Settled by English colonists in 1670 and moved to its harbor-side peninsula a decade later, Charleston was by 1690 the fifth-largest city in North America, its rice and indigo wealth built on slave labor — nearly half of all enslaved Africans brought to the US passed through its port. The peninsula's pastel Georgian and Greek Revival houses, best known along Rainbow Row, survived the Civil War's opening shots at nearby Fort Sumter and now anchor a historic district worked by carriage tours. Barrier-island beaches at Folly Beach, Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms sit twenty minutes away by car. Charleston remains South Carolina's largest city, yet counts fewer than 200,000 residents.
Nights sit around 21°C and afternoons around 30°C, though some days reach 33°C.
Charleston has real seasons: summer afternoons sit around 32°C, winter ones around 18°C.
Some summer days reach 36°C, and some winter nights drop below freezing.
Most of the rain falls in summer, least in winter. In August it rains about 12 days in 30; in November, 6.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: July averages an AQI of 57, while October clears to 41.
Days stretch to about 14.1 hours of light in June and shrink to 9.9 in December — something to weigh if you work to a fixed timezone.
For what you're after, the best month in Charleston is May. Expect fast internet (328 Mbps) and a high cost of living (about €3000 a month).
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