Hemmed in by the daunting topography of its surrounding mountains, the Berkshire region of western Massachusetts is a world apart, blessed with abundant nature and an easygoing small-town character. The region’s relaxed, rural charms, and its location equidistant from Boston and New York City, have long made it a magnet for writers and artists as well as a playground for the rich, so be prepared to experience a little of everything from natural splendors to high-society display. And remember, it never takes more than a few strategic turns to trade plush restaurants and music festivals for splendidly rural forests as deep and undisturbed as any in New England.
