Florida: Best of

Miami stretches along the south-eastern coast of Florida, overlooking turquoise waters and blessed by a subtropical climate that makes it one of the most beloved seaside destinations in the United States. A glamorous and deeply Latin city, it blends the energy of its beaches with an effervescent cultural and nightlife scene. Its emblem is Miami Beach, the barrier island linked to the mainland by scenic causeways, home to the historic district of South Beach. Here, along Ocean Drive, the famous pastel-coloured Art Déco buildings line up beside open-air restaurants and white-sand beaches dotted with brightly painted lifeguard cabins. The neighbourhood of Little Havana, heart of the Cuban community, offers the city's most authentic flavour: along Calle Ocho the air fills with salsa music, the scent of coffee and cigars, while the cafés serve traditional Caribbean dishes. Further north, the Design District and Wynwood reign as the realm of contemporary art and street art, with spectacular murals and avant-garde galleries. Modern Downtown, with its mirror-clad skyscrapers, looks out over Biscayne Bay, from where boat excursions set off towards exclusive islands and floating residential enclaves. Miami is also a gateway to extraordinary natural wonders: a short distance away lie the Everglades, a boundless park of marshes and mangroves teeming with alligators, and the Florida Keys, the coral archipelago reaching south along a scenic overseas highway. Between beaches, luxury shopping, fusion cuisine and an atmosphere that pulses day and night, Miami invites you to live the very best of the American tropical lifestyle.

Orlando, in the heart of central Florida, is the world capital of theme-park entertainment, a garden city dotted with lakes that has transformed its marshy lowlands into a universe of parks and attractions beloved by families from every continent. It is here that the Walt Disney World Resort spreads out, the complex that made the city famous, with its four theme parks — from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT, from Hollywood Studios to Animal Kingdom — joined by Universal Studios and the magical world of Harry Potter, from the Wizarding World to the thrills of Islands of Adventure. For those seeking nature and wildlife, SeaWorld tells the story of the marine world, while numerous water parks offer cool relief under the subtropical sun. But Orlando is more than its parks: the historic downtown, gathered around Lake Eola with its iconic fountain and the swans that glide across its waters, holds a more intimate soul, made of neighbourhoods such as Thornton Park and Winter Park, where art galleries, cafés and tree-lined avenues invite a slower pace. Its cuisine ranges from the international kitchens of International Drive to the flavours of the American South, while Florida's eternal spring makes every season ideal for a visit. All around, wild nature reasserts itself: a short distance away lie the reserves of the Everglades, the crystalline springs where manatees swim, and the beaches of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, with Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center just down the road toward the coast. A city of dreams and imagination, Orlando promises intense days and shared wonder, in the gentle, sunlit climate that Florida offers all year round.

Crystal River is a picturesque town on the Gulf coast of north-central Florida, famed worldwide as one of the few places where it is possible to swim with manatees. Each winter hundreds of these gentle marine mammals gather in the warm-water springs of Kings Bay and Three Sisters Springs, creating a unique nature experience. The area also offers kayaking, snorkelling and fishing among crystalline springs and mangroves. Between manatees, transparent waters and protected nature, Crystal River is an authentic sanctuary of Floridian aquatic wildlife.

Sarasota rises on Florida's Gulf Coast, a refined seaside town blending white-sand beaches, culture and a laid-back atmosphere. Its emblem is Siesta Key, repeatedly named among America's finest beaches for its powder-soft, dazzling white sand, perfect for long sunset walks and swims in the warm Gulf waters. At the heart of city life stands The Ringling, the legacy of circus magnate John Ringling: the opulent Venetian-style mansion Ca' d'Zan overlooking the bay, an art museum with Baroque masterpieces and a museum devoted to circus history form a unique complex. Nearby, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens hold an extraordinary collection of orchids and epiphytes among mangroves and waterfront gardens. The historic Towles Court district, with its colourful houses turned into galleries and studios, captures the city's artistic soul, while downtown offers fresh seafood restaurants, Gulf catch and a lively cultural scene of theatres and festivals. Sarasota is the ideal destination for those seeking sea, art and the good life under the Florida sun.

A bridge connects the island of Sanibel to the mainland. On Sanibel, you can experience the Florida of the past, before the advent of mass tourism and skyscrapers. The vegetation is dense, the streets are quiet, there are no traffic lights, and the beaches are covered in seashells. Don't miss the Darling National Wildlife Refuge to observe alligators, birds, and other wildlife.

The first and northernmost of the Florida Keys, Key Largo is the gateway to this tropical archipelago, linked to the mainland by the scenic Overseas Highway. Known as the “diving capital of the world,” it owes its fame to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first underwater park in the United States, which protects a vibrant coral reef teeming with colourful fish, turtles and shipwrecks. The crystal-clear waters invite snorkelling, diving and boat trips, while the sunsets over the bay offer unforgettable colours. Among mangroves, lagoons and a cinematic atmosphere — the famous “Key Largo” with Humphrey Bogart was partly filmed here — the island is a paradise for lovers of the sea and the outdoors.

A short distance from Key Largo is Islamorada, a paradise island with sparkling blue waters, fabulous restaurants with sea views, and unparalleled fresh seafood. The island is a perfect stop on the way to Key West. Key West closes the Florida Keys archipelago to the south, the southernmost point of the continental United States only 90 miles from Cuba, where the Atlantic meets the Gulf of Mexico. Linked to the mainland by the scenic Overseas Highway, which glides over the sea for more than 160 kilometres, it is an island with a Caribbean soul and a free spirit. The streets of Old Town are lined with colonial wooden houses, including the Hemingway Home where the writer lived with his six-toed cats. Each evening Mallory Square celebrates the sunset with street performers and music. Crystal-clear waters invite snorkelling along the only living coral reef in North America, while local cuisine offers conch fritters and the inevitable key lime pie. Amid pastel colours and a bohemian atmosphere, Key West is an invitation to the tropical dolce vita.