Nashville in 2 Days: everything you need to know

Tennessee' s state capital is a city brimming with life and enthusiasm for music, dance and entertainment. Lose yourself in the many pubs along Broadway Street, enjoy a funky honky tonk bar, stroll along the Cumberland River or marvel at the extraordinary Nashville Parthenon. There's no shortage of fun things to do in this charming corner of the United States.

So, if you're short on time and want to enjoy all that this fantastic city has to offer, read on and I'll give you all the secrets to seeing Nashville's top spots in just two days.

To start your first day in the charming city of music, you'll visit the sprawling grounds of Centennial Park, Nashville's most important park, followed by a chance to enter the Ryman Auditorium, one of the city's most iconic buildings.

After your visit, you'll head to the bustling Farmer's Market, and after sampling the area's exquisite cuisine, you can finish your day with a stroll through the city centre and some of its most famous streets.

If you enjoy a day of long walks, you can take a tour of Nashville on foot, as the distance between the various attractions is not too long. However, if you prefer to visit the city more comfortably and quickly, you can take an uber, bus tour or a fun guided bike tour.

Start the day with a ride through Nashville's lungs

Centennial Park is the city's largest green space. This majestic urban park is not only known for its beautiful scenery, but also for its exhibitions, festivals and other activities. If you're travelling to Nashville with children, this is an ideal visit, as they're sure to have a blast running around the expansive lawns and playing in the grounds.

Be impressed by Nashville's imposing Parthenon

After a pleasant stroll through Centennial Park, a visit to the Nashville Parthenon, located inside the park, is a must. This amazing building is a life-size replica of the Parthenon of Athens itself and was built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition.

The construction was so successful that it was decided to keep it permanently, however, as it was not built with materials designed to last over time, the building had to be demolished in order to erect a new concrete version, which is the one we can see today. Inside there is a sculpture of the Goddess Athena, as in the original monument. It is now a museum and houses up to four art galleries with paintings by American artists.

• Where: Centennial Park, 2500 West End Avenue, Nashville.
• Hours: Monday to Thursday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Sundays from 12:30pm to 4:30pm.
• Price: to enter the Nashville Parthenon, general admission is approximately €10.

Pay a visit to the Ryman Auditorium

Just over half an hour's walk away is one of Nashville's most iconic buildings, the Ryman Auditorium, a large concert and performance hall built in 1892 that is considered one of the city's icons.

The Ryman Auditorium is known as the Mother Church of country music, as it was the site of the Grand Ole Opry, a weekly concert featuring new folk, country and gospel artists, which popularised country music and turned it into a million-dollar industry.

Today, to visit this hallowed temple of Nashville's musical history, there are two options. The first option would be to buy a ticket to one of the concerts that are still held there. The other is to take a tour of the interior of the building to learn about the history of this majestic venue.

Discover the relics of the traditional Farmer's Market

The Farmer's Market is a traditional market that has been in operation since 1837. Here you can find a huge variety of products such as fruit and vegetables, curious antiques and local crafts.

Nowadays, you can also enjoy its wide range of cafés and restaurants serving local food as well as food from all over the world. Once there, you will have the opportunity to visit one of the most legendary places in Nashville, buy a souvenir or even have a beer or a glass of wine in one of its stalls. And if you're lucky, you might even stumble upon one of the exhibitions and events that are often held there.

• Where: 900 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville.
• Hours: daily, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
• Price: Admission is free.

Enjoy local cuisine

Although there is no shortage of restaurants in downtown Nashville where you can enjoy a fantastic meal, since your time in the city is limited, I'm going to suggest a fun option that will give you the opportunity to sample the local cuisine in depth.

That's why I suggest you book a gastronomic walking tour of Nashville. Not only will you be able to sample dishes from some of the best restaurants in the area, but you'll also be guided through the city centre while they tell you interesting facts about the city, and if that wasn't enough, you'll finish the tour with a visit to a distillery where you can enjoy some of their delicious cocktails, among many other options.

Get to know the famous Broadway street and enter a honky-tonk bar

There's no better way to get to know a city than getting lost in its streets with a long walk. That's why the next plan I'm going to suggest is to explore its most famous area, Broadway Street. Visiting Broadway Street is an essential plan to do at night during your stay in Nashville. However, this street oozes with life at all hours of the day, as it is the most touristy area of the city because it is known as the mecca of country music.

