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New Orleans. New Orleans: attractions and our impressions Visiting New Orleans traveler stories

Top 10 New Orleans Attractions

1. French Quarter

The French Quarter of New Orleans is a tourist magnet that attracts tourists from all over the world. Built alongBend along the Mississippi River, the French Quarter is also a major historical landmark in New Orleans thanks to its well-preserved colonial architecture.Old buildings, some dating back to the 17th century, show French influence in architecture on the American continent, with arcades, wrought-iron balconies, red tile roofs and picturesque courtyards. Many buildings now containhotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and art galleries.

Official site:http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com

2. National WWII Museum

The National World War II Museum is an outstanding military - historical museum, which in an interesting interactive form tells the history of the Second World War, involving exhibits, samples of weapons and historical documents . Founded in 2000, it was appointed US Congress as America's official World War II museum, itssupportsSmithsonian Institution.

The museum is divided into three sections, the first sectiondedicated to the war Pacific Ocean, the second focuses on the war in the European theater, and the third section features wartime aircraft. The museum is located incentral business districtNew Orleans on Andrew Higgins Drive.

Official site:http://www.nationalww2museum.org


3. Preservation Hall

Preservation Hall is a true gem on a New Orleans sightseeing tour and one of the city's most atmospheric attractions. In this seemingly unpresentable building, behind shabby doors, a real miracle was happening, which resulted in magnificent music - jazz, the birthplace of which is New Orleans. If you are a music lover, and especially jazz, then this place is a must visit.


4. Jackson Square

Jackson Square - historical park in the heartFrench QuarterV New Orleans. In the center of the square, surrounded by trees and greenery, stands an equestrian statue of General Andrew Jackson, placed on a pedestal in 1856. The park is dominated by the beautiful building of Saint-Louis Cathedral, with a white façade and cone-shaped spiers. Also in close proximity to cathedral are the state museums of Louisiana.


5. Cabildo (Cabildo New Orleans)

The Cabildo, which means council, is the City Hall of New Orleans. City Hall is located to the left of St. Louis Cathedral, in front of Jackson Square. It was built in 1795 as the residence of the Spanish governor. Notable as a historic building for the museum and its outstanding collection. The first city council met here in 1799, then it housed the Louisiana Supreme Court, but today the Cabildo is home to State Museum Louisiana. The museum's collection focuses primarily on the history of New Orleans and Louisiana. City Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


6. City Park

New Orleans City Park covers more than 1,300 hectares and contains many interesting tourist attractions, including Botanical Garden, New Orleans Museum of Art and Sculpture Garden. Of particular interest to children is the Carousel Park, amusement garden, story land and water park. There are also tennis courts and an 18-hole golf course within the park. The highlight of the park is the oak grove in which some trees are over 800 years old.


7. Natchez (Steamboat Natchez)

A truly interesting experience can be a cruise on paddle steamer- Natchez, these are the kind of paddle steamers that sailed along the Mississippi in the 17th and 18th centuries. A steamship cruise is a great way to experience the Mississippi River and a unique opportunity to look at New Orleans from a different angle, and for photographers, the opportunity to capture a panoramic view of the city. The river cruise takes two hours, during which there will be a live jazz band and a buffet.


8. Mardi Gras

New Orleans is famous throughout the world for its lavish celebrations - Mardi Gras, a carnival that attracts people from all over the world who come here to enjoy the festivities. During the excursion, you can go behind the scenes of this holiday and see how world-famous dolls are made. Enter the hangars of Blaine Kern Studios, one of the leading manufacturers of large dolls in the world and actively involved in the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans every year. Visitors will be able to see sculpted props, huge puppets, extravagant costumes and figures of all kinds.


9. New Orleans Museum of Art

At the southern end of City Park is the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the best of its kind in the south. The museum has an excellent collection of French and American art, as well as quite a decent amount of African and Japanese art. The museum's permanent collection represents more than 40,000 objects, from the Italian Renaissance to the modern era.

The museum is known for its collection of European and American works, including works by Degas, Monet, Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Pissarro, Rodin, Gauguin, Braque, Dufy, Miró, Jackson Pollock, Mary Cassatt and Georgia O'Keeffe. The museum presents a comprehensive overview of French art, including several important works by the French impressionist Edgar Degas, who lived with his mother's family in New Orleans between 1871 and 1872.


