Two of the oldest public centers in Boston, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market have been gathering places since colonial times. Faneuil Hall acted as a meeting place for many important figures in American history. Directly behind it, Quincy Market remains a place to meet, eat, and shop, with the entire length of the building filled with food stalls selling everything from New England clam chowder to tandoori chicken.
The surrounding area has major retailers and discount ticket stalls for local attractions, though many of the latter are not great deals.