36 Hours in Charlottesville, Va.

Arriving in Charlottesville from the lush, rural Virginia countryside, you almost feel like you’ve stepped back into ancient Rome. The Rotunda, the centerpiece of Thomas Jefferson’s design for the University of Virginia, was of course built to resemble the Parthenon and the neo-Classical facades of the college buildings seem to be right out of Caesar’s time.

But the town itself is far more cutting-edge than its architecture. As American regional cuisine has gone upscale over the past decade, Charlottesville has been at the center of many changes, with local chefs updating traditional Southern fare by marrying grits, fried chicken and other standbys with French, Asian and other influences. The town’s music scene, too, has served up megastars like the Dave Matthews Band and helped to launch the modern roots-rock wave. Even Virginia wine, once more Burger King than Bordeaux, has caught on. Local vineyards that never used to get invitations to competitions now hold their own with the finest of California or France. Even Jefferson would be proud — the third president succeeded at nearly everything, but he couldn’t coax a decent wine out of Virginia’s soil.

Friday
3 p.m.
1) MALL RATS

Running through the center of Charlottesville, the pedestrian mall is lined with oak trees and packed with students kicking the Hacky Sack and talking philosophy over coffee. Start at the east end and take a long leg-stretcher along the mall. You’ll pass rows of restored brick buildings, street mimes and violinists, a central plaza for public art, and al fresco cafes that make the street seem more European than American — something the Europhile Jefferson would have appreciated. Reflecting the local cuisine fascination, the mall also has become a grand eating fest, with places proudly featuring Virginia ingredients. Stop in just off the main mall for a snack at Feast (416 West Main Street, Suite H; 434-244-7800; www.feastvirginia.com), an artisanal cheese shop, charcuterie and gourmet market that could easily be found in Paris.

4:30
2) LITTLE BROTHER

Along with the university, Jefferson’s estate, Monticello (www.monticello.org), obviously draws many visitors to Charlottesville, but its grandeur and almost palatial setting make it seem more like a museum than a home. After the obligatory visit, try a more intimate presidential residence — Ash Lawn-Highland, the home of James Monroe, who even today still sits in Jefferson’s shadow. Unlike Monticello, Ash Lawn seems as if it had just been lived in — just a simple family farmhouse still filled with Monroe’s own keepsakes (1000 James Monroe Parkway; 434-293-9539; www.ashlawnhighland.org).

9 p.m.
3) HORSING AROUND

Only 10 minutes from downtown Charlottesville, the Clifton Inn (1296 Clifton Inn Drive; 888-971-1800; www.cliftoninn.net) feels more like Kentucky. Rolling hills and fenced-off pastures resemble classic horse country. In recent years, as Charlottesville’s restaurant scene has gone upscale, Virginia’s inns have also embarked upon a culinary arms race, and the Clifton Inn has kept up with the latest cooking weaponry. Its restaurant, inside a white-pillared Gone With the Wind-style southern mansion, offers a design-your-own tasting menu featuring local ingredients. Dinner for two with wine is about $150 and reservations are essential.