A city of music, food and soul, New Orleans blends centuries of rich history with a
vibrant modern spirit. From the lively streets of the French Quarter to the flavours of
Cajun and Creole cuisine, this is a place where every corner has a story to tell.
City Guide: New Orleans
There is a certain magic to New Orleans.
Known affectionately as The Big Easy, this city
beats to its own rhythm. A tapestry of
cultures—French, Spanish, African and
Caribbean—are stitched together with music,
food and celebration. In the French Quarter,
Creole townhouses with lacy iron balconies
stand as elegant sentinels of history, while the
sounds of jazz float down Bourbon Street, as
alive today as they were a century ago.
Whether you are sipping a café au lait
beneath Spanish moss in the Garden District
or hopping aboard the Riverfront Streetcar,
New Orleans is a city with a deep heritage but
a heartbeat that is unmistakeably modern.
MUST-SEES:
The heart of New Orleans is the French
Quarter, the city's oldest neighbourhood,
where narrow streets are lined with
18th-century Creole townhouses, hidden
courtyards and gas lanterns that flicker day
and night. At its centre is Jackson Square,
overlooked by the striking St. Louis Cathedral
and surrounded by galleries and street
performers. Nearby Bourbon Street buzzes
with live music and nightlife, a lively homage
to the city's title as the birthplace of jazz.
Just beyond the Quarter, take a ride on the
historic Riverfront Streetcar along the
Mississippi River, or explore the charming
Garden District with its grand mansions, leafy
avenues and famously ornate cemeteries. Art
lovers should venture to Bywater and the
Marigny, where street art and colour-splashed
houses reflect the city's creative pulse.
History echoes at every turn, from the
National WWII Museum to the hauntingly
C I T Y G U I D E
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beautiful Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. For a
breath of fresh air, City Park offers a serene
escape with its ancient oak trees, botanical
garden and lakes. Alternatively, join a river
cruise along the Mississippi aboard an
authentic paddlewheeler and take in the city's
skyline from the water—an experience that
captures the romance and spirit of New
Orleans from a new perspective. You might
also time your visit with one of the city's many
festivals, from French Quarter Fest to Satchmo
SummerFest, when music, food and
community spirit fill every street and square.
GASTRONOMY:
New Orleans is a city that speaks through its
food. A melting pot of cultures and flavours, it
is the birthplace of Cajun and Creole cuisine—
bold, spicy, and soul-satisfying. Classic dishes
Streetcars in New Orleans,
Louisiana, United States.
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