Top Religious Sites Walking Tour (Self Guided), New Orleans

New Orleans has some of the oldest and most beautiful churches in Louisiana. Some of them, like the St. Louis Cathedral, have become iconic symbols of the city, while others are considered to provide "fresh air" to the busy business quarters.

The churches on this walking tour combine different architectural styles, starting with the Spanish Colonial & French Neo-Gothic design of the famed Cathedral overlooking Jackson Square. Interestingly enough, its adjacent cemetery is known as the burial place of Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, whose tomb attracts hundreds of pilgrims every year.

The evidence of 17th/18th-century New Orleans is still evident here, as seen in the Neoclassical-style Old Ursuline Convent, which actually goes way back to the early 1700s and looks like something torn out of Louis XIV's Paris. Another great old church, Our Lady of Guadalupe is classic mission-style Spanish with wonderful windows and a nice mosaic of the Virgin up front, not to be missed.

The Immaculate Conception Church – a Jesuit parish – may seem overlooked compared to the area of the city it shares its space with, but the red brick exterior helps it to stand out with the towering buildings in the vicinity. Peaceful and very traditional, a visit here is also highly recommended.

Neglecting such treasures is like leaving New Orleans without having beignets, so take our self-guided tour to catch a glimpse of some exquisite places of worship.