Portland is Maine's biggest city and is the state's cultural and
economic hub, attracting over three and a half million visitors
each year. Originally a fishing and trading settlement, the town
was destroyed three times over a hundred year period, and finally
regained stability as a shipping port.
Unfortunately, overzealous Independence Day celebrators managed
to set fire to most of the city's commercial buildings, hundreds of
houses, and roughly half the city's churches in 1866, with the city
rebuilt once again, this time in a Victorian style.
Mansions along the famous Western Promenade, as well as the
Victoria Mansion on Danforth Street, feature beautiful examples of
this architecture. Companies and proprietors may offer tours of
their well-preserved interiors.
Despite its tough beginning, Portland remains a beautiful city,
ideally situated on a peninsula that juts out into Casco Bay and
flanked by several small islands. Historic houses blend with modern
amenities and the city is a bustle of activity, making it one of
the country's top cities to live in.
Resplendent in natural beauty, Portland is highly popular in
summer and visitors can enjoy boat rides; sightseeing, shopping,
dining and people-watching at the Old Port historic waterfront and
the East End; and a visit to the Downtown Arts District or the
prominent Portland Head Light Lighthouse.
The city is also home to poet Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow, as
well as the Maine Historical Society. For the kids, there is the
Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine. Portland has an abundance
of good restaurants, especially those offering renowned local
seafood specialities like Maine lobster, clam chowder, and
scallops, which are cheaper and more plentiful than in any other
state.
As Portland is the most culturally diverse city in Maine, you'll
find a variety of cuisines, including Vietnamese, Thai, African,
Greek, and Indian. The city boasts no fewer than five
microbreweries, and dozens of bars, pubs, and nightclubs.
Portland has plenty of attractions, activities and sights for
the visitor, and it is also a useful base from which to explore the
rest of this beautiful state. Smaller towns in the area like
Freeport, Cape Elizabeth, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, and
Kennebunkport offer their own amusements that are worth exploring
on a trip to the city.