Home / Neighborhoods / Old City
Old City, after the tourists
Colonial cobblestones by day, galleries and bars by night, and the river right there the whole time.
Old City is the Philly on the postcard. Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and Ben Franklin's grave are all here or a few blocks over, and in summer the sidewalks fill with school trips and tricorn hats. Stay past 5pm and it turns into a different neighborhood: galleries, cocktail bars, art house movies and a pier under the bridge.
Do the history early, eat something old-fashioned, and save the evening for the stuff locals actually come down here for. It's an easy walk north into Northern Liberties or west into Center City.
The Old City vibe and a little history
This is the oldest part of the city, sometimes sold as America's most historic square mile. Penn's original town ran right off the Delaware, and Old City is the chunk closest to the water. Some people spell it Olde City. The extra E is marketing.
The colonial core was followed by a warehouse and manufacturing era, which is why so many blocks are big brick loft buildings. Artists and galleries moved into those lofts starting in the early 1990s, and that's where First Friday came from.
Today the mix is tourist history, design showrooms, galleries, bars and apartments. On a quiet weekday morning you can stand on a cobblestone street with nobody else on it, which feels unreal two blocks from Market Street.
Things to do in Old City
Most of this is free to look at from the street. Start with the oldest stuff while it's quiet, then drift toward the river as the day goes on. Our see page has more of the big sights.
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Old City
Elfreth's Alley
Elfreth's Alley, between N. Front St. and N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106The street that bills itself as the nation's oldest continuously inhabited residential street, laid out in the early 1700s. It's 32 brick houses on a narrow cobblestone lane, built between the 1700s and 1836, and it's been a National Historic Landmark District since 1960.
People really live here, so keep it down. The museum at 124-126 is a restored 18th-century home once shared by two dressmakers. Every June, Fete Day opens up some of the houses.
TipGo early on a weekday. By noon in summer it's a photo line.
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Old City
Christ Church
20 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106The congregation dates to 1695, and the current building went up between 1727 and 1744. The steeple, added in 1754 and paid for partly with a lottery Ben Franklin organized, made it the tallest building in America until 1810.
George Washington's pew is marked inside, and 15 signers of the Declaration were members at some point. It's quieter and cooler inside than anything else on the history trail.
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Old City edge
Christ Church Burial Ground
5th St. & Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106Christ Church's second burial ground, three blocks west of the church, holds Benjamin Franklin and four other signers. When the gates are closed you can still see Franklin's grave through the iron rails at the corner of 5th and Arch.
Leaving a penny on Franklin's grave is an old Philly tradition. A penny saved, a penny dropped.
TipBring a penny. Everyone else did.
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Independence Mall
Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell
Right next to Old City. Independence Hall is where the Declaration and the Constitution were debated and signed, and the Liberty Bell Center is across the street.
Do it once, do it early, and then go eat. The Independence Visitor Center is the place to start if it's your first time.
TipThe lines are shortest first thing in the morning.
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Old City
First Friday
On the first Friday of every month, Old City galleries open new shows, design showrooms show new lines and businesses stay open late, usually from early evening into the night. It's been going for three decades.
Spots that regularly take part include Arch Enemy Arts, Pentimenti Gallery, Paradigm Gallery and the Museum for Art in Wood. Wander, look, keep moving.
TipShow up around 6 or 7, when most openings are rolling and before the crowds peak.
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Old City waterfront
Race Street Pier
Race St. & N. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19106A public park on an old pier, opened in 2011, sitting right under the Ben Franklin Bridge. Tiered lawns, trees and big river views, with free events like yoga on the schedule.
At night the bridge lights up and it's one of the best views in the city. It's a public park, so it's a ticket spot for smoking. Bring a snack and a hoodie instead.
TipGo at dusk for the bridge lights.
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Old City waterfront
Cherry Street Pier
Another old pier, this one with an art gallery and studios built out of shipping containers. It's a short walk south of Race Street Pier.
