A major port in the United States and the largest Louisiana city, New Orleans is the center of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area, which is the largest locale in the state. Located in the south east part of Louisiana, New Orleans straddles the Mississippi and is bound by the parishes of St Bernard in the east, Plaquemines in the south, Jefferson in the west and south and St. Tammany in the north. Lake Borgne lies to the east and Lake Pontchartrain lies to the north. New Orleans is known for its multilingual and multicultural heritage, music, architecture and cuisine. Its annual Mardi Gras and other festivals is known world wide. Its main attractions range from the world-renowned

Bourbon Street and French Quarter´s notorious nightlife to the home of Loyola and Tulane Universities as well as the Pontchrtrain Hotel and nineteenth century mansions on St Charles Avenue. Magazine Street is where many boutique stores and antique shops can be found. New Orleans is one of the top-ten visited cities in the nation.