Brazil
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Denmark
Spain
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Mexico
the Dominican Republic
South Africa
Fiji
State · Luisiana e o Delta do Mississippi
Luisiana
Louisiana is the state of jazz, the New Orleans Carnival, Creole and Cajun cuisine, and the swamps (bayous) along the Mississippi.
In the photo: Jackson Square, New Orleans
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The state
Get to know Luisiana
Louisiana is in the southern United States, where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. It was a French and Spanish colony before becoming part of the United States in 1803, and that mix shows in the language, the festivals and the food. The capital is Baton Rouge; the most visited city is New Orleans.
In New Orleans (New Orleans), the French Quarter has houses with iron balconies, Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, and Bourbon Street concentrates bars and music. Frenchmen Street is the live-jazz street, the Garden District has 19th-century mansions, and the St. Charles Avenue streetcar crosses the city.
Carnival (Mardi Gras), with parades and beads thrown from floats, takes place in February or March, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival occupies late April and early May. At the table, gumbo, jambalaya, the po'boy sandwich, crawfish and beignets, fried doughnuts covered in sugar.
Around New Orleans, boat tours through the swamps (bayous) show cypress trees and alligators, and along the Mississippi are old plantations like Oak Alley and the Whitney, devoted to the history of slavery. To the west, the Lafayette region is the center of Cajun culture, of French origin.
When to go
February to May is usually the best time, with pleasant temperatures, Carnival and music festivals. From June to September heat and humidity are strong, with afternoon storms, and the Gulf Coast is in hurricane season until November. Winter is generally mild, with cool days.
Getting there
Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) is about 25 km from downtown New Orleans. Connections from Brazil are usually via a stop in another U.S. city. Check before you buy. Amtrak trains arrive from Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. In the city, streetcars and walking handle almost everything in the French Quarter and the Garden District.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Luisiana
When is the New Orleans Carnival?
Mardi Gras is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, between February and March; parades begin weeks earlier and concentrate in the final days. Hotels fill up and get more expensive during this period: book in advance.
How many days for New Orleans?
Three to four days allow you to see the French Quarter and the Garden District, hear jazz on Frenchmen Street and take a tour of the swamps or the plantations.
What to eat in New Orleans?
The best-known dishes are gumbo, a stew thickened with roux, jambalaya rice, the po'boy (a French-bread sandwich with shrimp or meat), and beignets with chicory coffee. In spring it's crawfish season, cooked with seasonings.
Can you see alligators near New Orleans?
Boat tours through the swamps depart less than an hour from the city and usually encounter alligators in the warm months, from April to October. In winter, they are less active.