In the east central portion of the state, not too far from the Blue Ridge Mountains, is leafy Athens, home to the sprawling University of Georgia and the State Botanical Gardens.  The city is nicknamed the "Classic City" because many of its buildings are similar to that of classic Greek architecture.  Athens boasts some award-winning restaurants and has a lovely restored downtown area with shops, pubs, art galleries and lots of live music (REM and the B52's got started here).  Fourteen neighborhoods and 35 other structures here are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Athens was spared Sherman's wrath when he burned his way through Georgia during the Civil War.