New Orleans' most atmospheric neighbourhood is filled with history, wonderful architecture and the best people-watching in town.

The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, or simply the “Quarter” to locals, is the city's cultural hub bar none and has long exerted a spell over writers, artists and musicians. Lining the Mississippi River in a crescent shape, New Orleans’ oldest neighbourhood is as vibrant as ever.

The French Quarter is where the original settlers built their homes and where many of the freed slaves, who no longer had to toil in the nearby sugar or cotton plantations, resettled. The Quarter's architecture is a heady blend of Spanish, French, Creole and American styles. If you can, take a peek into some of the house's walled courtyards, a reminder of the Spanish influence. Many homes have been turned into hotels and restaurants, and they usually have beautiful and atmospheric cast-iron balconies which are the perfect spot from which to watch the crowds. The quarter's architectural gems can be enjoyed from the inside too if you join a tour. Then you can learn how the houses were designed to remain cool despite the city's heat and humidity.

Aside from its architecture, the quarter offers visitors a plethora of different experiences. This is where local jazz, the music of slaves, originated, and the quarter is still a jazz focal point, with parades held throughout the year. The famous Jackson Square is a wonderful place to relax, and the French Market, which has a flea market, farmers market and many other shops and restaurants, spans six blocks and dates back to 1791.

Given its association with slavery, it's no surprise that the history of the quarter has a darker side. The LaLaurie House on Royal Street is one of the most famous haunted houses in the country, where the house's slaves were gruesomely tortured in a secret attic in the 19th century. Nearby, journey through the city of the dead at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 where Marie Laveau, a free-born Creole woman considered the high priestess of Voodoo, is thought to be buried.

The French Quarter is best seen on foot, but you can get there by taxi, bus, or streetcar.