New Orleans in 1 Day: all you need to know

Are you going to spend a day wandering around New Orleans and don't know what to see or how to organise yourself? While there are plenty of things to do and see in New Orleans, you can optimise your time and make the most of it to get around in a single day. Of course, you should start as early as possible to make sure you don't miss anything.

You can visit some of the city's iconic neighbourhoods, take in some history at the National World War II Museum, absorb local culture, have fun at Mardi Gras World and end the day with a cruise on the Mississippi River. Here are the best tours for a unique experience and take in the best of the city in 1 day.

This is one of the most famous and beautiful neighbourhoods in New Orleans, it's residential and its majestic mansions make it well worth a tour. I recommend taking a tour of the Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery to get to know it without missing a thing and hear its interesting history dating back centuries.

Over the course of two hours you'll enjoy learning about the events that took place in these old mansions such as the Buckner Mansion which you'll surely recognise from American Horror Story and the current homes of various celebrities in the area.

You'll be able to appreciate the American architectural styles and enjoy the scenery of the neighbourhood. In addition, the tour also includes Lafayette Cemetery and will allow you to learn a little about its history, traditional tombs and funeral processes.

This neighbourhood is located between St. Charles, Jackson, Magazine and Louisiana Streets.

Information of Interest:

• Starting point: 1400 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA.
• What's included: walking tour of approximately 2 hours.
• Price: approximately €29

Get to know the facilities of this centre where most of the floats that travel the streets of New Orleans during the carnival season are designed and built.

This centre offers unique and fun experiences to its visitors, I recommend you to try on authentic Mardi Gras costumes and see the most beautiful and exuberant floats. The tour will be led by a guide who will tell you a bit of history. It lasts approximately one hour and you can take it between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

You can't leave New Orleans without visiting the National WWII Museum. It is a place steeped in history and is one of the city's main attractions. Here you will find thousands of objects and memorabilia that will give you an insight into the Second World War. You will also learn about all the events that took place during the war in its exhibitions.

To enter the museum you will have to buy your ticket in advance, which costs around €28. So, to avoid queues and waste no time, I recommend that you buy your ticket in advance. That way you can visit the museum at your own pace and without any problems.

The French Quarter is located in the heart of New Orleans and you'll find a harmonious blend of history and tradition with newness and modernity. It's a charming area, with a timeless appearance, as if frozen in time.

The neighbourhood is full of interesting sites and attractions, but on top of that, it has a very high gastronomic reputation. Some would say that it is home to the best restaurants in the city, so a good plan is to take a gastronomic tour of the area, but I also recommend a few places where you can grab a bite to eat and recharge your batteries for the rest of the day:

• Antoine's: this is the oldest restaurant in New Orleans and has an extensive menu. I recommend you try some of the most popular dishes here: Oysters Rockefeller , Eggs Sardou, which are eggs on an artichoke base with anchovies, covered with hollandaise sauce, or Pommes de Terre Souffles, classic puffed potatoes.
• Galatoire's: a real gem you will find in the French Quarter. This restaurant was recognised as one of the best restaurants in New Orleans and in the world!
• Brennan's: considered one of the top 100 brunch restaurants in the United States, Brennan's offers a diversity of dishes with a mix of Creole traditions and contemporary New Orleans influences.

The French Quarter of New Orleans is amazing not only because it has some of the tastiest culinary delights you'll ever try, but also because of its history and tradition that you should know about. This neighbourhood was founded by the Spanish, but then the French left their mark there in the 18th century and its beautiful colonial-style buildings date back to precisely that date.

So you can make the most of your day, I recommend you take a historical tour of the French Quarter. This way you will be able to get to know the neighbourhood in the best way possible: taking an in-depth tour of its history in a short period of time.

Over the course of an hour and a half, you will walk around the French Quarter with a guide who will tell you all about this amazing neighbourhood. You will walk through its narrow streets, learn about its French and Spanish architecture, the St. Louis Cathedral and some of the oldest buildings in America.

