The scent of garlic, sausage, and tomatoes hits you somewhere between Haymarket and Cross Street, before you've even officially reached the North End.
From the distance, you can spot colorful streamers in bold red, green, and yellow floral patterns stretched across the winding streets, twinkling with metallic thread once you get a closer look. The sound of revelers reaches you as you turn down Hanover Street toward the feast.
Source: http://boston.about.com