Cemetery Tours in New Orleans

New Orleans, also known as "the city of the dead", has a very particular folklore, in which spooky legends, jazz, voodoo, vampires and ghosts have left their mark. That's why touring its cemeteries is one of the best things to see and do in New Orleans.

While enjoying your stay in the different neighbourhoods, such as the French Quarter or the Garden District, it's a good idea to tour its most famous cemeteries to learn interesting details about their art and architecture, their funeral traditions and the famous people who rest there, as well as the mysterious stories and situations that have occurred within their walls.

One of the top tours in New Orleans is the tour of the oldest cemetery in the city, Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1.

This tour usually also includes a tour of the French Quarter, where you'll get a glimpse of the 18th-century architecture before heading to the cemetery.

The tour is perfect as an introduction to the city and its history, where jazz, voodoo and ghosts have left their mark.

At Saint Louis Cemetery, a guide will tell you, for example, how people are buried, as well as what the vaults look like and the artistic details that artisans have put into them. It is usually done on foot, during the day and you can enjoy it with the whole family.

Many legends and paranormal stories are told about the Saint Louis cemetery. One of them is that of Marie Laveau, known as the Voodoo Queen, who is said to have performed not only hairdressing but also voodoo work.

She is also believed to still be able to fulfil wishes, so visitors write several 'x's on her tomb or leave offerings for her. They may also perform voodoo ceremonies to communicate with her.

The St. Louis is one of the city's major attractions. It was built in 1789, between colonial times and Napoleon Bonaparte's recovery in 1803. It then passed into the hands of the Americans.

This is why both European and American people are buried here, including slaves, aristocrats, musicians, celebrities and politicians.

Interesting details

• Price: Around 40 EUR.
• Duration: 1 hour.
• Means of transport: On foot.
• Advantages of this option: You will see the oldest cemetery in New Orleans, of which many supernatural stories and legends are told.
• Disadvantages of this option: You should be prepared to walk, wear comfortable clothes and bring your own food and drink, if not included.

On your trip to New Orleans you can visit one of the oldest cemeteries in the city, located in the Garden District, the first cemetery where non-Catholics could be buried, and one of the most famous.

A place that has been the setting for numerous films, such as Dracula (2000). This is Lafayette Cemetery #1

At Lafayette Cemetery, also known as "The City of the Dead", a specialized guide will tell you about unique and interesting burial processes, spooky traditions and very particular burial techniques.

It's a daytime walking tour and, because of its characteristics, it's one of the things to do in New Orleans with kids.

During the tour you will see the 18th century vaults, with tombs as big as a house and other very small ones, some worked in marble and others in granite, with very admirable designs elaborated with hand carvings.

You'll also learn which famous people are buried there and why their vaults were built above ground.

As you tour the vaults, you'll learn about American history, as you'll find, for example, graves of people who were in the Civil War, and many graves of 19th century yellow fever victims.

Most tours of Lafayette Cemetery include a tour of the neighbourhood where it is located, but if you want to see the neighbourhood in more detail, you can take a full tour of the Garden District of New Orleans. In this neighbourhood, you'll get to see the very old and elegant mansions with their striking Greek Revival architecture, embellished by English gardens.

Interesting details

• Price: around 30 EUR.
• Duration: 1-2 hours.
• Means of transport: by bus or on foot.
• Advantages of this option: ideal for learning about the history and culture of the city.
• Disadvantages of this option: to visit the tombs you need to be ready to walk and wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

If you're a brave person, this tour is what you've been looking for. It's a guided tour of the Masonic Temple Cemetery that takes place at night, when things are at their creepiest.

On the tour, a guide will tell you about the above-ground burial procedures and the history of the vaults.

I must warn you that some of the experiences told by those who have been able to visit it at night are truly supernatural. Perhaps that is why it is one of the best things to see and do in New Orleans at night.

On this tour you will learn about the origin of the cemetery, which was created by the State Grand Lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons of Louisiana in 1865, which is why it is very different from Catholic cemeteries.

The particular shape of its construction and its tombs contribute to the eerie night vision of this cemetery. However, it is a tour suitable for the whole family. Moreover, the tour groups are not very large.

One of the strangest things is the particular shape of the cemetery, which covers about two city blocks. It has a triangular plan with overlapping streets that form the Masonic emblem of the square and compass. The tour also usually includes a tour of New Orleans City Park, one of the oldest urban parks in the country. Various events, such as balls, concerts and affaires d'honneur, are held here and are very popular.

The tour can end at the Hurricane Katrina Memorial, a cemetery where 85 unclaimed victims of the devastating Hurricane Katrina are laid to rest.

Details of interest

• Price: about 28 EUR.
• Duration: 2 hours.
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: touring the Masonic Cemetery at night is a unique experience.
• Disadvantages of this option: food and beverages are not included.

If you are interested in history, this tour is ideal for you, as you will learn about the tragic natural phenomenon that hit the city of New Orleans on August 29, 2005: the passage of Hurricane Katrina.

