Savannah at a glance
Savannah is Georgia's oldest city and one of the most beautifully preserved in the entire country. The Historic District — a 2.5-square-mile grid of streets and leafy squares — was laid out in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe and has barely changed in spirit since. Today it holds 22 intact historic squares, each shaded by live oaks draped in Spanish moss and framed by townhouses, churches and monuments. Forsyth Park anchors the southern end of the district with its celebrated 1858 fountain and 30 acres of gardens. Head north and you'll hit River Street, a nine-block stretch of 19th-century cotton warehouses converted into restaurants and shops along the Savannah River. Northeast of downtown lies Bonaventure Cemetery, made famous by the novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and worth a dedicated half-day. And at the heart of it all sits City Market, a four-block open-air complex of galleries, cafés and live music that buzzes every evening.