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Philadelphia may not scream as loud as neighbouring NYC, but many gems are waiting to be discovered. From a colourful metropolis that sports thousands of street murals to a political hotbed where the U.S. Constitution was sealed and signed, Philadelphia is full of surprises. In addition, Philly and her countryside hold many delicious treats: the oldest ice cream parlour in the country and a picturesque town that's the "Mushroom Capital of the World." Here's a must-do list for your next visit to this record-breaking destination.
Philadelphia sports over 4,000 murals splashed across different neighbourhoods. Lace-up your shoes and walk across the open art gallery, which is the city. Go beyond the happy colours and gorgeous aesthetics to discover the message within the canvas. Because most—if not all the murals—speak to the viewer. Some highlight racism, others bring out the heartbreaking plight of the homeless, and still others speak of the importance of mental health. Little wonder these murals that promote social justice were born in an attempt to fight a social ill—vandalism.
In 1984, Mayor Wilson Goode faced rampant defacement in the city. To combat the problem, Goode set up the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network. Subsequently, artist Jane Golden was brought on board. She promoted a radical approach—to engage the youth and graffiti-makers to tackle the issue together. Golden worked with the artists, helped them channel their creativity, and created meaningful art that spoke of the issues unique to the city. Like that, Philly became the "Mural Capital of the World."
In the run-up to the U.S. elections, Washington. D.C. may be in the limelight, but Philadelphia is where America was born. In Philly, the Founding Fathers—George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and many others—came together, discussed, debated and forged a new country. The land of the free and home of the brave was born in Philly.
Check out the historic yet modest 18th-century Georgian building that is Independence Hall. This is where the representatives of 13 former British colonies met to approve the Declaration of Independence. Later, this historic building is also where the Constitution of the United States of America was signed and sealed. Today, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump may be battling it out in D.C., but the original battle was scripted and won here.
The Eastern State Penitentiary once gave birth to a horrific solitary prison system. Ironically, it all started on the principle of benevolence. Until the 1800s, prisons in the USA were filthy and hotbeds of disease. A pioneering prison reform group—The Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons—wanted to change this. So, a whopping USD 7,80,000 was spent in the 1800s on this penitentiary.
It had separate cells, private toilets and running water—luxuries even the free could only dream of. But the solitary system, also known as the Pennsylvania System, gave rise to a new form of cruelty: the prisoners weren't allowed to talk at all. They ate, slept and exercised all alone. The guards even wore socks to muffle their footsteps. The silence was deafening and led many prisoners into the depths of insanity. Today, the penitentiary is a tourist attraction. As you walk through the hallways, the cells, with their crumbling paint and rusted cell gates, capture the haunting loneliness of the inmates, now long gone.
Eventually, public criticism ended the Pennsylvania System in 1913. Over a decade later, the prison saw its most famous inmate—Al Capone. You can still check out his preserved cell, which has paintings, a colourful rug, and a radio.
If you grew up on a steady dose of Archie's comics, you'd picture young Americans hanging out at diners and ice cream parlours. In Philly, you can visit America's oldest ice cream parlour: Bassetts ice cream has been in business since 1861. The brand remains family-owned, and the recipes have been passed down for generations. Choose from various flavours, and while you're at it, ask the servers about the brand's famous customers: the list is long and includes the likes of Barack Obama.
Within a one-hour drive from the city centre, you're in the borough of Kennett Square in the Countryside of Philadelphia. The pace is slower and serene, yet this tiny town with just 6,000 people is known to make the headlines. Known as the "Mushroom Capital of the World" (more accurately, it is the mushroom capital of the USA), Kennett Square accounts for more than 50 per cent of the country's entire mushroom produce. It all began when a creative florist used the wasted space beneath the carnation beds. The town was full of florists, and they soon followed suit, which led to a mushroom b(l)oom in Kennett Square.
Visit any restaurant in town, and you'll find mushroom soup on the menu. But no two soups are the same. Each establishment comes with its own 'secret' recipe, passed down over generations and served up with a dollop of love.
Make time to visit 'The mushroom cap', a local gift store, and you'll find mushrooms as you've never seen them before, top hats shaped like mushrooms, gift cards bearing mushroom puns such as 'You take up so mushroom in my heart', etc.
