Savannah in 1 Day: all you need to know

The beautiful city of Savannah is very quiet and a real wonder to know without haste and stop in it. You will be surprised by its Victorian and French architecture and its cozy squares. In this 1 day tour I propose you to know its streets, some of its emblematic buildings and a sample of its gastronomy.

The ideal in Savannah is to spend at least one night because it is a city where you like to get lost in it without haste, it is ideal for walking and offers many corners. But if you only have one day I will give you some keys to take full advantage of everything this city has to offer.

I suggest you start your day in Savannah day on River Street, then walk to the historic downtown to visit some points that I will tell you below and return at sunset where I recommend a few places for dinner.

River Street is one of the arteries of the city and one of the most beautiful areas to walk around. It is a street that goes along the water, so it allows you to have nice views all the time and you can see the boat rides and cruises or even sign up to do one. This is the promenade of the city, very lively, with restaurants, terraces and stores to buy souvenirs. Soon after you start walking down River Street you will notice the many candy stores, some very different from the ones you know. Step into one of its many stores and treat yourself.

This promenade has played a crucial role in the history of the city being a key piece both as a tourist object and as a commercial area. An area to visit along with the historic district of Savannah.

Something I recommend without a doubt, especially if you have 1 day to get to know the city, is to take a guided tour in a tourist bus. This way you won't get tired and you will have a good knowledge of the city. After the tour you will also have time to go to a good restaurant, go shopping or walk wherever you like.

Also, if you decide to do it on foot, here is an itinerary for 1 day in Savannah and ideas that you can easily fit into your route. Getting around the city is very easy so it won't be hard to change one idea for another.

After strolling along the waterfront, it's time to head downtown to Harris Street. On the way, pass by Broughton St, home to Savannah's most famous ice cream parlor - you'll probably be in the mood! The temperature is warm throughout the year, as it is located quite far south. Even in summer it can be very humid, but pleasant the rest of the year, so pack your suitcase accordingly.

Now that you are on the inner streets, you have to visit one of the most spectacular attractions in Savanna: the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. This cathedral of Gothic architecture dates back to the 1800s and was begun by the congregation of St. John the Baptist, created by French immigrants. Both its exterior and its colorful and welcoming interior will surprise you.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is located in the historic district. This stands out for its mansions, its colonial architecture, its beautiful squares and much more, it is a pleasure to walk through it. This city is considered one of the most beautiful in the United States that seems frozen in time, very preserved and cared for. This is partly because it was not destroyed during the Civil War.

The good thing is that it is an ideal city to walk around, since its attraction lies in its architecture and streets. However, having only one day, my recommendation is to book a guided tour of the center, you can see the most beautiful points of the city without getting tired and you will still have time left over to walk where you liked the most.

This square is located next to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist - stop by! In its center you will see a beautiful green fountain. This fountain commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the city of Savannah. The square was built in 1873 in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette. It is one of 22 squares in the city.

Stroll among its oaks and magnolias and discover the other sculptures inside. If it is hot you will appreciate the shade of its trees and you can also appreciate the Spanish moss. This is the characteristic native moss that hangs from them, which gives a magical touch and that you can see very often in the trees of the city.

Also, since you only have one day in Savannah, check out these guided tours to make the most of the day and see more.

Very close to the cathedral is the Colonial Park Cemetery. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in the area, dating back to 1750. In it you can see a monument to the victims of the yellow fever and there is a curious story: during the civil war, the soldiers camped in the cemetery and some of them, for fun, scribbled things on the tombstones, among them some to confuse the readers with the dates. Take a look and see if you can find any! If on the other hand you like mysterious stories, Savannah has plenty of them in its many mansions and cemeteries.

Just an 8 minute walk from the cemetery, the next stop I suggest is one of Savannah's 22 squares, Whitefield Square. You will fall in love with the gazebo that you will find in the center, super romantic. Take the opportunity to rest for a while on one of its benches while watching its greenery and flowers. Visiting the squares of Savannah is one of the favorite hobbies of its citizens and tourists, often proposing to visit all 22. On this trip you probably won't be able to but you can see some and get the idea easily.

Leaving Whitefield Square you are very close to Forsyth park. As you can see, green is one of the colors of this city. What is there to see in this park? In it you have one of the most representative images of Savannah: a walk of oak trees forming an arch over your head. Actually, this image, which you have probably seen in photos, belongs to Wormsloe Historic Site, but you can see one on a smaller scale in this square. By the way, Wormsloe Historic Site is one of the city's must-sees, but this fits better if you spend at least 2 days in Savannah or more, as it is further away from downtown.

Going back to Forsyth Park, there you will see one of Savannah's most photographed fountains and several monuments inside. Occasionally you can see some live music. It's a park to relax and enjoy the city like a local.

