Manchester, Vermont, is actually two towns that combine to cover the bases for visitors. Pristine Manchester Village is crisscrossed with white marble sidewalks, ideal for strolling; Manchester Center is a commercial hub with a thriving independent bookstore and a number of top designer outlets. For pure beauty, there’s the Battenkill River, a haven for fly-fishing — and while the Battenkill’s catch-and-release policy means you won’t be eating what you catch, Manchester boasts a rich assortment of eateries, from New American cuisine to Mexican street food.

For a uniquely Manchester experience, though, head to Boorn Brook Farm, once the home of famed Vermont painter Ogden Pleissner and now the headquarters of Green Mountain Falconry School. With the protection of a thick leather gauntlet and some instruction from owner Rob Waite, you can truly go “medieval” as a captive-bred hawk swoops down from the sky to land on your outstretched arm.

The following are some of our favorite images by Yankee senior photographer Mark Fleming for the “Manchester, New Hampshire | Could You Live Here?” feature in the July/August 2018 issue.

Scenes from Manchester, Vermont