10. Aquarium of the Americas

Along the downtown waterfront, a short walk from the French Quarter, lies one of the largest aquariums in North America - Aquarium of North and South America. He focuses on species found in North, Central and South America.


Oddly enough, some cities in America could well be considered European. New Orleans, for example, was founded by the French, and for a short time it was ruled by the Spaniards. This influence is hard to miss. Once here, you will probably notice buildings made in architectural styles that are characteristic of Europe. Many dishes will also certainly remind you of European cuisine. Even the name of the city is directly related to the name of the French regent.


But the city cannot be called completely European, if only because it was founded by a Canadian, which took place in 1718. At first, French convicts lived here, which affected the general atmosphere. Today, the largest city in Louisiana, surrounded by the Mississippi River, the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Pontchartrain, is home to about 400 thousand people. By the way, the most famous building of modern architects is the bridge over Lake Pontchartrain. Its length is 38.5 km, it is considered the longest of its kind.


Somehow, it has long been a tradition that in New Orleans there is a spirit of freedom, ease of perception of what is happening, hence the second name The Big Easy and, in fact, the third - “Carefree City”. There is plenty of entertainment for adults: clubs, the best alcoholic cocktails, casinos and music. Various festivals, noisy celebrations and parades are held here. Many people are familiar with the carnival called “Mardi Gras”. But, above all, New Orleans will be interesting for its architecture, history and unusual atmosphere. Now I will tell you about the main attractions.

Sights of New Orleans

There are plenty of interesting places in the city; most of the attractions are concentrated in the “French Quarter” - the oldest and most famous area of ​​the city. It is full of small shops, restaurants, clubs and museums. By the way, the most interesting way to explore the city is while riding on the famous tram, the oldest in the country.


It plays no less a role than the tram in the city of San Francisco or Lisbon. You should start your trip to New Orleans from its most famous street.


Bourbon Street

You probably guessed in whose honor it got its name (that’s right, the Bourbon dynasty is immortalized in it). Sting himself sang about Bourbon Street.


It decorates the French Quarter of New Orleans and in the evenings becomes a kind of door to the world of all kinds of entertainment. Already at 20 o'clock, car traffic ends here and the active life of pedestrians begins. This is a place for recreation for indigenous people, visitors and tourists.


Jackson Square

In the very center of the French Quarter is General Jackson Square (formerly Army Square). Its cast-iron fences and gardens have been perfectly preserved since the mid-19th century. Of course, the monument to Jackson himself, seated on a rearing horse, catches the eye.

The square has become a concentration of the creative layer; it is a kind of Parisian Montmartre - a place where musicians, artists and simple people to enjoy art.


Every day a completely unique group of acrobats performs here, and this is not counting musicians of all genres, not just jazz.

Cathedral of Saint Louis

Speaking about the main attractions of New Orleans, one cannot help but recall St. Louis Cathedral (above in the photo). This is a building with three spiers that towers over the city. By the way, it is often from here that tourists look at the Jackson statue; it is clearly visible. Saint-Louis Cathedral dates back to 1727.

In this temple, children of noble people were baptized, funeral services were held for famous personalities, and couples were married. Unfortunately, the building completely burned down at the end of the 18th century, and a completely new one appeared in its place.

One of the ancient architectural monuments is the Saint-Louis cemetery. Its history is shrouded in a mass of legends and traditions, according to one of which the famous voodoo queen Marie Laveau was buried in this cemetery. She is better known to a wide circle of people as the “Queen of Voodoo.” Laveau’s grave is located in the old city cemetery and serves as a center of attraction for thousands of curious travelers. Many come to the grave to receive advice from the powerful Mary, others charge their amulets here and ask to be endowed with mystical powers. The house of Mary Laveau has also been preserved in the city; many interesting legends and mysterious beliefs are also associated with it. Despite the fact that more than a hundred years have passed since the death of the Voodoo queen, local residents they believe that her spirit is invisibly present in the city and maintains its power over it.

Since then, the cemetery has gained a bad reputation; walking through it alone is strongly discouraged.

A significant difference between local burials is the location of the tombs: they are not under, but above the ground, because groundwater in New Orleans often floods it.


Royal Street

Royal Street is one of the most charming streets in the French Quarter.

