Known as the Heart of Dixie, Alabama is nestled in the centre of the Deep South with Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida as its neighbours. It is an extremely diverse State, rich in history, culture and scenery. The North of the State is renowned for its amazing scenery of lakes, mountains, canyons and caves whilst the Gulf Coast is home to Mobile, one of the oldest cities in the US, and boasts miles of white sandy beaches. Mobile was colonised by the French in 1702 and is also home to the original Mardi Gras which is still
celebrated in the city every February.
The state is probably best known for its key role in Civil Rights. It was in Montgomery, Alabama’s capital, where the Civil Rights Movement under Martin Luther King made its most significant progress. The history of this movement can be followed in key museums and landmarks around the state, most notably in Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham. Alabama also has much musical heritage and is the birthplace and influence of some of the true greats such as WC Handy, Nat King Cole and Hank Williams. This musical heritage is celebrated across the state with a number of festivals.