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State · Sul (Geórgia, Carolinas e Tennessee)
Tennessee
Tennessee is the state of music: Nashville’s country, Memphis’s blues and rock, Graceland and, in the east, the Great Smoky Mountains.
In the photo: Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The state
Get to know Tennessee
Tennessee lies in the southern United States, stretched east to west between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. The capital is Nashville, in the center. The state spans two time zones: Nashville and Memphis observe Central Time, while the eastern part, including Gatlinburg, observes Eastern Time.
Nashville is the capital of country music: the Grand Ole Opry, a radio show on air since 1925, the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the live-music bars (honky-tonks) on Lower Broadway. On the table, spicy fried chicken — the hot chicken.
Memphis, at the far west, sits on the banks of the Mississippi. There are Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home, Sun Studio where he recorded his earliest records, Beale Street and the blues, and the National Civil Rights Museum at the former Lorraine Motel. Memphis’s smoked pork barbecue is another travel draw.
In the east, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are at the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a UNESCO site, with trails, waterfalls and forests that change color in autumn; Pigeon Forge is home to Dollywood. On the other side of the mountains, Cherokee, in North Carolina, is the park’s southern entrance, and north of Nashville, Cave City, in Kentucky, sits next to Mammoth Cave.
When to go
Spring (April and May) and autumn (September through early November) are usually the best times, with the Smokies’ foliage turning colors in October. Summers tend to be hot and humid, the season for music festivals. Winters are cold, with snow in the mountains.
Getting there
The main airports are Nashville (BNA) and Memphis (MEM); for the Great Smoky Mountains, Knoxville (TYS), about an hour from Gatlinburg. Connections from Brazil usually involve a stop in another U.S. city. Check before you buy. Nashville and Memphis are about 340 km apart via I-40. Memphis has an Amtrak station on the Chicago–New Orleans line.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Tennessee
Can you visit Nashville and Memphis on the same trip?
Yes. The two cities are about three and a half hours apart by car via I-40, and many music itineraries combine Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans. Allow at least two days for each.
How to visit Graceland?
Graceland is in south Memphis, about 15 km from downtown. The visit includes the mansion, Elvis’s grave and a complex with his cars, costumes and planes. Tickets come in different packages: buy in advance and check the current pricing chart.
How to see the Grand Ole Opry?
Shows are held at the Grand Ole Opry House, about 15 km from downtown Nashville, and during some seasons at the Ryman Auditorium downtown. The lineup changes weekly: check before you go.
How many days for the Great Smoky Mountains?
Two to three days allow you to drive the Newfound Gap Road that crosses the park to Cherokee, hike to a waterfall and visit Cades Cove, a valley with wildlife and old settler houses. The park charges no entrance fee, but parking requires a separate paid permit.