Hello and welcome to this tour of Richmond, Virginia, presented by Insight Guides. My name is Katherine and I’ll be your guide. This tour takes approximately two hours to complete, not including any time spent touring museums or other buildings. You can stop at any time and start again at the same spot later. You can follow the route on your phone or simply listen as I guide you from one sight to the next. I’ll be giving you clear directions and the audio will automatically start playing when you get close to the next sight on the tour. Don’t worry if you need to skip a sight as the tour will pick up at the next location. 

This gracious city on the James River has witnessed many critical events in US history: Patrick Henry called for "liberty or death" here and Thomas Jefferson made it Virginia's capital city; during the Civil War, it was the seat of government for the Confederacy and a major industrial center for the South. Set afire in the final days of the war, it literally rose from the ashes to restore itself as the regional economic, cultural, educational and medical hub it is today.

On this walk I will introduce you to Richmond's past and present. In addition to the sights, I'll point out things to look for as you go along. Richmond is built on a steep hill, so take your time, particularly on a hot summer's day. Take advantage of the plazas to take a break and get a drink from a street vendor or shop. You will be crossing streets, and traffic can be heavy and fast. Please use crosswalks when you can.

When you're ready, let's start our walk by the James River at a place that helped build and sustain the city.