Overview

Tennessee has always been a melting pot of different musical styles. From the mountains to the east came Appalachian folk and bluegrass, country originated in Nashville, while gospel, blues, rockabilly and eventually rock ‘n’ roll all originated in the Mississippi belt. A major center of the music industry, Nashville is also home to a number of respected colleges and beautiful churches. In the southwest, on the Mississippi border, is Memphis, home of the blues and birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll. It is Tennessee’s largest city and a major commercial center, but is best known for Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home. On the southeastern side of Tennessee, on the banks of the Tennessee River, lies bustling Chattanooga. Its course, the “Chattanooga Choo Choo,”  was sung about by Glenn Miller in his song of the same name. More than half of Tennessee is forested, and much of the state is now protected areas, national parks, forests, and wildlife sanctuaries. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are home bases for exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

• Travelationary: Covers basic information about Tennessee geography and economy.

Getting there

Arrival by car

Greyhound buses (website: www.greyhound.com) run from Little Rock via Memphis to Raleigh and Washington. A number of private bus companies also provide service within Tennessee.

Arrival by train

Amtrak trains run from New Orleans to Kansas City and Chicago via Memphis. Additional information from Amtrak (website: www.amtrak.com).

Passport and visa regulations

Entry with children

Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.

Contact addresses

Memphis & Mississippi
Tourist Office Horstheider Weg 106a
D-33613 Bielefeld
Germany
(0521) 986 04 20.
http://www.memphis-mississippi.de
http://www.memphis-mississippi.de Knoxville Convention & Visitors Bureau
301 South Gay Street
US-37902 Knoxville, Tennessee
United States
(865) 523.72.63, (800) 727.80.45 (toll free within the US).
http://www.knoxville.org
http://www.knoxville.org Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau
One Nashville Place, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite G-250
US-37219 Nashville, Tennessee
United States
(615) 259.47.30, (800) 657.69.10 (toll free within the US).
http://www.visitmusiccity.com
http://www.visitmusiccity.com Great Smoky Mountains Association
107 Park Headquarters Road
US-37738 Gatlinburg, Tennessee
United States
(865) 436 12 01.
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/ index.htm Tennessee Tourism Germany

c/oc/o Textransfer Communications

(also responsible for Austria and Switzerland).

Horstheider Weg 106a
D-33613 Bielefeld
Germany
(0521) 986 04 15.
http://www.tennessee.de
http://www.tennessee.de

Attractions

• Usaers: Provides a full list of major rivers and mountains in Tennessee.

Nashville

Known as »Music City USA«, Nashville is famous for its good colleges, numerous churches and a faithful replica of the Greek Parthenon. The Country Music Hall of Fame (concert hall and museum) does credit to the music city. The entertainment offer is great – theatrical performances, concerts, night bars, ballet and opera, there is something for every taste. Of course, however, country and western music determines the calendar of events. Nashville is embedded in a charming hilly landscape and offers numerous possibilities for excursions and relaxation. Six national parks and major lakes are located within the city’s perimeter. Also worth visiting is The Hermitage, the former country residence of President Andrew Jackson with beautiful gardens.

Memphis

Memphis is the state’s largest city and a major commercial center. The city on the Mississippi owes its rise to cotton and its convenient location. In the last 20 years, the cityscape has changed a lot due to new construction projects. Victorian Village, the small old town district, is in the heart of downtown. The pretty homes give a glimpse of what Memphis looked like in the 19th century. The Fontaine House, the Magevney House (a quaint cottage built in 1831 with original pieces of furniture) and the Mallory-Neely House can be visited. The lively nightlife takes place above all in Overton Square and in the area sung about in many blues songsBeale Street, which was recently redeveloped. Here lived the father of the blues, WC Handy. A center of black culture and music arose at the legendary birthplace of the blues. The Chucalissa Indian Village (Mitchell Road), which had more than 1000 inhabitants between 900 and 1500, allows a glimpse into the past . Trips on the Mississippi with short “landing” on sandbanks are popular.

Country data

Area (sq km)

109150

Population

6,829,174

Population density (per square km)

60

Population statistics year

2019