Established in 1670 as the capital of South Carolina, Charleston, more than any other Deep South city, proudly maintains the aristocratic traditions established during the plantation era. Then the elite would flee the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes of their lowland fiefdoms and come here to cavort in ballrooms and theaters. Still ruled by old money, though no longer the state capital, Charleston is both pretentious and provincial; locals like to say that Charleston is the place where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet to form the Atlantic Ocean. Though there are clear divides between the haves and have-nots, Charleston is also surprisingly cosmopolitan, accommodating a historic ethnic mix of French Huguenots, Catholic Acadians, and Afro-Caribbeans, who collectively introduced the wrought-iron balconies and brightly colored cottages that give the city much of its charm. George Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess, for example, was inspired by life in Charleston’s Creole ghetto, specifically Cabbage Row, now a tidy brick-paved alley off Church Street.
Having suffered through a devastating earthquake, two wars, and innumerable hurricanes, Charleston has rebuilt and restored itself many times, yet it remains one of the South’s most beautiful cities. Impressive neoclassical buildings line the streets, especially in the older, upmarket sections of town south of Broad Street and along the waterfront Battery. Charleston’s many small, lush gardens and parks make it ideal for aimless exploring on foot rather than by car.
Many of the mansions and churches are open to visitors, but it’s the overall fabric of Charleston, rather than specific sites, that is most memorable. That said, the 1828 Greek Revival Edmonston-Alston House (daily; $8) at 21 E. Battery is definitely worth a look, as is the beautiful spire of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church (daily; donations) at 78 Meeting Street, which was modeled on the London churches of Sir Christopher Wren. A quarter mile north, at Church and Market Streets, is the open-air City Market, known as the “Ellis Island of Black America,” since over a third of all slaves arrived in the colonies here. Once the commercial center of Charleston, the market now houses a range of souvenir shops and touristy restaurants.
