Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter is located on a small island in the Charleston harbor. The fort was built in 1812 as one of a series of fortifications along the United States’ southern coast. Fort is designed for 650 men and 135 cannons in three tiers, however this potential was never fully utilized. Fort Sumter is famous for the fact that the Civil War in the United States began with the attack by the Confederates on the fort on April 12, 1861. After the war, Fort Sumter was a complete ruin, however the U.S. Army worked diligently to restore it. Today, Fort Sumter is a National Monument; within the fort’s walls there is a military history museum. On October 15, 1966, the fort was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the United States.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist was consecrated on 6 April 1854; however, on 11 December 1861, the cathedral was practically destroyed by a fire, as was much of Charleston. In 1890, the cornerstone of the new St. John the Baptist Cathedral was laid. The building’s spire was completed much later due to lack of funds, and construction was finally finished only on 25 March 2010. At that time, a bell tower with bells was also added. The cathedral’s interior design was handled by the well-known German company Franz Mayer & Co., famous for its magnificent stained-glass windows. The cathedral’s walls are decorated with hand-painted artwork in a neo-Gothic style. Today, several organs and the magnificent choir of this huge cathedral amaze visitors with their sound.

Round Church

The round Congregationalist church is the famous “round” church of Charleston. The original magnificent building, built in 1681, burned down in a fire in 1861, and the new building was also destroyed after an earthquake. Only the fourth temple in the series has survived; like all the previous ones, it has a round shape. The church building is a vivid example of Romanesque architecture: a wide roof plane, a large arched entrance, low towers, and narrow windows. In Charleston, they say the church was built round so that the devil could not hide around the corner. Next to the church there is a beautiful parish house, also the work of architect John Mills. The church and parish house are listed in the National Register of Historic Places in the USA.

Old Slave Market

Built in 1859, the building witnessed the last recorded auction for the sale and display of enslaved people in South Carolina. In 1975, the Old Slave Market was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, this building houses the Old Slave Market Museum. In fact, the Old Slave Market was part of a larger slave-trading market known as Ryan’s Market, which covered much of the area between Chalmers and Queen Streets. The market was established in 1856 by the Charleston sheriff Thomas Ryan after a citywide ban on the sale of enslaved people was adopted and the need arose for private markets. The Old Slave Market Museum has been in existence since 1938.

Rainbow Row

Rainbow Row is the name of several colorful historic houses in Charleston. The houses are located north of Tread Street and south of Elliott Street. It is one of the most photographed places in Charleston. After the Civil War, this part of Charleston was transformed according to conditions close to slum life. In the early 1900s, Dorothy Porcher Legge bought some of these houses on East Bay Street and began restoring them. Subsequently, other house owners in the area joined her. According to one of the fun stories about the colorful paint on the houses, they were painted in different colors back when shops were located there: this way, white masters could more easily direct their illiterate slaves to the building to go shopping in.

Old Charleston Prison

The Old City Jail is located on four acres of land designated by the city for public use since 1680. A hospital, houses for the poor, a workhouse for fugitive slaves, and finally a prison were built here. It housed the city’s most notorious criminals, federal prisoners of war, pirates, and rebel slaves. It consisted of four floors, topped with a two-story eight-sided tower. In 1855, the building was expanded and architectural details in the Romanesque style were added. In 2000, the building was purchased by the American College of Arts. Today, the Old City Jail is part of a National Trust for Historic Preservation project. Tours of the building are available by advance booking.

Folly Beach

Folly Beach is located 15 minutes by car from the city of Charleston. This sandy beach is crowded all year round and does not empty even after evening comes. It offers everything you need for a comfortable stay: beach equipment rentals, water attractions, bars, cafés, and souvenir shops. Nature lovers can enjoy the local wildlife to their heart’s content: many small sea turtles live here, dolphins can be seen in the ocean waters, and the eagles that inhabit this area have long become a symbol of the city. The beach is also considered one of the best places for surfing along the East Coast of South Carolina. Throughout the year, events and workshops for water sports and fishing from the pier are held here.

Drayton Hall Manor

Drayton Hall is the oldest plantation house estate, built between 1738 and 1742. The estate is located on the picturesque banks of the Ashley River. Drayton Hall is one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in the United States. The estate has somehow remarkably survived the times of the American Revolution and the Civil War, and it withstood hurricanes and an earthquake in 1886. The building’s design was created based on the works of Andrea Palladio. The halls of Drayton Hall amaze with their richness and beauty. Of particular interest are such exhibits as the Drayton family household items: tea-making sets, personal belongings, furniture, and other everyday items. Today, the estate is open to visitors every day, as well as the museum and souvenir shop.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

One of the most visited historic estates in Charleston today was acquired in 1679 by Thomas Drayton. The Drayton family owned it for the next 300 years, until it was converted into a museum. Thanks to this, the estate has preserved its entire historical atmosphere. By the way, Drayton’s heirs still live on the plantation grounds today-only in a smaller house farther from the tourists. In addition to the mansion, the plantation also features very beautiful gardens with numerous “postcard” views. From the very beginning, this park was intended to be a romantic-style garden, and it has remained that way. That is why the park looks slightly overgrown-which, however, only serves to emphasize the natural beauty of the landscape created here.

Audubon Swamp Garden

Audubon’s Swamp Garden is an area of 240 thousand square kilometers. The territory is marshy; it is home to cypress and tupelo trees. It is located on the grounds of the Magnolia plantation. At one time, the swamps were used as a reservoir for cultivating rice plantations. Today, the swamp garden includes both local flora and non-native, exotic plants, and it is a home for herons, ibis, turtles, otters, and even alligators. The swamp garden was named after the ornithologist and artist John James Audubon, who visited the plantation before the Civil War and reported that he collected birds as models for his paintings. The film “Swamp Thing” by Wes Craven was shot in the Garden.

Aquarium

The South Carolina Aquarium is located in the historic harbor of Charleston and opened on May 19, 2000. It is home to more than 10,000 plants and animals, including river otters, sea turtles, alligators, a great blue heron, seahorses and sea stars, and sharks. The aquarium’s largest exhibit is the Great Ocean Tank, which spans three floors of the building (from the first to the third). It contains more than 1,460,000 liters of water and houses over three hundred animals. In addition, the aquarium features a touch tank where visitors can touch horseshoe crabs, Atlantic rays, and other marine residents.

City sightseeing tour

Charleston is a city that guards history-a museum in the open air-where every street and house is steeped in decades of history. The unique architecture of the historic district gives Charleston a special charm. The list of the United States’ National Historic Landmarks includes more than 40 churches and buildings located in the Charleston area. Many of them date back to the 19th century. Most interesting are Charleston’s residential houses, built perpendicular to the main street and featuring huge verandas along their entire length. The architectural styles include Federal, Adam style, Classical Revival, Greek Revival, Italian, Neo-Gothic, and many others. The area is also home to numerous outbuildings (stables, carriage houses, kitchens), most of which have been adapted to meet modern needs.

For a more detailed list of excursions and their prices, you can check in your “Personal Account” after booking the cruise.