When you first hear the name New Haven, many people think of Yale University.

However, this city has a much older story to tell. Founded in 1638 by English Puritans, it is one of the earliest planned cities in America. The Nine Square Plan, consisting of three rows and three columns for a total of nine blocks, is the basis for this, and you can still see that grid structure in the downtown area today. Isn't it fascinating to see such a distinct planned city in an old town?

New Haven is the third largest city in Connecticut. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 134,023, and when including the New Haven metropolitan area, about 577,000 people live in this region. It is located on the southern coast of Connecticut, bordering New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. This city offers a rare combination of a coastal and college town atmosphere. Historically, it served as a co-capital of Connecticut alongside Hartford from 1701 to 1873, and even after the capital moved solely to Hartford, New Haven has established itself as the cultural capital of Connecticut.

Yale University, founded in 1701, is the third oldest institution of higher education in the United States. As one of the Ivy League schools, it is a key pillar of New Haven's economy. The fact that Yale is the largest taxpayer and employer in this city is essential for understanding its identity. In 2023 alone, Yale awarded degrees to 5,506 students, and the university campus is virtually seamlessly connected to the downtown area. The Gothic-style buildings on the Yale campus are tourist attractions in their own right, and world-class cultural institutions like the Yale University Art Gallery and the Peabody Museum of Natural History are valuable assets that this university has gifted to the city.

New Haven is also famous as the city of pizza. In particular, the White Clam Pizza claims to be the original, with Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, which opened in 1925, as its symbol. Beyond food culture, performance arts venues like the Long Wharf Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, and Cafe Nine (9 Horses Coffee & Bakery) are actively operating, contributing to the city's cultural richness. The immigrant community is diverse, with distinct neighborhoods like Wooster Square, known for its deep Italian heritage, and Fair Haven, which is centered around the Latinx community, each adding their unique character to the city.

In terms of transportation, New Haven holds an important position. It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes by Metro-North train to reach New York's Penn Station, and it is connected to Hartford via the Connecticut Hartford Line. It is also a crossroads of the I-95 and I-91 highways, making it easily accessible from anywhere between New York and Boston. With the sea, history, universities, food, and arts all in one city, New Haven is not just a town near Yale; it can be a destination in itself. Living here makes that even clearer.