Travel South: discover the Appalachians

Washington DC rises on the banks of the Potomac River, capital of the United States and political heart of the nation, a city of monumental vistas and broad green spaces best explored on foot. Its centrepiece is the National Mall, the long esplanade lining up the symbols of American democracy: the white-domed Capitol, the soaring Washington Monument obelisk, the Lincoln Memorial overlooking the Reflecting Pool, and the memorials to Jefferson, Roosevelt and the war veterans. Along the Mall stand the world-class, free-admission museums of the Smithsonian Institution, from the National Air and Space Museum to the National Gallery of Art, the Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Nearby, the White House can be admired across the gardens of Pennsylvania Avenue. Yet Washington is far more than its institutions: its neighbourhoods tell another story. Georgetown, the oldest, lines federal townhouses, boutiques and cafés along the C&O Canal and the Potomac; Dupont Circle is the bohemian heart of galleries and bookshops; U Street keeps alive the legacy of jazz and historic venues; Adams Morgan buzzes with ethnic kitchens and nightlife. The capital's tables mirror this diversity, from markets such as Eastern Market to an international dining scene and the local classic of the half-smoke sausage. In spring the city turns pink with the cherry blossom around the Tidal Basin, a gift from Japan and the occasion for the famous Cherry Blossom Festival. Nearby, a trip to Alexandria in Virginia or to Mount Vernon, George Washington's residence, rounds off the journey. Between neoclassical marble, great museums and neighbourhoods of distinct character, Washington DC blends the solemnity of power with the vibrancy of a capital that invites discovery step by step.

Boone rises on the high plateaus of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the mountainous heart of North Carolina, a lively college town encircled by wooded peaks. The crisp air, scenic trails and proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway make it a favourite base for hikes in every season. The downtown mixes cafés, artisan workshops and live music with a strong Appalachian stamp. An authentic destination of nature, local culture and mountain hospitality.

At the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in western North Carolina, Asheville blends wild nature with a lively arts and food scene. Its most famous landmark is the Biltmore Estate, a sumptuous French Renaissance-style mansion built by the Vanderbilt family and surrounded by gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The Art Deco downtown, among the best preserved in the South, teems with galleries, craft shops and microbreweries that have made the city a beer capital. The nearby River Arts District houses artists' studios, while the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway leads to Appalachian peaks, waterfalls and forests. Asheville is the perfect destination for those seeking art, the outdoors and the relaxed atmosphere of the Southern mountains.

Gatlinburg nestles among the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Tennessee, a lively tourist town and the main gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited park in the United States. Its pedestrian Parkway teems with attractions, restaurants and craft shops, while the aerial tramway and observation tower offer views of the misty peaks. Nearby, waterfalls, trails and pristine forests await hikers. Between grand nature, family fun and mountain traditions, Gatlinburg is the lively, welcoming, and kitsch heart of the Smoky Mountains.

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.