Charleston, US

A blend of stately charm, old fashioned elegance, and timeless rituals, Charleston is a southern beauty alright. One of the southeast’s most fabled cities, it’s a proud land where old habits, timeless rituals, and historic grace mute the city’s overtures to modernity. Charleston seems to exist in a time warp. There are no soaring skyscrapers, no frenetic buzz, none of that perpetual forward motion so common to the U.S.’s iconic cities. Along cobblestone streets infused with the intoxicating aromas of honeysuckle and jasmine, elderly men donned in their finest suits emerge from dusty taverns to go to church while blushing brides in big, white, meringue dresses pose beneath the lush palm trees and ancient willows of languid parks. Despite the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune—the Yankee onslaught, hurricanes, earthquakes—Charleston is one of the best preserved cities in the south. Founded in 1670, the whole city is a visual timeline of 17th- to 19th-century architectural styles. Stunning antebellum mansions adorned with stucco and arabesques of wrought iron have remained in the same families for hundreds of years. Given such old-fashioned tendencies, it’s no surprise that the city’s major, Joseph P Riley, has been reelected to office 10 times. But, from innovative gallery spaces, to chic stores, and some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the southeast, modernity is certainly here, should you choose to find it.

*This is just a sample. Zephyr provides access to aircraft at every end of the spectrum, from luxurious VIP airliners, to ultra long range business jet, helicopters, and economical turboprops.