Lush parks, antique shops and distinctive architecture are only part of what makes the tiny Charlottesville, Virginia such a popular destination for living and visiting.

In the foothills of the legendary Blue Ridge Mountains it is abundant with rivers and lakes for aquatic sports - sailing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing - while the many parks are for picnicking or relaxing on a warm summer day with a bottle of wine from a nearby vineyard. Historic splendor was one of the reasons Thomas Jefferson chose to live here. He established the University of Virginia for academic pursuit and built his estate, Monticello, as a legacy for the South.

The only home in the country designated a World Heritage Site, Monticello was originally styled in classic Palladian architecture, then redesigned and redesigned again. An emblem of Jefferson’s genius, Monticello and its grounds operate as a museum today. The garden, full of sweet pea, primrose, heliotrope and Sweet William, is planted three times each year and blooms almost year round.

For more information go to www.charlottesvilletourism.org or www.monticello.org.