At the beginning of the colonial era, this was the financial center of the city, as well as its most important street. Today, this picturesque street is filled with antique shops where you can buy massive inlaid cabinets, furniture decorated with gilded bronze, and crystal candelabra - items of luxurious southern life.

Avenue St. Charles

It contains historical mansions that are absolutely unique in beauty, in which the most prestigious families in the city once lived. Here, each house has its own unique story.

French market

No less striking landmark of New Orleans. A great place for everyone who wants to buy something to remember their trip to the Carefree City. Naturally, the greatest demand is for home-made items: wicker baskets, household utensils, furniture and toys for children. There are also a number of shops located here, in total there are more than 30.

The French market also has open trading areas where farmers offer their products for sale. People are no less interested in environmentally friendly products than crafts. You know that being in Amsterdam and not tasting herring would be strange, just like not tasting cheese in the Swiss capital and drinking freshly brewed beer in Berlin.

In addition, the French market often becomes the venue for various festivals (tomato, for example), and harvest festivals.


Jazz club "Preservation Hall"

New Orleans is a very musical city. Jazz is associated with it in the same way that Salzburg is associated with the classical compositions of Mozart, and Argentine Buenos Aires with tango. It was thanks to blues, jazz and zydeco that white and black people lived in peace. Louis Armstrong was born in this city (by the way, the airport was named after him), and the Jazz and Heritage Festival is held here.

But the Preservation Hall jazz club can with full confidence be called one of the legendary attractions of New Orleans. Even if you're not a jazz fan, it's worth checking out. This is a small building, designed for 125 people, but in practice it can accommodate much more. True music fans are not embarrassed by the not very attractive conditions: the lack of a free table and chair. You will be invited to touch early jazz, to be in its power for 4 hours, and the oldest musicians (many under 80 years old) will be your guides into its world. This is jazz almost from the horse's mouth.

When modern music lovers talk about real American jazz, they mean exactly the music that appeared at the end of the 19th century in New Orleans. Buddy Bolden is considered the founder of the musical movement. He was born and raised in New Orleans, worked as a barber all his life and ran a small bar where he liked to gather with friends. It was the bar that became the venue for the first jazz evenings, and in 1893 Buddy created his own jazz group, Buddy Bolden’s Ragtime Band, which subsequently existed for 14 years and won praise from thousands of fans.

Another interesting feature of New Orleans that not all travelers know about is the Second Line street festival, which takes place in the city every two weeks. If you find out the time of the next festival in advance, you can turn your vacation into an unforgettable event. The festivals are incredibly colorful, noisy and literally cover the entire city. They are always attended by street food vendors and musicians, street performers and dancers who choose the most incredible costumes for the event. Walking through the streets of New Orleans with a crowd of people singing and having fun is perhaps one of the most incredible experiences.

Where else to go in New Orleans

There are many museums in the city. If you are interested in sculpture and painting, then welcome to the New Orleans Museum Of Art; you can get acquainted with the history of the black population at the New Orleans African American Museum. Anyone who cares about this topic will probably be interested in the African American Museum in Philadelphia. And if you like something more modern, then do not pass by the wax museum; it is not only in the capital of Great Britain (called Musee Conti Wax Museum).

You can take a break from noisy parties, holidays and bustle in New Orleans City Park - a city park in New Orleans. It is already a century and a half old; fortunately, the park was restored after Hurricane Katrina. An equally picturesque place is the Botanical Garden.

You can see representatives of the local underwater fauna at the Aquarium of Americas. On Adventure Island you will even see animals up close, and sometimes you are allowed to touch them.

Sports fans should check out the equestrian center, golf courses and, of course, the New Orleans Arena, a sports complex designed for almost 20 thousand people.

The new part of the city also has many interesting places. It is recommended to visit the new Zoo and stroll through Audubon Park, visit the business district with its unique glass office buildings, and stroll through the picturesque Warehouse and St. Charles Avenue neighborhoods. Cultural activities include excursions to the Louisiana State Museum and the New Orleans Museum of Art, which always host fascinating exhibitions.

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There are also several notable historical sites in the New Orleans area. These include a place called Chalmette, where the battle for the city took place in 1815, led by the famous General Andrew Jackson. The city also boasts an abundance of natural attractions; there are many attractive parks and gardens on its territory, there is an excellent Botanical Garden, and in the surrounding area you can find untouched nature reserves.

