Boulder, Colorado Photos

Photograph by Joanna Pinneo

Created by artisans in Boulder's sister city of Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the iconic Teahouse is an authentic representation of Persian art and architecture, and the only building of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. The teas—oolong, yerba maté, rooibos—are served with a tiny hourglass, so you know how long to let them steep.

Read more about Boulder in the City Life section of the July/August 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Joanna Pinneo

Jeremy Schwartz prepares a wine glass at Frasca. The restaurant is "getting raves all over the country" for its cuisine inspired by the tastes of Friuli, Italy, says Greg Glasgow, features and entertainment editor at the Daily Camera.

Read more about Boulder in the City Life section of the July/August 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Joanna Pinneo

On lively Pearl Street, Savory Spice Shop grounds its spices on-site in weekly small batches. Let your senses guide you to glass jars that line the shelves, full of seasonings from anise seeds to wasabi powder.

Read more about Boulder in the City Life section of the July/August 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Joanna Pinneo

Also on Pearl Street, a main thoroughfare often packed with students from the University of Colorado during school sessions, the lamplit shelves at the Boulder Bookstore lend themselves to hours of browsing and reading.

Read more about Boulder in the City Life section of the July/August 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Joanna Pinneo

Mingle with a martini or swing to jazz and Latin beats with Boulder locals at the St. Julien Hotel, which hosts popular happy hour concerts, with a fantastic view of the Flatirons.

Read more about Boulder in the City Life section of the July/August 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Joanna Pinneo

At the west end of Pearl Street, which is slightly quieter and more hip, the Trident used-book store is a cozy, high-ceilinged hideaway that brews their coffee from below the poster of Jack Kerouac.

Read more about Boulder in the City Life section of the July/August 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Joanna Pinneo

Pick up leather coats, high-end jeans, and other indie-designer wear at Weekends, one of the many boutiques and galleries that pack Pearl Street.

Read more about Boulder in the City Life section of the July/August 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Dana Romanoff

With a population of 100,000, Boulder sits at the foot of the Rockies' Front Range. "You've got 45,000 acres of open space and a hell of a natural park," says Jim Philips, a naturalist with the city of Boulder, explaining its charms.

Read more about Boulder in the City Life section of the July/August 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.