Charleston offers horse-drawn carriage rides, mansions and museums, and nearby, historic monuments such as Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. A few miles from the city are a number of magnificent old plantation houses, such as the eighteenth century Middleton Place. There is plenty to see and do in the area. Check out our top ten sights below, or one of our sample itineraries to make the most of your time in historic Charleston.