A good indoor stop if the weather turns.
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Old City
Film Society Bourse and Film Society East
400 Ranstead St. and 127 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA 19106Two Philadelphia Film Society art house theaters in Old City, both former Ritz houses. The Bourse has five screens of indie, foreign and awards-season movies, and East is the smaller, calmer two-screen room.
Full rundown on our movie page.
Where to eat in Old City
Old City does two kinds of food really well: old-timey sweets and one of the most famous restaurants in the country. Fill in the gaps with the citywide list on the eat page.
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Old City
The Franklin Fountain
116 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19106An old-fashioned soda fountain with homemade ice cream, sodas made by hand in front of you, and a vintage look that makes it feel a century old. Flavors run from peanut butter to teaberry gum to rum raisin.
Two doors down at 112 Market, the seasonal Franklin Ice Cream Bar handles quick-service custard in summer.
TipGet a sundae, not a cone. You came all this way.
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Old City
Shane Confectionery
One of Old City's old-timey sweets shops, mentioned in the same breath as the Franklin Fountain by pretty much everyone who knows the neighborhood.
Walk in, look at everything, leave with more than you meant to.
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Society Hill, edge of Old City
Zahav
237 St. James Place, Philadelphia, PA 19106Michael Solomonov's Israeli restaurant near 2nd and Walnut, just south of Old City. Flatbread out of a wood-fired taboon oven, meats and fish over live coals, and a menu pulling from Moroccan, Turkish, Yemeni, Lebanese and Egyptian cooking.
It won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2019, the national top prize, and Solomonov has a stack of other Beard awards.
TipReservations go fast. Book well ahead or try the bar.
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Old City
Khyber Pass Pub
56 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106A long-running Old City bar with New Orleans style food: Southern, Cajun and Creole plates with vegan options too. Around 22 rotating craft drafts.
Upstairs has another full bar and room for live music and art shows. It's a beer bar first, and the fried food is built for exactly that.
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Old City
Little Susie's
A tiny coffee and pie window near 2nd and Chestnut that's known for wild flavors like pork roll and pierogi.
Perfect for a walking snack between galleries.
A perfect day in Old City
Start early at Elfreth's Alley before anyone else shows up, then walk down to Christ Church. Head west to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell while the lines are short, and drop a penny on Franklin's grave at 5th and Arch on the way back. Ice cream at the Franklin Fountain for lunch, because nobody's stopping you. Catch an afternoon movie at the Bourse. As it gets dark, walk the galleries if it's First Friday, then do dinner at Zahav or beers and fried food at Khyber Pass. End at Race Street Pier for the bridge lights, then get a ride home and finish the night properly at somebody's place.
Neighborhoods next door
Center City runs west from here, about a 15 minute walk to City Hall. Northern Liberties is north past the bridge, and Fishtown is a couple of El stops further. South Philly starts below Society Hill. Everything else is on our neighborhoods page.
Questions about Old City
What is Old City Philadelphia known for?
Colonial history, mostly. Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Christ Church and Elfreth's Alley are all here or right next to it. It's also an arts district, home of the monthly First Friday gallery night.
When is First Friday in Old City?
The first Friday of every month, roughly early evening into night. Galleries open new shows and many businesses stay open late. Check the district calendar for that month's lineup.
Is Elfreth's Alley free?
Walking the alley itself is free since it's a public street where people live. The museum house at 124-126 is a separate visit. Be respectful, these are real homes.
Can you smoke weed on Race Street Pier?
No. It's a public park, and Philly public smoking is its own civil fine on top of possession. Save it for private property.
Where should I eat in Old City Philadelphia?
Zahav for a big dinner, the Franklin Fountain for ice cream, and Khyber Pass Pub for Southern food and beer. Book Zahav well in advance.
Where is Ben Franklin buried?
Christ Church Burial Ground at 5th and Arch. You can see his grave through the fence at the corner even when the gates are closed, and people leave pennies on it.