The city that cast a spell over Muggle Emma
player in the battle for American Independence.
It was ultimately a founding base of the American industrial revolution. Times change, and much of the early industry has gone, to be replaced by high-tech businesses. However, many of the huge textile mills remain, now being ‘re-purposed’ and used for apartments. They’ve even linked up the old industrial area as a national park.
Today’s visitor has a city of three parts to explore. The university and hillside colonial area; the vibrant Downtown city centre; and the revived old industrial heartland to the west.
There are three self-guided tours, with maps and routes to follow, and it’s a fascinating place to visit for two or three days. Providence is a classic hidden gem and there’s a real feel-good factor about the place.
No doubt Emma went to the celebrated Water Fire event, held a dozen times between May and November, and unique to little Providence.
Since the late 1990s, more than a hundred bonfires are set alight at sunset. They illuminate almost a mile of the city centre channels, with thousands of onlookers watching, or strolling along the riverbank walkways.
We ate at Rosalina, an Italian restaurant in a city with a sizeable Italian community mainly congregated on Federal Hill. The food was authentic and delicious, and the fact that the restaurant was packed with Italians spoke volumes.
We took in the delights of the city on a Viking Trolley tour, and stayed at the city centre Dean Hotel, a converted warehouse that is blackand-white painted ‘cool’.
If luxury is your bag, stay at the Biltmore, with class seeping through into its impressive lobby and grand staircase.
Providence is one of America’s creative hotspots, its Design Centre enjoying an enviable reputation. Nearby, the city’s Atheneum Library is a masterpiece of public provision, with welcoming style at its heart.
The city is just an hour from the bustling seaside resort of Newport, with its ocean-going yachts and its historic architectural masterpieces.
But take time out, like Hermione, for a spell in this hidden gem with its welcoming locals.
LINDSAY SUTTON