blocks apart, each with its own character.
For the old stuff. Society Hill takes its name from the Free Society of Traders, a company of investors formed in 1682 to settle William Penn's new colony, and it holds one of the largest collections of original eighteenth-century brick homes in the country.
Rodman House puts you a block from South Street and within about a mile on foot of Old City, Independence Hall, Chinatown, the Kimmel Center and the theaters, with Pennsylvania Hospital a few minutes away and Rittenhouse Square a little farther.
For the food, the vintage shops and the waterfront. Queen Village is home to James Beard-winning and Michelin-recognized restaurants, and sits beside 4th Street's Fabric Row, where thrift stores, vintage shops and coffee houses draw collectors and treasure hunters. Bella Vista, East Passyunk and the Italian Market are close.
It is also one of the region's oldest settlements. Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church, completed in 1700, is one of the oldest churches in Pennsylvania, and many of the lanes are still cobblestone.
Short guides to the city's history, food and neighborhoods, written by us and the people who know them best.
