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The most historic city in America, downtown Charleston
is uniquely Southern in character, proudly American in
spirit, yet somewhat European in lifestyle. With the last
half century bringing restoration and rebirth to the city,
this majestic beauty turns the heads of the most sophisticated
suitors looking for the graciousness of a by-gone era,
yet requiring all the amenities of the 21st century.
Today the streets of the “holy city” reflect
both. Where cannon once rang out across the harbor announcing
the beginning of the Civil War, a sea of sailboats now
drift across still blue waters. Where Red Coats once marched
to lay siege to the city, Spoleto Festival U.S.A. explodes
with dance, music, theater, and visual arts events each
spring to rave reviews from an international contingency.
Downtown Charleston may well represent one of most unusual
grouping of neighborhoods in the country, featuring a
vast array of classically inspired buildings that made
it the “little London” of the new world. But
the gifted eye also notes that the architecture reflects
trends that span over 200 years of the city’s rich
history.
Of special interest are the meticulously restored antebellum
mansions that line the peninsular city overlooking Charleston
Harbor, with a view of Fort Sumter and the Atlantic Ocean
beyond. A stroll along the promenade that traces the tip
of this neighborhood grants all takers a salty sea breeze
through their hair and the soothing sound of lapping waves
mingling with that of horse hooves clopping on cobblestone
streets in the distance.
Just a short walk from the most prestigious “South
of Broad” neighborhood, the city offers the grandest
of adventures. Literally dozens of fine restaurants, featuring
everything from the area’s own Lowcountry cuisine
to about anything imaginable, tempt the most discriminating
taste buds. Out-of-the-ordinary shopping abounds, whether
it’s browsing the famed King Street Antiques District,
selecting upscale clothing and jewelry from the Shops
at Charleston Place, or haunting one of the city’s
many fine arts galleries. And arts activities, from the
ballet to the theater to the symphony, fill the social
calendars of even the most culturally inclined.
For nearly three and a half centuries, the thriving Port
of Charleston has anchored the economic prosperity of
Charleston and the surrounding region. Also of note is
the medical complex that lies at the heart of the peninsula,
providing the finest medical care available in the Southeast.
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