Known affectionately as the ‘Heart of Dixie’, Alabama lies in the Deep South and is rich in all that the South is known and loved for; pre- Civil War architecture, white powdery beaches, delicious cuisine and rich sporting heritage.

Visitors keen on history will find many places of interest to visit and enjoy. Alabama was at the heart of the American Civil Rights Movement. Dr Martin Luther King Jr first preached at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery, and you can find sites commemorating the struggle across the state.

Alabama’s landscapes are many and varied, ranging from mountains and forests to lakes and beaches. Take a road trip through farmland and plantation homes, hike the Appalachians or paddle some of the 2,600km (1,600 miles) of waterways, which meander through the state. Head to the coast where water-sports, wildlife and white sands await. Further north, the pace of life picks up in sleek Birmingham, with its great jazz, and the Talladega Superspeedway, which can seem like a small city in itself during NASCAR racing events.

The South is well-known for its Southern cuisine so make sure to make the time to dig into a slow-cooked hunk of barbecued meat or the fresh crab from the Gulf.