Continue your walk to 1921 Bull St and you will find a beautiful house that you can not fail to have in your photo collection. This is the Gingerbread House, a beautiful house that was built in 1899. It is an example of Stemboat Gothic architecture, a rural American style based on ornamentation that you can see in other buildings in the historic district. Today it is reserved for events. You'll be amazed!

The Owens-Thomas House is now a house-museum belonging to the historic district. It was built in 1879 with English aesthetics and period furnishings. In it you can see the places where the slaves lived. There are also some interesting superstition stories.

In the museum you can see the great contrast of the decorative objects of the time and on the other hand the hard history of slavery in the area. The gardens are well preserved and well worth a visit. To enter it is only possible to do so on a guided tour, but it is still worth the visit from the outside.

If you have purchased a ticket to the Owens-Thomas House, take the opportunity to enter Telfair Academy, as it serves the same ticket and is only a 10 minute walk away. It is a historic mansion from 1819 that today houses 3 buildings with more than 6300 works of art showing the origin and evolution of the city and its upper class inhabitants. In one hour you will have visited it, if you have the time to do it, don't miss it.

It is possible that seeing pictures of Savannah you have thought that the city rings a bell. Well, it's because scenes from the famous Forrest Gump movie were filmed here. In particular, it is in Chipewa Square that the scene of him sitting on the bench waiting for the bus was filmed. You can go and have your picture taken on the bench!

If you want to complete the scene, finding some chocolates in Savannah is a no-brainer. As you've seen, there are plenty of candy stores around town, such as Savannah's Candy Kitchen, just an 11-minute walk away, which has every candy imaginable. Aside from Forrest Gump, this is also where The Last Song (2010), Something to Talk About (1995) and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) were filmed.

After getting lost in the beautiful streets of the historic district, I suggest you go full circle and return to the River Street area, already thinking it's a good place for dinner. A stop you should not miss on your walk along River Street isRiver Street Market Place, a traditional market of the city super cozy where you can see and buy crafts and local products.

Take the opportunity to buy a local hot sauce to garnish your dishes. Check out the jewelry and costume jewelry. You'll see some designs based on the architectural details of the area. It is ideal if you want to eat or snack and to buy some souvenirs of the city.

On this same walk, you will come to the Waving Girl Statue, which is very close by. This statue was made in memory of a woman who lived nearby and spent 44 years waving her handkerchief from the harbor to departing ships.

This street is parallel to Rivers Street, is located between River and Bay Streets and some consider it a hidden gem, even being so centrally located. You will be surprised by its construction on different levels, its iron bridges and cobblestones. It is a curious street because you can walk along it at any of its heights. Some parts even seem a bit haunted or mysterious. As you walk along it, pay attention to the details, you will see some hidden gargoyles or small statues.

In this street you will find some of the cotton warehouses, a key industry in the past, as well as several interesting cafes and stores. On the upper level you have an important visit, you will see the Savannah Cotton Exchange Building, a beautiful building full of history.

This 1887 building was key to the cotton trade of the time, with Savannah being the main import and export market and practically the engine of its economy. It was also known as King Cotton's Palace. Today it is closed, but do not leave without taking a picture of its imposing red facade with green details and the lion statue that guards it. Its spectacular architecture will amaze you.

Some of the Southern food specialties you can try in Savannah are fried chicken, barbecue, ribs, sweet potato dishes, local seafood and also African-American influenced dishes with ingredients such as plantains, corn and rice. As you have already seen, River Street has a large number of restaurants where you can try these dishes and much more.

If you want a particular recommendation, I suggest the Olde Pink House restaurant where they serve Southern food with a modern twist accompanied by live music. Whether you decide to eat there or not, you will like the exterior, a large pink colonial mansion.

Another option for gourmet food preserving the southern style is Chive Sea Bar & Lounge, in the historic district where they play with the classic and the contemporary.

If, on the other hand, what you like is to eat fried chicken wings with your hands, there is also a wide variety of places to go, equally authentic. One example is Lizzy's Burger Bar & Grill where you'll get a taste of authentic Southern food.

Another great ingredient of Savannah's Southern food, largely because of its location, is seafood. You can find it in many restaurants. I suggest this one, fast-casual style: Savannah Seafood Shack. The shrimp are the protagonists combined in different dishes and forms.

Do you want to try more? A fun way to learn about food in the city is through a guided food tour.

That wraps up my recommendations for how to spend your day seeing the highlights. This is the itinerary I propose you to spend a day in Savannah, this beautiful city in the state of Georgia. As you can see, it is a very walkable city and there is nothing really very far, so these activities I propose you are quite interchangeable in their order. Besides walking, getting around Savannah is very easy by bus, ferry, streetcar and also Uber.

If you want to know more information about the city or plan to spend more time in the city in the future and want to know more facts and activities, I leave you with a more extensive list of things to see and do in Savannah. This city has so much more to offer!