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Introduction to Nashville

Welcome to Nashville! Renowned as ‘Music City’, this upbeat southern gem is a magnet for musicians and music lovers from around the world.

Icelandair offers flights to Nashville from the UK, Iceland or Europe from spring to autumn. Book today for your chance to experience hot chicken and honky-tonks alongside the friendly locals.

Before you explore Nashville’s musical highlights, how about comparing them with Reykjavík's offerings? When you book flights to Nashville with Icelandair you have the opportunity to add a stopover in Iceland at no additional airfare.

A city of music

There are around 700,000 Nashvillians, making this the largest city in the state of Tennessee – it’s also the capital. If cities had soundtracks, Nashville’s would be like no other. It would be a mix of music’s past, present, and future – with sounds of country, of course, plus bluegrass, rock, pop, Americana, gospel, classical, jazz and blues, blending in harmony.

Nashville's musical roots also live on through the ‘Grand Ole Opry’ – this is in fact a live country-music radio broadcast that began in Nashville in 1925, setting the stage for the city’s future as a country-music powerhouse. It was once broadcast from Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, but from 1974 it’s broadcast up to five nights a week from the Grand Ole Opry House.

Attractions in Nashville

It’s true that many of Nashville’s biggest attractions revolve around music, from the Country Music Hall of Fame to the recording studios of Music Row. There are also museums honouring musicians such as Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and Willie Nelson. And don’t overlook the honky-tonk bars and a show at the Grand Ole Opry House.

Still, there’s plenty here beyond the music experiences, including a thriving arts scene, great food and shopping, sports events, and wide, open parkland. There’s plenty for families too, like Nashville Zoo and Cheekwood Estate and Gardens. There’s even a presidential estate – The Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the USA – plus a full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon at Centennial Park!

Activities in Nashville

A live-music performance is a must in Nashville – but sports offer more fine ways to be entertained in true local style. Cheer for the Tennessee Titans at an American football game, or the Nashville Predators in ice hockey, surrounded by passionate fans.

If you prefer participating over spectating, the city has good golf opportunities, or you can try stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, and ziplining. The Warner Parks are where the locals come to enjoy the great outdoors, with hikes and horse routes over wooded hills. When the summer temperatures rise, there’s a handful of waterparks to cool off in.

And for visitors from the UK looking for local flavour, how about a Tennessee whiskey tour or a songwriting workshop?

Dining in Nashville

Nashville is a dining hotspot and foodie favourite with innovative chefs regularly opening on-trend restaurants. Great neighbourhoods to explore at dinnertime include Germantown, East Nashville, and The Gulch.

There are three local dishes that should be on your 'must try' list: hot chicken, barbecue, and ‘meat and three’. Hot chicken was created in Nashville a century ago and is fried chicken doused in fiery spices, served on white bread with a pickle. Try it at its birthplace, the famed Prince’s Hot Chicken. Tennessee is also known for its low-and-slow barbecue and Nashville is no exception; pork ribs are a specialty. Finally, ‘meat and three’ is a dish served at unfussy cafeteria-style diners. Choose a meat dish (fried chicken, meatloaf, etc.), accompanied by three sides. A sweet tea and slice of pie round out a classic meal.

Bars and live music venues

Nashville is a buzzy, music-filled destination, and downtown Nashville’s Broadway rivals the best-known party streets in the USA. Join the crowds as they seek out the most appealing live country music, rooftop patios, and line dancing in the honky-tonks (a honky-tonk is simply a bar that plays country music). Look out for the purple-toned Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, a world-renowned honky-tonk that’s been operating since 1960.

Another quintessential Nashville experience is the Grand Ole Opry House, an iconic country music venue northeast of downtown. On a number of nights each week, country stars perform short sets in front of a live audience. Diehard fans can also take a backstage tour. The Opry was once held in the Ryman Auditorium, a landmark downtown venue that still hosts concerts and events.

Getting around the city

Your flight from the UK will land at Nashville International Airport, about 13km (8 miles) southeast of downtown Nashville. From here, you can take an airport shuttle, a public bus (route 18 operates hourly), or a taxi. These all depart from the airport’s Ground Transportation Centre on Level 1 of Terminal Garage 2. Ride-hailing apps, such as Uber and Lyft, also operate in Nashville.

The city has a public transport system of buses and trains – called WeGo Public Transit – but some of the city’s attractions are spread out, so a rental car might be an efficient way to move around and see the top sights.

Some hotels offer complimentary parking and finding a spot downtown isn't too much of a hassle. You can also bike: BCycle offers more than 30 stations around the city with pedal-assist electric bikes to rent.

Travel beyond Nashville

If you’re travelling to pay your respects to Music City, you might want to make a journey 350km (220 miles) southwest of Nashville to check out one of Tennessee’s other headline cities: Memphis. This city also has incredible music pedigree with Beale Street, the official home of the blues and Sun Studios which lays claim to being the birthplace of rock and roll - and of course there’s Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.

Travel in the other direction and stop at Pigeon Forge – this is the home of Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park. It’s found in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, and the ever-popular Great Smoky Mountains National Park overflows with forest, wildlife and waterfalls. Visit year-round for its hiking trails, in late spring to enjoy its wealth of wildflowers, or in autumn for stunning foliage displays.