Appreciate the authentic antebellum ambiance as you move between historical homes, museums, markets and waterfront parks on foot or by horse-drawn carriage tours.

Charleston Historic District is romantic, friendly and vivacious, all at the same time. This National Historic Landmark District oozes Southern charm with its cobbled neighbourhoods, stunning architecture and delectable culinary scene. Enjoy a slow pace at the galleries, museums and pretty parks of Charleston Historic District.

Grand flower-filled antebellum houses typify the South of Broad area. Marvel at the pastel-hued Georgian townhouses known as Rainbow Row. Join guided tours of Italianate treasures such as Calhoun Mansion and Nathaniel Russell House. Spot cannons, military relics and statues in riverfront White Point Garden and stroll along The Battery seawall promenade.

The lively French Quarter is home to the 200-year-old Charleston City Market, where traders sell art, handicrafts and food. Dip into the city’s fascinating past at the Confederate Museum, Old Slave Mart Museum and Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. Admire the ornate Pineapple Fountain and set up a picnic on grassy areas of Charleston’s Waterfront Park.

Georgian and Italianate masterpieces decorate the leafy Harleston Village area. Do as locals do and go for a lazy walk around Colonial Lake, a large tidal pond. Appreciate the brownstone Gothic façade of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art showcases established and emerging talents and the Gibbes Museum of Art celebrates the history of the American South through art.

Lively King Street, cutting through the district’s core, is the place to find antiques, boutique fashion, independent art and restaurants. Shop for artisanal souvenirs and food at the Saturday farmers market on Marion Square. Choose between half a dozen museums along Museum Mile. Among them are the Aiken-Rhett House Museum, the Charleston Museum and the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry.

Charleston Historic District is a destination for all seasons. In spring, the Festival of Houses and Gardens presents visitors with the chance to peek inside a collection of private residences. Come in May for the Spoleto Festival, which features numerous dance, live music, theatre and opera events.