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A separate trip - through the swamps of Louisiana on a propeller boat, along wild rivers, lakes and channels, where there are a lot of alligators, and there are plenty of other wild animals and birds of the most incredible colors. Moreover, you can, if you wish, take such a tour not only during the day, but also at night, and watch the animals hiding in the darkness of the thickets with the help of a flashlight.

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Not far from the city there is one of the ancient plantations - Oak Alley. Here everything, both outside and inside the main estate and houses, remains the same as it was back in the 18th century. And not only in the houses of the owners, where the interior of all the rooms has been brilliantly preserved, but you will also see the houses in which black slaves lived, and much more. It was on this plantation that the famous film “Gone with the Wind” was filmed.

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About an hour's drive from New Orleans is another famous and visited plantation called Laura. It was named after its longtime resident Laura Locul-Gore, who wrote memoirs about Everyday life on the plantation, its inhabitants and the fate of relatives. It is thanks to her memoirs that many details and details from the life of planters and slaves of that time have been preserved.

During the prosperous years of the plantation, the number of slaves grew. In addition to the slaves who worked in the fields, there were also personal slaves of each planter who helped them with the housework. The price of slaves is indicated here depending on age, gender, and health status.

Slaves brought the cult of voodoo with them to America. Here they enriched it with elements of Catholicism and worshiped it completely. Quite often, animal sacrifices were made, people were treated using blood, herbs and other rituals. Laura's memories say that when the slaves wanted to cause harm or even death to a person, they sprinkled a mixture of an unknown white powder, chicken feathers and hair in front of that person's door.

The amazingly beautiful gardens on the plantation territory have still been preserved.

New Orleans is a city in the southern United States, The largest city state of Louisiana. As of 2013, the population of New Orleans is 378 thousand people. In total, more than 1.3 million people live in the New Orleans region.

New Orleans is located on the banks of the Mississippi, 170 km from where the river flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The city is surrounded on three sides by water (Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi River, Lake Pontchartrain). However, most of New Orleans lies below or at sea level.

New Orleans is at great risk from possible hurricanes and floods. The city suffered a catastrophic blow in 2005 when 80% of the city was flooded during Hurricane Katrina. Tens of thousands of people lost their homes and were forced to leave the city. Many of them decided not to return. A year after the disaster, only 223 thousand people were counted in New Orleans, which is half as many as before Hurricane Katrina. The city has not yet fully recovered from the consequences of the flood.



New Orleans is an important transport hub and distribution center, and its port infrastructure plays an important role. The Port of New Orleans, as well as the nearby Port of South Louisiana, is one of the largest and busiest port systems in the United States. The multifunctional Port of New Orleans not only serves container traffic, but also receives numerous cruise and tourist ships.

The economy of New Orleans is largely related to maritime affairs. There are many shipbuilding, logistics and transport companies in the region. New Orleans is also a center for the oil refining and petrochemical industries. In Louisiana, in particular, on platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, a large number of oil, which is processed at numerous enterprises in the region. Tourism is an important sector of New Orleans' economy.

The region's main airport, Louis Armstrong International Airport, is located in the suburb of Kenner.


The racial makeup of New Orleans as of 2013 is:

  • African Americans - 58.9%
  • white - 30.9%
  • Hispanics of any race - 5.5%
  • Asians - 3.0%
  • mixed races - 1.4%

Crime is considered a major problem in New Orleans. It is worth noting that the issue is most acute in certain poor areas hidden from the eyes of tourists.

The Big Easy - "Big Easy" is the most common nickname for New Orleans. The origin of the nickname is unknown for sure, however, it emphasizes the free atmosphere of the city, the carefreeness and ease of perception of the surrounding world by residents.

New Orleans has a reputation as a city where you can easily find any kind of "adult" entertainment. The city is known for its club life, availability of alcohol, music, casinos, and large gay community. But besides this, New Orleans is home to historical districts, interesting architecture, museums, shopping, festivals, parades, and vibrant holidays. The most famous and popular holiday is the Mardi Gras carnival. Tours in the surrounding area (plantations, swamps) and various cruise options may also be of interest.



A recognizable symbol of the city - the Statue of Andrew Jackson against the backdrop of St. Louis Cathedral

The main street of New Orleans is Magazine Street. Other important streets of the city are Canal Street, St. Charles Avenue, Bourborn Street, Rampart Street.

