Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the beautiful town of
Asheville has long been a haven for artists, poets, and
visionaries. A rugged region of majestic terrain, the Paris of the
South is a cultural epicentre with extensive displays of
wonderfully preserved Art Deco, Beaux Arts, and Neoclassical
architectural triumphs.
These structures hint at Asheville's fascinating history as an
elite getaway during America's Gilded Age. One of its premier
cultural attractions is the Biltmore Estate, one of the largest
homes in the country, opened in 1895 by George Vanderbilt.
Today, its magnificent grounds boast a luxurious inn, stunning
gardens, and an award-winning winery. Its 8,000 acres offer
visitors an abundance of outdoor activities, including hiking,
mountain biking, fly fishing, rafting, and golfing.
Downtown Asheville is a vibrant destination for both tourists
and locals, with buzzing arts and music scenes. The Urban Trail
offers visitors a comprehensive understanding of the town, with its
30 landmark sculptures, arranged along a lovely walk through
downtown streets, revealing Asheville's legends and lore.
Countless galleries showcase hundreds of artists, from fine art
to folk art and traditional mountain crafts. The music and
performing arts scene includes a symphony orchestra, an opera
company, and dozens of venues for bluegrass, folk, jazz, and blues,
as well as rock and alternative music.
The local writers' scene is thriving, and Asheville natives like
Thomas Wolfe, whose boyhood home is now a historic site downtown,
and Charles Frazier, who penned
have had significant impacts in the literary
world.
Shoppers will delight in the many antique shops, funky
boutiques, and farmers tailgate markets found throughout the area,
as well as in historic Grove Arcade, another of Asheville's
architectural gems, a bustling marketplace with unique shopping and
dining options.
Asheville is the ideal gateway to the Magnificent North Carolina
Mountains in the west of the state. These are an outdoor
enthusiast's paradise, hiking and biking trails crisscrossing miles
of national parks and forests, grand landscapes, and beautiful
mountain roadways.