Founded by Puritans. Enjoyed by a much livelier bunch.

It's not easy to categorize Greater New Haven -- we happily admit it. A restaurant renaissance has made this among the most exciting eating destinations on the seaboard: another week here, another restaurant opening. The hip-to-hip bars, brewpubs and dance clubs don't hurt either. And then there's Yale University: with its medieval courtyards and stunning buildings -- from Gothic revival to acclaimed modernism -- this is architecture that transports. The cultural attractions are hard to forget: if you can name another area this size with world-class museums, theater and music, you'd be fibbing. There are town greens to rival any in New England and preserved historic homes in even the smallest village. And alongside every town green are tiny boutiques and eclectic shops as well as superb bookstores catering to the Yale intelligentsia. But even with these stores, few can resist the outdoors for long: sandy shores, nature preserves, centuries-old orchards, rocky hikes. So call Greater New Haven lively, vibrant, enlightening, even delicious. We'd agree with all that.