Neighborhoods of New Orleans

French Quater (“French Quarter”, often simply “Quater”) is the oldest and most famous district of the city, filled with museums, restaurants, clubs and interesting shops.



Popular French Quarter attractions:

  • Bourborn Street
  • Jackson Square
  • Cathedral of St. Louis Cathedral
  • French Market
  • Preservation Hall
  • Former New Orleans Mint
  • Saint Louis Cemetery
  • Contemporary Arts Center Museum
  • New Orleans Museum of Art
  • Ogden Museum of Southern Art

Central Business District is a typical downtown, central business district of the city. There are high-rise hotels, prestigious restaurants, and several important museums here.

Uptown is a residential area partially built up with old buildings. Uptown is home to the Audubon Zoo.

Faubourg Marigny is a bohemian neighborhood east of the French Quarter, known for its vibrant nightlife.

Treme is a historic neighborhood adjacent to the French Quarter.


The climate in New Orleans is humid subtropical. Summers are hot, humid with high rainfall. The average daily temperature in July is 28 C. Winters in New Orleans are usually mild, the average daily temperature in January is 11 C. Snow falls extremely rarely. Hurricane season runs from June to November. Best time for visiting New Orleans from the end of November to the first half of June.

Oddly enough, some cities in America could well be considered European. New Orleans, for example, was founded by the French, and for a short time it was ruled by the Spaniards. This influence is hard to miss. Once here, you will probably notice buildings made in architectural styles that are characteristic of Europe. Many dishes will also certainly remind you of European cuisine. Even the name of the city is directly related to the name of the French regent.

But the city cannot be called completely European, if only because it was founded by a Canadian, which took place in 1718. At first, French convicts lived here, which affected the general atmosphere. Today, the largest city in Louisiana, surrounded by the Mississippi River, the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Pontchartrain, is home to about 400 thousand people.

Somehow, it has long been a tradition that in New Orleans there is a spirit of freedom, ease of perception of what is happening, hence the second name The Big Easy and, in fact, the third - “Carefree City”. There is plenty of entertainment for adults: clubs, casinos and music. Various festivals, noisy celebrations and parades are held here. Many people are familiar with the carnival called “Mardi Gras”. But, above all, New Orleans will be interesting for its architecture, history and unusual atmosphere. Now I will tell you about the main attractions.

Sights of New Orleans

There are plenty of interesting places in the city; most of the attractions are concentrated in the “French Quarter” - the oldest and most famous area of ​​the city. It is full of small shops, restaurants, clubs and museums. By the way, the most interesting way to explore the city is while riding on the famous tram, the oldest in the country.

It plays no less a role than the tram in or. You should start your trip to New Orleans from its most famous street.

Bourbon Street

You probably guessed in whose honor it got its name (that’s right, the Bourbon dynasty is immortalized in it). Sting himself sang about Bourbon Street.

It decorates the French Quarter of New Orleans and in the evenings becomes a kind of door to the world of all kinds of entertainment. Already at 20 o'clock, car traffic ends here and the active life of pedestrians begins. This is a place for recreation for indigenous people, visitors and tourists.

Jackson Square

In the very center of the French Quarter is General Jackson Square (formerly Army Square). Its cast-iron fences and gardens have been perfectly preserved since the mid-19th century. Of course, the monument to Jackson himself, seated on a rearing horse, catches the eye.

The square has become a concentration of the creative layer; it is a unique place where musicians, artists and ordinary people gather to enjoy art.

Cathedral of Saint Louis

Speaking about the main attractions of New Orleans, one cannot help but remember St. Louis Cathedral, especially since you just saw it in the photo. This is a building with three spiers that towers over the city. By the way, it is often from here that tourists look at the Jackson statue; it is clearly visible. Saint-Louis Cathedral dates back to 1727.

In this temple, children of noble people were baptized, funeral services were held for famous personalities, and couples were married. Unfortunately, the building completely burned down at the end of the 18th century, and a completely new one appeared in its place.

French market

No less striking landmark of New Orleans. A great place for everyone who wants to buy something to remember their trip to the Carefree City. Naturally, the greatest demand is for home-made items: wicker baskets, household utensils, furniture and toys for children. There are also a number of shops located here, in total there are more than 30.

