New Orleans was French, then Spanish, then French again before it became American, and every one of those chapters left its mark. It gave the world jazz, it throws the biggest carnival in the United States, and it eats and drinks like nowhere else in the country. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about New Orleans
- A French foundation: the city was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville and named after the Duke of Orléans, who was then ruling France as regent.
- A French Quarter built by the Spanish: Louisiana passed to Spain in the 1760s, and two great fires in 1788 and 1794 destroyed most of the old town. Most of what you see there today, with its courtyards and iron balconies, dates from the Spanish era.
- Where the Louisiana Purchase was sealed: the United States bought Louisiana from Napoleon in 1803, and the formal transfer took place in the Cabildo, the old town hall next to St Louis Cathedral.
- The oldest streetcar line in the world: the St Charles line opened in 1835 and is the oldest continuously operating street railway in the world.
- The birthplace of jazz: jazz grew up in New Orleans around 1900, out of brass bands, blues, ragtime and church music. Louis Armstrong was born here in 1901, and the city's airport is named after him.
- Carnival with a 19th-century pedigree: the Mystick Krewe of Comus held the first themed Mardi Gras night parade in 1857. Today dozens of krewes parade before Lent, throwing beads and trinkets to the crowds.
- Cities of the dead: much of New Orleans lies at or below sea level, and its historic cemeteries are full of above-ground tombs. St Louis Cemetery No. 1, opened in 1789, is the oldest that survives.
- An official cocktail: in 2008 the Louisiana legislature named the Sazerac, made with rye whiskey, sugar, Peychaud's bitters and a rinse of absinthe, the official cocktail of New Orleans.
- Coffee and doughnuts since 1862: Café du Monde, on the edge of Jackson Square, has been serving coffee with chicory and beignets since 1862.
- A city that came back: when the levees failed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, about 80 per cent of the city was flooded. The French Quarter, built on higher ground near the river, stayed largely dry.
The legend of Marie Laveau
Marie Laveau, born in 1801 and died in 1881, was a free woman of colour who worked as a hairdresser and became the city's most famous Voodoo priestess. Her clients, the story goes, ranged from servants to judges, and told her their secrets while she did their hair. Legend says she led great ceremonies by Bayou St John on St John's Eve. Her tomb in St Louis Cemetery No. 1 became a place of pilgrimage, and visitors began to scratch crosses into it in the hope of a wish being granted. The damage grew so serious that the cemetery can now only be visited on a guided tour.
The French Quarter, explained
The French Quarter, or Vieux Carré, is the original city laid out by the French in a grid by the river. At its heart is Jackson Square, the old parade ground, with St Louis Cathedral, one of the oldest cathedrals in continuous use in the United States, flanked by the Cabildo and the Presbytère. Bourbon Street is known for its bars and music, while Royal Street is quieter, with galleries, antique shops and street musicians.
What to eat in New Orleans
- Beignets: square fried doughnuts buried under powdered sugar, best with a café au lait made with chicory coffee.
- Gumbo: a thick stew built on a dark roux, with seafood or chicken and sausage, served over rice.
- Po'boy: a sandwich on crusty French bread with fried shrimp, oysters or roast beef. The most popular story links its name to a 1929 streetcar strike, when a sandwich shop fed the striking workers for free.
- Muffuletta: a huge round sandwich of Italian cold cuts, cheese and olive salad, created at Central Grocery on Decatur Street, which reopened in December 2024 after damage from Hurricane Ida.
- Sazerac: try the city's official cocktail in one of the old hotel bars of the French Quarter.
Good to know before you go
- Mardi Gras day falls in February or March, depending on the date of Easter. Book hotels months ahead.
- Summers are hot and humid, and hurricane season runs from June to November. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable times to visit.
- St Louis Cemetery No. 1 can only be visited on a guided tour, so reserve one in advance.
- Ride the St Charles streetcar to the Garden District to see its grand 19th-century mansions and Lafayette Cemetery.
Explore New Orleans with World City Trail
Our New Orleans scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route takes around three hours, with about 55 minutes of walking, and leads you through the main sights of the French Quarter.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian or Spanish.
Play the New Orleans scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.