You
may wonder why so many of the buildings in the French Quarter
look Spanish, or why many streets in the old city have
three names-Spanish, French and English. New Orleans
has had a varied and colourful history that has influenced
everything from its architecture to its unique cuisine and,
of course, its
musical heritage. Read our brief history of New Orleans...
Areas
At its simplest, New Orleans can be divided into two areas
'Uptown' and 'Downtown'. This roughly corresponds to the old
creole city 'Downtown' or below Canal Street and the American
city
'Uptown' or above Canal Street. However, within those major
divisions are many areas like the French Quarter, The Garden
District, The Irish Channel and the Marigny. All are worth
exploring. Find out why here...
Getting Around
New
Orleans is not a big city, but to fully appreciate all of its
diverse areas you will need to use some form of transport.
New Orleans has one of the most stylish public transport systems
in the World with its vintage 1920s trams or 'street cars'...
remember a Street Car Named Desire?. There are three main tram
lines
in the city and plenty of other ways to get around too. Here's
what you need to know...
Weather
Our
handy guide to average temperatures and rainfall will help
you choose the best time or year for your visit.
Go to weather...
Map
The EasyBigEasy map of New Orleans French Quarter, Canal
Street and Faubourg Marigny. View on-line or print off your
own copy. Go to map...
People
To
describe the people of New Orleans as quirky would be a criminal
understatement. This is a city where an alternative lifestyle
isn’t a choice, it’s a requirement of residency.
It’s been said that the hot, steamy atmosphere is the
perfect breeding ground for a unique fungus that affects the
brains of the local population. True? You’ll think it
is after a few days in this town...
Slide Show
View the EasyBigEasy New Orleans slide show
to get a flavour of the city and its inhabitants. Go to Slide
Show
You
may wonder why so many of the buildings in the French Quarter
look Spanish, or why many streets in the old city have
three names-Spanish, French and English. New Orleans
has had a varied and colourful history that has influenced
everything from its architecture to its unique cuisine and,
of course, its
musical heritage. Read our brief history of New Orleans...
To
describe the people of New Orleans as quirky would be a criminal
understatement. This is a city where an alternative lifestyle
isn’t a choice, it’s a requirement of residency.
It’s been said that the hot, steamy atmosphere is the
perfect breeding ground for a unique fungus that affects the
brains of the local population. True? You’ll think it
is after a few days in this town...