The French market also has open trading areas where farmers offer their products for sale. People are no less interested in environmentally friendly products than crafts. You remember that it would be strange to be and not taste the herring, just as it would be strange not to taste the cheese in and drink freshly brewed beer in.

In addition, the French market often becomes the venue for various festivals (tomato, for example), and harvest festivals.

Jazz club "Preservation Hall"

At the beginning I already said that New Orleans is a very musical city. Jazz is associated with him in the same way as with the classical compositions of Mozart, but with tango. It was thanks to blues, jazz and zydeco that white and black people lived in peace. Louis Armstrong was born in this city (by the way, the airport was named after him), and the Jazz and Heritage Festival is held here.

But the Preservation Hall jazz club can with full confidence be called one of the legendary attractions of New Orleans. Even if you're not a jazz fan, it's worth checking out. This is a small building designed for 125 people, but in practice it can accommodate much more. True music fans are not embarrassed by the not very attractive conditions: the lack of a free table and chair. You will be invited to touch early jazz, to be in its power for 4 hours, and the oldest musicians (many under 80 years old) will be your guides into its world. This is jazz almost from the horse's mouth.

Where else to go in New Orleans

There are many museums in the city. If you are interested in sculpture and painting, then welcome to the New Orleans Museum Of Art; you can get acquainted with the history of the black population at the New Orleans African American Museum. Those who care about this topic will probably be interested in the African-American museum. And if you like something more modern, then don’t pass by the wax museum, it’s not only in (called Musee Conti Wax Museum) .

You can take a break from noisy parties, holidays and bustle in New Orleans City Park - a city park in New Orleans. It is already a century and a half old; fortunately, the park was restored after Hurricane Katrina. An equally picturesque place is the Botanical Garden.

You can look at representatives of the local underwater fauna at the Aquarium of Americas, which is no less interesting than. On Adventure Island you will even see animals up close, and sometimes you are allowed to touch them.

Sports fans should check out the equestrian center, golf courses and, of course, the New Orleans Arena, a sports complex designed for almost 20 thousand people.

I hope the Big Easy made an impression on you.

Now take a look at the sights of this city with your favorite presenters. I'm sure you'll add to your impressions.

Heads and Tails New Orleans

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New Orleans - unique phenomenon, a city unlike any other in America. A place where cultures, music and lifestyles of different nationalities are successfully combined. A cheerful, never-sleeping city in the very south of the United States of America.

Through the pages of history

The history of New Orleans began with its founding by two Frenchmen who arrived on these lands in 1699 to explore the Mississippi River.

Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville founded a settlement in the swamps between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain in 1719, naming it after the French regent Philip II of Orléans.

The first inhabitants were the French and the African slaves they brought.


The subtropical hot climate and swampy terrain complicated living conditions, and prosperity did not come.

In 1762, the French, tired of economic failures, transferred these lands to the Spaniards, who in turn returned them back to their original owners by the beginning of the 19th century. The French Emperor sold New Orleans to the Americans in 1803. By this time, the bulk of the population were Creoles.
The Americans managed the settlement better than the French and Spaniards, and after 40 years New Orleans became the fourth largest city in America and a major center of the slave trade.

After the defeat of the Confederacy in Civil War the slaves were freed, and New Orleans received a new round of development and became a thriving industrial center and the largest seaport in the United States.


History has left its mark on literally everything that is here. New Orleans has preserved ancient architecture brought by the French and Spanish.

Despite the fact that in 2005 Hurricane Katrina destroyed almost all the buildings, they were reconstructed and rebuilt.

Today, just like one hundred and fifty years ago, tourists can stroll through the old French Quarter in the center or ride in a horse-drawn carriage along the stone streets.


New Orleans today is a colorful mixture unusual people, all kinds of musical styles, gastronomic preferences and outlook on life.

It’s worth coming to the USA even just to visit New Orleans. The local atmosphere is filled with charm and love for life, there is a scent of leisure in the air and music is heard everywhere.

Endless open-air cafes invite you to sit in the shade of the awnings and drink coffee. Musicians are located next to the open verandas of the establishments, right on the sidewalks.

New Orleans is a gastronomic paradise

New Orleans cuisine is considered the best and most delicious in America - a French base combined with ingredients added by settlers from different countries peace. The Spaniards introduced onions, red bell peppers and celery. Italians love canned tomatoes. Natives of African countries and the Caribbean islands - hot peppers and spices.

