Richmond

Richmond's Capitol Square is an oasis of old trees and green lawns in the heart of the downtown area, perched on a hilltop. The magnificent centrepiece is the neo-classical State Capitol building, designed by Thomas Jefferson, which has been in continuous use since 1788. In the Capitol's Rotunda stands Virginia's most treasured artwork, the life-sized statue of George Washington sculpted by Jean Antoine Houdon, for whom Washington posed.Another highlight of the square is the Governor's Mansion, home of Virginia governors since 1813. The mansion, which has been restored, still contains its original woodwork, plaster cornices, and ornamental ceilings and is open for tours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (first floor only). Other historic buildings in the square include the old Bell Tower, dating from 1824, which houses a visitor centre providing tourist information about Virginia; and the Neo-classical Old Finance Building.There are a few notable statues within the square, including General Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson, Governor William 'Extra Billy' Smith, and poet Edgar Allen Poe. On nice days, visitors can stroll around the Colgate Darden Memorial Garden, a pretty pedestrian walkway along the north-eastern side of the square.

Address : Main entrance on Bank Street, between 9th and 10th Streets

Website : www.vacapitol.org/square.htm

Telephone : (804) 698 1788

Opening times : Daily 6am-11pm

The sedate town of Lexington, 138 miles (222km) west of Richmond in the Shenandoah Valley, contains one of the most picturesque downtown areas in America, its fine old buildings having been preserved and restored so it appears that the clock stopped here in the 1800s.Tourists visit the town simply for its ambience, and perhaps to pay tribute to Civil War General Robert E. Lee, who after the war served as president of the Washington and Lee University and was eventually buried in Lexington along with his famous horse, Traveller.Apart from the University, which has one of the oldest and most attractive campuses in the country, Lexington is also home to the Virginia Military Institute, one of whose graduates was General George C. Marshall, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. The Institute now has a museum dedicated to his memory.There are many fun outdoor activities and attractions to enjoy in Lexington. To enjoy the local scenery, visitors can drive along several scenic routes, including Appalachian Waters Scenic Byway, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Rockbridge Rides. Geocaching, hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, and golf are all popular activities. Local orchards, wineries, breweries, and coffee roasteries also offer tastings in the scenic greater Lexington region.

Website : www.lexingtonvirginia.com

Monticello was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence. The distinctive neoclassical building of the main house was designed by Jefferson himself, and he continued to improve and add to it throughout his life, over a period of 40 years. Jefferson died with massive debts, forcing his children to sell of most of the furnishings, and then the plantation itself. The house itself, made up of 43 rooms, is furnished with a blend of the original furniture and period pieces.Jefferson's time at Monticello is surrounded by controversy regarding his treatment of his slaves, and particular relationship with one named Sally Hemings. Monticello has several multimedia exhibitions that deal frankly with the president's slave ownership, and archaeologists are constantly researching the subject.The outbuildings and gardens are all open to the public, and offer some stunning sights with beautifully-cultivated flower gardens filled with cabbage roses, foxglove, lilacs, and more. The gardens are also home to the Center for Historic Plants, a project started by Jefferson himself.

Address : 931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville

Website : www.monticello.org

Telephone : (434) 984 9800

Opening times : Daily 8.30am-6pm

Admission : Day Pass and House Tour: $29 adults, $10 children, other packages and concessions available.

One of Virginia's most popular tourist attractions and the highlight of any historical Virginia tour, is the colonial estate of George Washington, Mount Vernon. The plantation has been restored to look just as it did during Washington's era, having been purchased by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association in 1858 and kept as a historic monument ever since. Consisting of 500 acres (202 ha) situated on the Potomac River, the gardens, mansion, and other buildings are open to the public, where costumed employees demonstrate life in the 18th century. Visitors can even tour Washington's Tomb, which holds ceremonial wreath-layings at 10am and 2pm.In 2007, Mount Vernon was given permission to reopen Washington's distillery, which now produces its own whiskey, available only at the Mount Vernon Gift Shop. The estate offers tours of the mansion and grounds, sightseeing cruises on the Potomac River, and special tours showing scenes from the movie National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets. Mount Vernon is a popular excursion from Washington DC, and draws more than one million visitors each year.

Address : 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.mountvernon.org

Telephone : (701) 780 2000

Admission : $20 adults, $12 children, other concessions apply.