And in this busy street, music can be found on every corner, as well as being full of young people, bars with lots of atmosphere and shops selling typical southern products such as cowboy boots. Broadway's venues are illuminated with brightly lit signs and inside you can listen to country, rock, blues, soul and live music shows.

However, the main attraction of this unique street is its honky-tonk bars. Honky-tonk bars are typical in the southern United States and are characterised by their country music theme. Some of the most notable honky-tonk bars in the area include Robert's Western World or Tootsies Orchid Lounge, but if you want to get an in-depth look at the city's most famous pubs, a great option would be to book a tour of Nashville's most famous pubs.

Enjoy dinner at Nashville's popular Hard Rock Café

If your stroll down Broadway and your visit to the original honky-tonk pubs was limited to a few beers, a great option for dinner would be to dine at the Hard Rock Café, which is just a few minutes away. The Hard Rock Café is a symbol of American food and is as much loved for its delicious cuisine as it is for its fun, music-themed , eye-catching décor.

For your second and final day in the fascinating city of Nashville I have prepared a tour that starts with a delicious American breakfast at one of the city's most famous coffee shops.

After a hearty tower of pancakes, you'll visit some of the city's most special neighbourhoods such as Music Row and The Gulch, and enter one of Nashville's most important museums, the Museum of Country. Finally, you'll take a fun cruise along the Cumberland River, which runs through the city.

Start your day with a delicious breakfast

You won't want to leave the USA without trying a typical American breakfast, which is why I encourage you to start your second day with a visit to The Pancake Pantry, one of Nashville's most famous coffee shops.

Tall towers of fluffy pancakes topped with syrup, cream, bacon, egg or any of the manytoppings available will start your day with energy and a full stomach.

• Where: 1796 21st Ave S, Nashville.
• Hours: Every day, 6:00 am to 3:00 pm.
• Price: Approximately €15 to €25 per person.

Get to know one of the city's most iconic neighbourhoods

After a hearty breakfast, I suggest you take a stroll to the Music Row area. This neighbourhood is known for being the epicentre of the country music industry and is home to numerous record labels, recording studios, radio stations and other music-related businesses.

Despite its appearance as a typical American residential neighbourhood made up of perfectly aligned houses and gardens whose lawns are always pristine, this corner of the city is home to such emblematic places as the well-known Historic RCA Studio B, where artists such as Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley have recorded their songs.

Discover the history of country music in a very special museum

To continue your tour, the next place to head to is the legendary Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. This museum is entirely dedicated, as its name suggests, to country music, and here you can learn about the history of the origins of this musical genre and its importance in the United States.

Today, it is one of Nashville's main attractions, as the city is particularly well known for its musical history. In addition, the museum has a number of interactive exhibits that will make the experience fun and interesting, even if you're not a big country music fan.

Visit the innovative The Gulch

The Gulch is a unique, industrial-looking neighbourhood that in recent years has re-emerged as one of the city's most vibrant areas. The Gulch is also home to hundreds of trendy luxury boutiques and innovative, cutting-edge restaurants.

Once there, I encourage you to take the opportunity to sample the cuisine of its acclaimed gastronomic venues, as well as stroll the streets and visit some of its most famous live music venues, such as the well-known The Station Inn. Another interesting visit to make in The Gulch is to the Frist Art Museum, which is housed in a beautiful art deco building that hosts numerous exhibitions, lectures and film screenings.

Say goodbye to Nashville with a pleasant stroll along the Cumberland River

One of the best places to enjoy views of the Cumberland River is from the John Seigenthaler Bridge. From there, you'll be able to admire Nashville' s skyline to perfection and have the chance to see some of its most iconic buildings, such as the Batman Building.

Another option for enjoying the expansive river is to relax in one of the grassy parks along its banks. However, the plan I suggest to say goodbye to this fantastic city is to take a dinner cruise on the Cumberland River, especially if you're travelling to Nashville during the summer months.

The boat you'll take is the General Jackson Showboat, an impressive vessel designed to recreate the showboats that plied the waters of America's rivers during the 19th century. Along the way, you can admire views of the city while enjoying a delicious dinner and listening to a live orchestra.