Atlanta sees southern charm meet city sophistication, in a metropolis long reputed as progressive. History abounds, as its 200-year heritage tells tales of civil rights campaigns; the birth and...
Atlanta
Atlanta sees southern charm meet city sophistication, in a metropolis long reputed as progressive. History abounds, as its 200-year heritage tells tales of civil rights campaigns; the birth and burial of human rights advocate, Martin Luther King; the invention Coca Cola; and the development of world’s first global news broadcaster, Ted Turner’s 24-hour CNN.
Once a bustling industrial centre, today – following gentrification and clever urban renewal projects spurred by the 1996 Summer Olympics – Atlanta operates as a respected hub of arts and culture. The Georgian capital is one of only a few American cities to have its own music, theatre, ballet and opera companies. Home to the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield–Jackson, and the headquarters of Delta Air Lines, Atlanta is also world-leading transportation hub.
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Electricity
114 - 126V 60Hz
Population
433,000
Currency
US Dollar (USD)
Time Zone
GMT - 4
Languages
English (official)
Area
21,694 km2
Dining
Atlanta serves up a self-assured food scene of more than 2800 cafes and restaurants, where quality dining can be enjoyed at chain restaurant prices.
Many traditional local dishes stem from West and North Africa, adopted by the southern states during the days of slavery. To sample authentic and hearty southern food lookout for menus that pride themself on ‘soul food’ and ‘country style’ dishes. Southern staples include fried chicken, okra, fried green tomatoes, black-eyed peas and corn bread.
For food that reflects the city’s progressive nature, Buford Highway is a must-visit destination. Known for its range of international cuisine, boasting everything from Cuban to Vietnamese and Japanese to Spanish, the string of clever urban restaurants and on-trend bars continues to grow, bolstering a reputation as a hotspot for adventurous palates.
Atlanta’s main commercial and financial hub, the uptown district of Buckhead is also a hub for the city’s most expensive dining options.
Shopping
An affluent metropolis of commercial prosperity, Atlanta brims with a multitude of exciting shopping opportunities.
Housing the city’s finest dining establishments, Buckhead is also home to Atlanta’s finest shopping scene and hosts the USA’s highest concentration of upscale boutiques. Synonymous with luxury international brands, zones like Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza hold fame as popular retail haunts for the well-heeled.
Trendy boutiques and quaint brick buildings line the streets of the historic Virginia Highlands district. The neighbourhood is most famous for its home décor, kitsch antiques and designer furniture stores, as well as its outdoor weekend craft market.
For shopping with a sense of fun, Atlanta’s Little Five Points district a go-to locale – a bohemian enclave, where the cool, colourful and creative promote independent theatres and an enviable collection of music stores selling forgotten vinyl.
On days when the weather turns, Underground Atlanta entices shoppers with six retail blocks hidden from view beneath the city’s streets.