Civil War buffs flock to the Museum of the Confederacy, which houses the most comprehensive collection of Confederate artefacts, personal memorabilia, and art to be found anywhere in the United States. The exhibits include 550 battle flags, 215 uniforms, including those of well-known officers, and 1,000 military buttons. Art works on display include E.B.D. Julio's heroic painting, 'The Last Meeting of Lee and Jackson'.Beside the museum is the White House of the Confederacy, the 1818 mansion in which Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his family lived during the Civil War. It is still furnished with original items. Visitors have to join a tour to see the White House. These depart regularly throughout the day.

Address : 1201 East Clay Street

Website : www.moc.org

Telephone : (804) 649 1861

Opening times : Daily 10am-5pm

Between 1861 and 1865, Union armies repeatedly set out to capture Richmond, strategic capital of the Confederacy, and end the Civil War. Three of those campaigns came within a few miles of the city. The park commemorates 11 different sites associated with those campaigns, including the battlefields at Gaines' Mill, Malvern Hill, and Cold Harbor. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln made a historic visit to the battlefields of Richmond days before his assassination, urging an end to the war.Established in 1936, the park protects 763 acres of historic ground. There is a visitor centre in the Tredegar Irons Works on Richmond Riverfront Canal Walk at the corner of Tredegar and 5th Streets. Here, visitors can watch a film depicting the battles around the city and get information about self-guided tours of the battlefields. There are roughly seven miles (11.2km) of well-maintained walking trails around the battlefields.

Address : 3215 East Broad Street

Website : www.nps.gov/rich

Telephone : (804) 226 1981

Following the Blue Ridge Mountains for 100 miles (161km) through west Virginia, the Shenandoah National Park is a nature reserve where tens of thousands of animals, including deer and black bears, roam among about 100 species of trees on the forested slopes.More than 500 miles (800km) of hiking trails snake through the area from the azalea-trimmed Skyline Drive, the 105-mile (169km) long road that runs through the park from the Piedmont Plateau, providing wonderful vistas of the Shenandoah Valley from its overlooks. Services and visitor centres are available on the drive, but are closed during winter.Wildflower weekend is celebrated in May, and ranger-led tours and programmes are offered between April and October. There are also special activities for kids as part of a 'junior rangers' programme; a schedule is available from the park's website.

Address : 3655 U.S. Highway 211 East Luray

Website : www.nps.gov/shen

Telephone : (540) 999 3500

Admission : $25 vehicle, $20 motorcycle, $10 individual

St John's Church has stood on Richmond Hill above the James River since 1741, and is known for having been the venue for the second Virginia Convention in 1775, attended by George Washington and other historic personalities. The church is also where legendary Pocahontas was baptised and married to John Rolfe. The wooden building is still home to its original pulpit and some exquisite stained-glass windows. Between May and September, living history performances are given every Sunday recreating the historic Second Virginia Convention. Informative tours explore the historic significance of the church building and grounds.

Address : 2401 East Broad Street

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.historicstjohnschurch.org

Telephone : (804) 649 7938

Richmond boasts an exceptional Fine Arts Museum, which presents a panorama of world art from ancient to modern, including the largest public Fabergé imperial Easter egg collection outside of Russia, consisting of roughly 150 jewel-encrusted creations made for Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II. The Museum is also home to a collection of English silver, one of the world's leading collections of the art of India, Nepal, and Tibet, and six Gobelin Don Quixote tapestries.

Address : 200 N. Boulevard

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.vmfa.state.va.us

Telephone : (804) 340 1400

Opening times : Saturday to Wednesday 10am-5pm, Thursday to Friday 10am-9pm.

Admission : Free.

The hands-on Virginia Science Museum allows visitors to touch, feel, observe and explore the impact of science on their lives, covering everything from astronomy to computers, and crystals to flight engineering. Permanent exhibitions include Foucault's Pendulum, Gravity Alley, Electriworks, Watt Wall, and the fun Imagination Playground. Live demonstrations are given daily on each level: Level One has programmes aimed at younger children, while the Levels Two and Three demonstrations include animal dissections. Other special events are held regularly, with schedules available on the website. The Science Museum is housed in a soaring historic building, the former Broad Street Station designed in 1919 by John Russell Pope. The fascinating and fun museum is complemented by a 275-seat Ethyl Universe Planetarium and Space Theatre that screens Omnimax films on the domed screen, as well as providing multimedia planetarium shows.

Address : 2500 West Broad Street

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : www.smv.org

Telephone : (804) 864 1400

Opening times : Monday to Saturday 9.30am-5pm, Sunday 11.30am-5pm

Admission : Exhibits only: $15 adults, $10 children, other concessions available.