Travel South: music of the south and the Florida beaches

Atlanta rises among the wooded hills of Georgia, the dynamic capital of the New South and a symbol city of the civil rights movement. Here Martin Luther King Jr. lived and preached: his memorial, birthplace and the Ebenezer Baptist Church form an intense and moving trail. Downtown pulses around the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola, while the Midtown district hosts museums and the lush Piedmont Park. The BeltLine, a former railway turned green walkway, links lively neighbourhoods such as Old Fourth Ward and Inman Park, full of street art, breweries and markets. Southern cuisine reigns supreme, from fried chicken to soul food specialities. The economic and cultural heart of the Southeast, Atlanta welcomes visitors with energy, history and warmth.

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 rises along the Mississippi River in southwestern Tennessee and is the acknowledged cradle of American music, from blues to rock'n'roll. The city's beating heart is Beale Street, where live music venues come alive each evening amid blues notes and the aroma of grilled ribs. Nearby stands Graceland, Elvis Presley's mansion turned museum, while Sun Studio preserves the recording rooms where legends such as Elvis and Johnny Cash were born. A moving and unforgettable visit is the National Civil Rights Museum, set in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. The barbecue capital of Tennessee, Memphis tempts the palate with its famous smoked ribs. A city with a deep soul, where music and history intertwine at every corner.

Clarksdale is regarded as the cradle of the Delta blues, set in the fertile cotton plains of north-western Mississippi. Here, according to legend, Robert Johnson met the devil at the famous "Crossroads," and today clubs such as Ground Zero and the Delta Blues Museum keep the musical tradition alive. The nights resound with guitars and harmonicas among old railway stations and juke joints.

Natchez looks out from a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, a Deep South town renowned for its extraordinary heritage of antebellum mansions. Along its shaded streets survive splendid pre-war residences: Stanton Hall, a sumptuous neoclassical villa framed by magnolias, and Longwood, an octagonal home left unfinished when the Civil War broke out and today a haunting witness to an interrupted age. At the foot of the bluff, along the river, stretches the old quarter of Natchez Under-the-Hill, once a lively hub of boatmen and traders and now dotted with bars and restaurants facing the water. From here begins the historic Natchez Trace Parkway, a scenic route winding through woods and ancient Native American trails all the way to Tennessee. Between Creole cuisine, sunsets over the Mississippi and an air of bygone days, Natchez tells the romantic, complex story of the Old South.

The last part of your trip takes you to New Orleans, Louisiana, where the mighty Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, stop in Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, a perfect place to experience the eclectic culture of this state. The city has a history of over 300 years, many of which can be seen in its unique architecture, tasted in its delicious local food, and experienced through its unique culture. New Orleans is a photographer's delight. Guided tours are the ideal way to learn more about this special place. Take a stroll through the historic French Quarter or go on tours of cemeteries, voodoo, and ghost folklore. New Orleans is also a city rich in music. Preservation Hall hosts excellent musicians who take turns on stage playing traditional New Orleans jazz in an intimate atmosphere. It's necessary to line up early for standing room, or plan ahead to purchase one of the few seats available. Among other places in the city, Frenchmen Street is the center of live music with venues like The Spotted Cat Music Club. The cozy venue hosts three different groups every night, offering the audience various forms of jazz. Cuisine and cocktail culture are also essential to experiencing New Orleans. From outdoor bars to the most elegant restaurants, you will find endless interpretations of typical local dishes, such as powdered sugar-covered beignets, aromatic jambalaya, and spicy, smoked Andouille sausage. Home to events like Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras, as well as the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, New Orleans is the perfect conclusion to your trip. New Orleans sprawls along the bends of the Mississippi River, in the humid heart of Louisiana, a city unlike any other in the United States, a melting pot of French, Spanish, African and Creole cultures that gave birth to jazz and an unmistakable identity. Its most famous core is the French Quarter, the oldest district, where wrought-iron balconies overlook cobbled streets and Jackson Square opens before St. Louis Cathedral. From Bourbon Street, with its nightspots and music spilling from every doorway, you reach the more refined Royal Street, lined with art galleries and antique shops. A few steps away, the French Market blends stalls, flavours and tradition, while the Café du Monde serves its sugar-dusted beignets alongside chicory coffee. Beyond the centre, the Garden District reveals sumptuous antebellum mansions set among centuries-old oaks, easily explored aboard the historic St. Charles Avenue streetcar. The city lives for music: the clubs of Frenchmen Street keep live jazz alive, the legacy of Louis Armstrong, and every February Mardi Gras turns the streets into a riot of floats, masks and parades. The local cuisine is an experience in itself: gumbo, jambalaya, po' boys and crawfish tell the story of Creole and Cajun fusion in every dish. Along the banks of the Mississippi, paddlewheel steamboats evoke the golden age of river travel, while nearby the historic plantations and the mysterious swampy bayous, explored by boat among cypress trees and alligators, offer unforgettable day trips. With its syncopated rhythms, spiced aromas and a soul at once festive and melancholic, New Orleans enchants all who pass through.

Orange Beach is a refined seaside resort in the far south of Alabama, along the Gulf of Mexico coast, famed for its fine white-sand beaches and emerald waters that make it the flagship of the 'Alabama Gulf Coast'. A paradise for deep-sea fishing, nicknamed the 'Red Snapper Capital', it offers lively marinas, water sports and dolphin-watching cruises. Seafront resorts and coastal state parks round out the experience. Between white sands, crystalline sea and a holiday atmosphere, Orange Beach is the seaside pearl of Alabama.

Pensacola Beach stretches across a thin barrier island of the Florida Panhandle, famed for its fine white-sand beaches, among the whitest of the Gulf of Mexico, and its emerald waters. Close to the historic naval air station, it is home base of the Blue Angels acrobatic flights, who perform in the skies of the area. The lively pier, water sports and the protected dunes of the Gulf Islands National Seashore make it a destination beloved by families and sea lovers.