Savannah is one of the most visited cities in the US state of Georgia. Its history dates to February 12, 1733, when General James Oglethorpe arrived in the area with settlers aboard the ship Anne. They disembarked at Yamacraw Bluff in present-day central Savannah, and here they founded both the city and the colony of Georgia. After its founding, Savannah was developed according to the so-called Oglethorpe town plan, with a special division into the city’s neighborhoods.

In 1751, Georgia became a British crown colony with Savannah as its capital. During the American War of Independence, the British held their positions in the city from 1778 to 1782, but Savannah became American and through the 19th century it developed into an important port city that was also among the largest in the southern states. In the year 1800, it had reached 5,000 inhabitants, and that number increased tenfold over the course of the century.

Today, you can enjoy several lovely walks in Savannah’s cozy center, which is characterized by southern charm and the many green spaces that the city is known for. The squares are distributed in a pattern throughout the historic district, and they are part of James Edward Oglethorpe’s urban plan with repeated squares of housing, businesses and small green parks to create integrated and walkable neighborhoods.

In the green parks you can see the iconic oak trees of the American southern states, and this is especially true in Forsyth Park, which is the largest park in the city center. Forsyth Park was laid out in the 1840s, and in 1875 the Confederate Monument was dedicated as a memorial to fallen Confederate soldiers in the American Civil War in the 1860s. In the park you can also see the central fountain from 1858 and oak trees with hanging Spanish moss.

You should also enjoy a stroll along River Street, which runs along the Savannah River in the northern part of Oglethorpe’s Old Town. River Street’s history goes back to the time of the city’s river port and the cotton warehouses that were built here. The cotton trade flourished in, for example, the street Factors Walk, and you can see the historic sites on a walk in the neighborhood.

There are many shops, cafes and restaurants as well in River Street, and by the riverbank there is a promenade with a wonderful atmosphere and a good view of the river. You can also notice several interesting buildings such as the Savannah Cotton Exchange from 1887, the George Anderson Stores from 1835 and the Jones and Telfair Range from 1854. They stand among many other warehouses and commercial buildings from the 19th century. From River Street you can board river cruises with wheel steamers too.

In the center of the city stands Savannah’s beautiful City Hall between the River District and the downtown streets and squares. The building with the gilded dome was erected in 1904-1905 on the site of the Savannah Stock Exchange since 1799. Opposite the City Hall you can see the neoclassical United States Customhouse, which is a building from 1848.

Close to this is Johnson Square, which was the banking center of the city, and here is the Savannah Bank and Trust Building from 1911 as an example of one of the city’s early high-rises. You can also see the large Catholic church, Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, which was opened in 1876 in French Neo-Gothic style with an impressive interior, where can notice the many stained-glass windows.

There are several interesting museums in Savannah as well. One of the best known is Telfair Museums, which consists of three different museums, each of which has a part of the museum’s large art collection. In the Telfair Academy, which was the historic residence of the Telfair family, you can see an exhibition of works from the 19th and 20th centuries, while in the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters you can see works from the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century.

The Owens-Thomas House is a beautiful house from 1819, and the old slave quarters are also located next to the house. The third part of Telfair Museums is the Jepson Center, which includes exhibits of contemporary art. You can also visit the SCAD Museum of Art with haute couture, paintings, sculptures and photographs, and the Georgia State Railroad Museum, which provides an exciting insight into the nation’s railroad history.