The tour includes a guided visit to the Hurricane Katrina Memorial, which was built to commemorate the unclaimed victims of this catastrophe, who rest under the granite Mausoleum.

You can also visit 4 other cemeteries in the vicinity, where yellow fever victims and Civil War soldiers rest, among others.

During the tour, a guide will tell you about the most terrifying events that citizens had to face in the aftermath of the hurricane. He will also tell you about the reasons why the Hurricane Katrina Memorial was built on the site. The tour takes place during the day, in small groups, and is suitable for the whole family.

You will be amazed to see the monument made of granite, a rare material in cemeteries, built to commemorate the unrecognised victims of Hurricane Katrina. You'll also learn about its construction, which is shaped like a hurricane when viewed from the sky.

The other cemeteries in the city you'll visit during this tour are Charity Hospital Cemetery, Greenwood Cemetery, Saint Patrick's Cemetery and Cypress Grove Cemetery. It also usually includes a stop at a bar for a snack to liven up the tour.

Details of interest

• Price: around 27 EUR.
• Duration: 2 hours.
• Means of transport: by bus.
• Advantages of this option: you will tour 5 cemeteries while learning about historical events important to New Orleans and the United States.
• Disadvantages of this option: drinks at the bar are not included in the price of the tour.

On this guided tour you will visit 3 important cemeteries in New Orleans: Saint Patrick's, the Masonic and the Katrina Hurricane Memorial. This is a daytime walking tour in small groups. On this tour a guide will tell you about the history of the cemeteries and the people who have been buried there.

In the case of Saint Patrick's Church, its origin is linked to Saint Patrick's Church, the second oldest in the city, after St. Louis Cathedral. Construction began in 1833 and was completed in 1840.

St. Patrick's Cemetery is one of the most interesting cemeteries in Louisiana.

You'll be amazed by the maze-like passageways and the vaults containing angels and virgins at the top. Section No. 1 of this cemetery is home to Irish citizens who emigrated as a result of the widespread famine in their country.

You'll also visit two other cemeteries on this tour: the Hurricane Katrina Memorial, which was built to honour the unclaimed victims of that catastrophe, and the Masonic Cemetery, one of the oldest and the first to be built for the burial of non-Catholics.

Details of interest

• Price: Around 35 EUR.
• Duration: 1.5 hours.
• Means of transport: On foot.
• Advantages of this option: You will visit three cemeteries of historical, architectural and religious interest.
• Disadvantages of this option: The tour does not include food and beverages.

One of the most interesting tours you can take is a tour of New Orleans' Cypress Grove Cemetery, the first cemetery built for volunteer firefighters and their families, and Greenwood Cemetery, which has received thousands of yellow fever victims.

The tour can be done during the day and on foot, in small groups, and is suitable for all ages. During the tour of the cemeteries, a guide will tell you about the history of each site, and the historical and symbolic significance to its citizens.

Greenwood Cemetery has no striking architectural design, as it was designed to optimise space, given the enormous number of yellow fever victims.

Instead, Cypress Grove has a unique entrance with two main towers, similar to the ceremonial architecture of Egypt.

Here you can see the vaults that were built by various volunteer fire companies, specially designed to honour their heroes. Even the volunteer fire brigades from other cemeteries were moved there.

The Cypress Grove features elaborate vaults by craftsmen and architects, made of marble, cast iron and granite, and an architectural style that makes it one of the most important in the country. The cemetery traces its origins to philanthropist Stephen Herderson, who donated property to the Firemen's Benevolent and Charitable Association in 1838.

Details of interest

• Price: Around 18 EUR.
• Duration: 1 hour.
• Means of transport: On foot.
• Advantages of this option: You will learn about the history of the first cemetery built for volunteer firemen and war veterans, and about a cemetery built during the yellow fever epidemic.
• Disadvantages of this option: Some tours prohibit taking photos, so it is recommended to check before photographing.

This tour is highly recommended if you want to learn about some of the history and culture of the city, more specifically related to voodoo, along with the oldest cemetery in New Orleans.

The tour consists of a visit to key voodoo-related sites and a tour of Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1, where Marie Laveau, known as the Queen of Voodoo, is buried.

It is a walking tour , in small groups, during the day and at night. Children can also participate in this tour, as the excursion is of historical interest.

It is therefore ideal for those who want to learn about what voodoo really is and not about spooky legends. During the tour, a knowledgeable guide will tell you stories about voodoo and the sites related to its history.

During this tour, you will visit several sites of interest related to voodoo, such as the New Orleans Voodoo Historical Museum, the Voodoo Authentica shop, the house where Marie Laveau lived, and Louis Armstrong Park, which in earlier times was known as Congo Square.

Interesting details

• Price: Around 25 EUR.
• Duration: 2 hours.
• Means of transport: By bus.
• Advantages of this option: You will get to know the French Quarter and learn all about voodoo, its history, and about Marie Leveau, the queen of Voodoo.
• Disadvantages of this option: The Saint Louis Cemetery may only be visible from the outside due to some restrictive measures that are usually in place. The tour does not include food and beverages.