Expansive Charleston Harbor is a major seaport with an aristocratic, colonial city gracing its shores. Your first glimpse of the city's historical importance comes as you sail through the harbor and pass Fort Sumter. This national monument, constructed on a man-made island, marks the spot where the Civil War began. Once ashore, you will delight in strolling through the French Quarter, seeing the elegant homes of the Low Country dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, and shopping for that perfect treasure in one of the city's excellent antique stores.