Jackson Square is a National Historic Landmark located in the heart of the French Quarter. This park began as a military parade ground called the Place d'Armes. In the 19th century, it was transformed into a garden and the square was renamed in honour of Andrew Jackson, an American president who defended the people of New Orleans from the British.

It has been the setting for several films and events and you're likely to find artists exhibiting their work outdoors, as they often use the place as a studio.

If you're strolling through Jackson Square, stop for a coffee and some of the best beignets in New Orleans at Café du Monde, while enjoying the view of the square.

Just a few metres from Jackson Square, you'll find the traditional St. Louis Church. It is the oldest church in New Orleans and the second oldest in the United States. It is one of the few American Catholic churches that continues the Spanish tradition of being located in a public square with other major buildings, as it is adjacent to Jackson Square and between the historic Cabildo and Curial House buildings.

It won't take you long to visit and I recommend you do so to take away with you the memory of another important part of the city's history.

The Cabildo was the former seat of colonial power in Louisiana and serves as the gateway to a walk through the history of Louisiana and New Orleans. You'll experience its huge, spacious halls, exquisite Spanish colonial design and impressive ceilings in sophisticated French style. Even from the first floor windows you'll find an exclusive view of Jackon Square.

One of its main attractions is the magnificent Chapter House, once a courtroom and centre for meetings and events of all kinds. Here you'll find an exhibition of all sorts of artefacts such as tools from Native American cultures and vintage advertisements for escaped slaves.

It won't take long and it's well worth the walk so you can take away a bit more of the city's history.

French Market is a historic site in the city that represents pride and progress for the people of New Orleans and is also one of the most recognisable places you should visit on your visit to the city.

It's over 200 years old and has been built and rebuilt many times over the years, but one thing remains intact from day one: its spirit of commerce, community and culture. Here you'll find literally everything! From decorative ceramics by artisans, clothing and sculptures of various materials, crafts, food...

The market is located at 1008 N Peters St. and has its own car park, in case you want to go by car. It is also easily accessible by public transportation by taking the Riverfront Streetcar, the #5 Marigny-Bywater bus or the #55 Elysian Fields bus.

Marigny and the French Quarter are separated by the beautiful Esplande Ave, a tree-lined avenue, very picturesque, quiet and steeped in history. You'll walk a few streets along it, enjoying the scenery until you reach Marigny, where you'll find the best music in New Orleans.

You can't pass through New Orleans without visiting this neighbourhood. This is where the music that makes this city unique is housed. The world's most renowned jazz clubs are located on the famous Frenchmen Street, and I recommend that you walk along it to find the greatest variety of musical offerings in NOLA and even the world.

In Marigny you'll also find the city's trendiest restaurants, offering all kinds of classic dishes and reinventions of New Orleans fare. There are also galleries and thrift shops with a variety of art to suit all budgets.

To end the day with a unique experience and take home the best memories of New Orleans, you can take a cruise on the Mississippi River to enjoy a beautiful evening on the waters of the river, to the rhythm of jazz and watching the sunset.

This way you can say goodbye to this magical city, appreciating it from a different place, enjoying good jazz and getting to know another way of feeling the culture and beauty of New Orleans. The tour will last about two hours with dinner and jazz show.

Useful information:

• Departure point: Gray Line New Orleans, 400 Toulouse St. and departure time is 6 p.m.
• What's included: a 2-hour cruise with dinner.
• Price: approximately €157.

Most of the activities I mentioned are close by and can be done on foot or by public transport. But since you only have one day to explore the city, you can save time by taking the Hop On Hop Off tourist bus to travel longer distances and get to know the city at your own pace.

It's an excellent option to optimise your time, get to know different parts of the city with an expert guide and be able to make as many stops as you like at the places you want to explore in depth. This bus perfectly connects the best neighbourhoods of New Orleans so you won't miss a thing.