Sampling Philadelphia’s cheese steaks and touring historic sites like Independence National Park and the Museum of Art are a must when visiting this city. However, if you are looking for an experience that takes you off of the beaten path, venture into some of the city’s culturally diverse neighborhoods.
El Centro de Oro
The northern end of the city is home to El Center de Oro (The Center of Gold), a bustling commercial center where you will find the sights, sounds, and flavors of Philadelphia’s Latin American community.
On any given Saturday morning, the streets of El Centro de Oro are busy. Women chat with store owners before continuing up the crowded street – stopping in salons, clothing stores, and bakeries along the way. Colorful murals displaying the history of immigrants from South America and the Caribbean decorate the sides of row houses, adding a flood of color to neighborhoods. Part of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, these vibrant paintings are the result of an initiative that began in 1984 to address graffiti and city blight. Today, murals depicting the lives of Philadelphia’s multi-cultural community are visible across the city.
While in El Centro, visitors should stop at Taller Puertorriqueño, a graphic arts community center that provides cultural workshops for Latin youth. It is also home of the Julia de Burgos Books and Craft Store. There, browsers can find interesting craft work from local and national artists adorning the walls as well as rows of books covering subjects from Art to Latin History.
Taller Puertorriqueño is also home to the Lorenzo Homar Gallery, the only gallery in the region dedicated to Latin American and Caribbean Art. Named for one of Puerto Rico’s well-known graphic artists, the Lorenzo Homar gallery exhibits a mix of contemporary art and centuries-old artifacts.
Chinatown
Located south of the city’s center, Chinatown is a beautiful hub of color and culture – home to more than 50 Asian restaurants and bakeries.
The area attracts most visitors during the annual Chinese New Year and Moon Festivals, but one of the more popular attractions is local chef Joseph Poon’s Wok N’ Walk Tours. The tours offer visitors a guided expedition through Chinatown, complete with a Tai Chi demonstration, a Chinese vegetable carving lesson, and visits to a fortune cookie factory, a Chinese herbal medicine shop, a Chinese place of worship, a Chinese bakery, and an Asian grocery store.
Germantown
The cobblestone roads and historic buildings and cemeteries found in Germantown are reminiscent of an antique town. Located on the north east end of the city, visitors will know they’ve entered Germantown when the traditional Philadelphia row houses give way to large stone mansions, former homes for many of the city’s founding fathers.
These days African-Americans who have added their own cultural markers throughout the areas business district predominately inhabit Germantown.
Located on Germantown Avenue, the Johnson House – also a stop on the Underground Railroad – is evidence of the lasting relationships of European and African-Americans in this historic center. Built in 1768, the Johnson House was home to three generations of a Quaker family who worked to abolish slavery and improve living conditions for freed African-Americans.
The Italian Market
Stepping into the Italian Market in South Philadelphia is like stepping back in time. Colorful produce stands line the streets. The air is thick with the aroma of fresh food trailing from bakeries and restaurants. More than a century old, this open-air market is home to several family-owned shops, many of which have been a mainstay in the market for three generations or more. Anthony's Italian Coffee & Chocolate House is an example of the history that permeates every storefront and grocery stand. Anthony’s started as a fresh fish stand nearly 100 years ago when members of the Anastasio family immigrated to Philadelphia from eastern Sicily. These days they serve the best coffee and chocolate in the city.
Although the market is predominantly an Italian-American business center, the area has become something of a cultural mélange offering a mix of multi-cultural delicacies.
Boasting a population of more than six million, Philadelphia is home to residents hailing from all corners of the globe. Visitors can take a day trip around the world and never use their passports. Although most cities have similar ethnic centers, the unmistakably Philadelphia flavor that runs through each of these ethnic enclaves makes them truly unique.