Texas Complete

Fort Worth holds the authentic soul of Texas, where the legacy of the Old West coexists with a culture scene of surprising sophistication. In the historic Stockyards district, the spirit of the cattle drives lives on: each day a herd of longhorns parades through the streets, while saloons, rodeos and equestrian shows keep the cowboy myth alive. The Cultural District is another world entirely, home to world-class museums such as the Kimbell Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, set amid architecture by celebrated masters. The orderly, lively downtown blends skyscrapers, steakhouses and live country-music venues. Often overshadowed by neighbouring Dallas, Fort Worth wins over those seeking a more genuine, welcoming Texas, uniting frontier spirit, art and cuisine in a single memorable experience.

Austin, the capital of Texas, is a young and creative city that proudly calls itself the "Live Music Capital of the World". Along famous Sixth Street and in the venues of South Congress, blues, country and rock ring out every evening, while each spring the city erupts with the SXSW and Austin City Limits festivals. Dominated by the imposing dome of the Texas State Capitol, Austin surprises with its natural side: Lady Bird Lake invites kayaking and walks along its shores, while at sunset thousands of bats stream out from the Congress Avenue Bridge in a unique spectacle. Between Texas barbecue and Tex-Mex food trucks, craft breweries and the nonconformist spirit captured in the motto "Keep Austin Weird", the city wins over those seeking energy, music and culture.

It is worth stopping in San Antonio for its lively and diverse music scene. The city, known primarily for tejano and heavy metal genres, also has deep jazz roots, which are expressed in venues such as the Shadowland Ballroom and the Plaza Hotel. The main arenas that host stops on famous tours are the AT&T Center and the Paper Tiger; however, smaller clubs in the urban oasis offer live music nights for all tastes. San Antonio guards the historic soul of Texas, where Mexican and American cultures have intertwined for centuries. At the city's heart stands the Alamo Mission, the old Spanish mission that became the symbol of Texan independence and is today a pilgrimage site for history lovers. Just steps away runs the famous River Walk (Paseo del Río), a network of canals lined with restaurants, cafés and palm trees, where boats glide past mariachi music and evening lights. Don't miss the complex of Spanish colonial missions, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the lively El Mercado, kingdom of Tex-Mex cuisine with its enchiladas, fajitas and margaritas. San Antonio reveals itself on a stroll along the water, amid echoes of the frontier and Latin warmth.

Lajitas is a remote desert resort in West Texas, spread along the Rio Grande on the Mexican border, at the gateway to Big Bend. An old frontier outpost turned refined retreat, it offers desert golf, hot springs and boundless views. All around lie canyons, mountains and starry skies of rare purity. An unexpected oasis where luxury and the wild nature of West Texas meet.

Midland lies at the heart of the Permian Basin in West Texas, its identity shaped by the oil that drove its growth across the state's arid plains. A practical, open-spirited town, it preserves the memory of the industry that made it famous at the Petroleum Museum, while the Museum of the Southwest tells the region's art and culture. It makes a convenient stop for those crossing Texas westward, set amid vast horizons and starry skies. Midland is the hard-working, plain-spoken face of the Texan frontier.

Amarillo rises in the heart of the Texas Panhandle, a land of endless prairies and Route 66 legends. A historic crossroads on the famous "Mother Road", the city preserves the rugged, authentic spirit of the Wild West, with its legendary steakhouses and sprawling ranches. A few kilometres south opens Palo Duro Canyon, the second-largest canyon in the United States, a spectacular red-rock gorge crossed by trails for hiking and horseback riding. Not to be missed is the quirky Cadillac Ranch, an art installation of graffiti-covered cars planted in the ground that has become an icon of road-trip culture. Amarillo is an authentic stop for those crossing the great American plains in search of endless horizons.

Graham rises in the plains of northern Texas, a quiet town with a rural heart surrounded by ranches, lakes and boundless landscapes. It boasts one of the largest town squares in the United States, the hub of a community tied to the traditions of the West. The nearby Possum Kingdom lakes offer fishing, boating and relaxation among hills and canyons. Graham is a serene stop in the rural, authentic heart of Texas.