Atlanta is the capital of the U.S. state of Georgia. With more than six million residents in the metro and outlying areas, Atlanta continues to experience explosive growth thanks to domestic transplants and international immigrants alike. Beyond the big-ticket Downtown attractions you will find a collection of excellent restaurants, a real Hollywood influence (Atlanta is a hugely popular film-production center) and iconic African American history. That last point can't be overstated: any nationwide African American intellectual, political and artistic movement you can mention either had its genesis in Atlanta, or found a center of gravity here.

Without natural boundaries to control development, it's fair to say Atlanta is more a region than a city. Yet for all its sprawl and suburbanization, there is a lovely urban core covered with trees – some 36% of the city to be exact, making it one of the most densely forested cities in the US.

Martin Luther King Jr, the quintessential figure of the Civil Rights movement and arguably America's greatest leader, was born and raised in Atlanta. He remains one of the most respected figures of the 20th century and is Atlanta's quintessential African American hero.

Atlanta is a quirky and cultured metroplex, with world-class museums, theater and arts. The economy is strong, the population is young and creative, and the social scene is diverse. Distinct neighborhoods are like friendly small towns, common with pristinely preserved historic homes and thoroughfares of hip bars, cozy coffee shops and independent shopping. The food would be either classic Southern eats such as pecan pie, fried chicken and pimento cheese; innovative, chef-driven New American foodie haunts; or ethnic holes-in-the-wall.