Essential South USA

Nashville rises on the banks of the Cumberland River in the state of Tennessee, and has earned worldwide its nickname of "Music City": it is the undisputed capital of country music, but also a lively crossroads where history, Southern cuisine and an ever-buzzing cultural scene come together. Its beating heart is Lower Broadway, where the neon signs of the honky-tonks light up a street that never sleeps: guitar chords and live voices pour from the venues at every hour, in a succession of free stages that launched the careers of many artists. A short walk away stand the temples of musical tradition, from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to the famed Ryman Auditorium, dubbed "the mother church of country music", and the Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running live radio broadcast in America. Heading toward the civic centre you reach the Tennessee State Capitol, while amid the greenery of Centennial Park stands a striking surprise: the Parthenon, a full-scale replica of the Athenian temple that earned the city the label "Athens of the South". The neighbourhoods tell other Nashvilles: The Gulch, a former railway district now dotted with murals and trendy restaurants; Germantown, with its brick houses and most refined tables; East Nashville, bohemian and creative, a realm of coffee shops and independent boutiques. Food is a chapter of its own: hot chicken, spicy fiery fried chicken, is the city's emblem, served alongside barbecue, biscuits and the fine bourbon of Tennessee's distilleries. Between impromptu concerts, historic distilleries and the contagious energy of its streets, Nashville is lived to the rhythm of music, from dawn until deep into the night.

Memphis is the true capital of blues, soul and rock & roll music. Music lovers won't want to miss the many music history landmarks.

New Orleans, rising on a bend of the Mississippi river, is the residence of Creole aristocracy, descending from Spanish and French settlers. Although its glory has faded, the French Quarter stands at the core of the city – secretly alive in its narrow, bustling alleys and hidden courts. A night-time tour of Bourbon Street will hurl you into a savage, exciting, riotous world.