Traditional dishes are thick soups and stews in numerous variations:

- gumbo - a thick soup with Creole spices, similar to a stew, consisting of vegetables with meat, chicken or seafood, made thick with French roux sauce;
- Jambalaya - a rice-based dish, similar to pilaf, with ham, fish or seafood added to it;
- Étouffée - rice with crayfish or seafood.

In expensive restaurants you can try deliciously prepared seafood, especially oysters.

The waiters, middle-aged people, have the mannerisms of royal butlers.

The interiors of many establishments are distinguished by sophistication and colorful style. In almost every one of them, eating takes place to the accompaniment of a musical group.

The French cafe Du Monde is popular among the local population - it serves only delicious coffee and beignets with powdered sugar.

It’s interesting that in these latitudes, alligators are bred like poultry in our country. You can try its meat in any even small cafe, or buy it in a supermarket and grill it yourself with spicy tomato sauce. Bread is baked mainly on the basis of corn flour.

The famous K-Paul's Restaurant serves the freshest ingredients purchased early in the morning from the local market, so the restaurant's menu is seasonal and depends on the morning's catch.

You can get a special pleasure by visiting the old French market, where food is sold in abundance and a huge selection of sauces, fairs are held and, of course, you can try many traditional Creole and Cajun dishes and again listen to fiery jazz tunes.

The birthplace of jazz

The music of this area is a separate story, just like the cuisine.

New Orleans is the cradle of jazz music; jazz, the most beautiful musical style in the world, was born here.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a new direction, which absorbed the folklore of people from different countries, blues, ragtime and brass orchestra music, took shape, and jazz appeared. Louis Armstrong and Joe "King" Oliver presented their first performances to New Orleans audiences. Local jazz orchestras are endless. In this city everyone plays music everywhere.

In the spring, you can visit the annual jazz festival “Jazz and Heritage Festival”, in which the best musicians from all over the world take part.

Night streets, entertainment and attractions

The only structure that survived the destruction of Katrina was the bridge. This is the longest bridge in the USA, its length is 38 km.

The bridge has become a symbol of the city's resilience.

It's definitely worth driving through to experience. unforgettable feeling infinity.

The central street of New Orleans is Bourbon Street, a kind of analogue of the Red Light District in Amsterdam. In the evening, all the tourists of the city and the most fun and unusual (to understand what is hidden behind this definition, you need to come here and see with your own eyes) residents of the city gather on this street.

Various melodies are heard from all sides, artists of all possible genres perform on the sidewalks, people dance and have a free time.

All Bourbon Street establishments are open until the morning, and the musicians do not get tired until dawn.

On this street you can find “adult entertainment”.

New Orleans, which has a large African-American population, is the center of voodoo culture. As the sorcerers themselves say, voodoo is a religion that unites the souls of people and restores self-respect. In addition to many shops selling various souvenirs, there is a museum of this culture in New Orleans.

The Mississippi is the “big river” - one of the largest in the world, in the delta of which New Orleans is located, flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain's heroes lived on the banks of the Mississippi. They enter the port huge ships international cruise companies, but tourists will be interested in breathing the air of the old city and taking a ride on the ancient wooden paddle steamer “Delta Queen” along the river; it’s nice that the walk will be free.

A special festival held here annually is the winter-spring festival “Mardi Gras” (French Mardi gras), an analogue of our Orthodox Maslenitsa. Mardi Gras is a celebration of welcoming spring. Crowded processions with horse-drawn floats and people in all kinds of costumes take to the streets of the city in the French Quarter.

Boat excursions into the Mississippi swamps, fishing, river walks, museums, very good art galleries, markets and old quarters, restaurants, festivals, fairs, music events, visiting cathedrals and city architecture...

New Orleans is a place whose attractions and all the directions “where you can go and what to see” are impossible to list, because by the time you get there, something new will appear there.

Most American cities have nicknames that reflect characteristics one place or another. The nickname of New Orleans is “The Big Easy” - an untranslatable combination into Russian, hinting at the free atmosphere on the streets and the carefree flow of life in this entertainment center, which does not leave anyone indifferent.

New Orleans fills you completely, and impressions of it never leave your memory.