“New Orleans is the only place where, after a long meal, accompanied by good wine and a good conversation, you can walk in the old town and feel like a civilized person,” said the writer Henry Miller of the legendary metropolis on the Mississippi . In fact, residents and visitors alike bestowed numerous other nicknames on the city, such as “Crescent City”, “Queen City of the South”, “Paris of America”, “Birthplace of Jazz” and “Big Easy”. The names also make it clear that this is one of America’s most unusual cities: oddities, curiosities on every street corner. There has been no “zoning law” here since the 1930s, i.e. no geographical demarcation of races and classes, residential, entertainment and business districts in this city,
New Orleans is also the center of Carnival – the first Mardi Gras parade took place in 1857 – and of Catholicism – the dead are buried above ground only here. During the Civil War, N’awlins was the only town occupied by Union troops for three years (1862-1865). All in all, this is quite untypical for a US metropolis.
Although the city is not built on sand, it is located in the middle of the alluvial deposits of the “Old Man River” – as the Mississippi is also known – and is up to 1.7 meters below sea level at some points. This played a major role in the great hurricane Katrina of 2005. But “Big Easy” defies the forces of nature and has risen again – even if deep wounds have remained in some places. In general, fate has sometimes hit this city particularly hard in its checkered history. “We’ve changed the flag ten times, survived hurricanes and floods, so we seize every opportunity to celebrate,” is the motto of the residents, who particularly enjoy eating, drinking and partying.
According to transporthint, New Orleans is considered the cradle of jazz – a music genre that, like the population of the metropolis, has its origins in the diversity of cultural backgrounds. African, Caribbean and European influences met here. Although jazz later evolved in Kansas City, Chicago, New York, and then California, New Orleans is pretty much where it was born. Louis Armstrong, who was born here, is one of the most dazzling figures in this music.
New Orleans information
Location and size
New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana in the United States. Located in the delta of the Mississippi River, between the Mississippi River to the south and Lake Pontchartrain to the north, it covers an area of just over 900 km² and is half land and half water.
Inhabitants
Around 350,000 people live in New Orleans itself today. If you include the greater New Orleans area, there are around 1 million people.
Arriving by plane
New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) is located 10 miles west of New Orleans.
Tourism
New Orleans is one of the most attractive and most visited cities in the USA. Accordingly, tourism is one of the most important economic factors in the attractive southern metropolis.
Culture
American, French, Spanish, African: New Orleans is a mixture of different cultures that have met here and have shaped life here. Two terms that visitors to New Orleans, like the rest of Louisiana, will encounter are Creole and Cajun.
Cajuns and Creoles continue to shape the Louisiana culinary scene to this day. The former, French Huguenots, were expelled from Nova Scotia (Canada) by the British in the second half of the 19th century and settled in the swamps of Louisiana, where they settled Cajun Country. They were mostly simple wage laborers on the river, lived extremely Spartan, used a very old-fashioned French and were considered the “backwoods” of the region. In stark contrast, the wealthy state aristocracy, the Creoles, descendants of French and Spanish settlers in Louisiana. Similar differences also apply in the culinary arts: less refined, hearty Cajun dishes are compared to delicate, finely seasoned Creole dishesopposite, which are also equated with French haute cuisine. For example, Creole cuisine is not as heavily flavored as Cajun cuisine. The two styles converge in Louisiana’s unique cuisine.
Climate
New Orleans has a subtropical climate with very hot and humid summers and mild winters. In midsummer, temperatures of 30°C and more are common, while in winter temperatures hover around a pleasant 15°C, with sometimes cold morning temperatures. New Orleans has a high annual rainfall, with most of it falling in late summer, often following tropical storms. Heavy rains during the June through September hurricane season in the Gulf Coast cause flooding. Snow and ice are very rare in New Orleans, but there have been instances of “White Christmas” with light snowfall.
Average temperatures in New Orleans in °C | ||||||||||||
Month | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Max | 16 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 29 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 26 | 22 | 18 |
Min | 5 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 15 | 11 | 7 |
Clothing
When it comes to clothing, things can be easy in New Orleans. Here you wear what you like, adapted to the respective temperatures. When visiting one of the city’s more elegant restaurants, however, a certain chic is definitely appropriate.
Festivals, Events and More
When you look at the state’s packed events calendar, you’d think the Louisianan invented partying. It goes without saying that New Orleans is no exception. Here is a selection of recurring events and festivals that provide additional entertainment during a stay in New Orleans:
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is almost inextricably linked to the city of New Orleans and is one of the most important carnival celebrations in the world. More information and all dates at www.mardigrasneworleans.com and www.mardigras.com .
Tennessee-Williams Literary
Festival Local literary festival featuring plays, lectures, literary tours, musical performances and a book bazaar.
French Quarter Festival
The French Quarter Festival offers its visitors a colorful mix of Cajun, Zydeco, Rhythm and Blues, Gospel and much more on 14 different stages. In addition to musical delights, around 60 different stands offer all kinds of culinary delights.
Jazz and Heritage Festival
The Jazz and Heritage Festival takes place annually on the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May and attracts more than 500,000 guests each year with thousands of musicians, local cooks and artisans. In addition to the many open-air performances, there is also a selection of concerts in various locations in the city.
New Orleans Wine & Food Festival
The ultimate foodie feast.
Go Fourth on the River (July 4th – Independence Day)
New Orleans celebrates America’s Independence Day with music, lots of events and a crowning fireworks display over the Mississippi River.