Royal Street

In the French Quarter, if there’s one counterpoint to Bourbon Street, then it has be to Royal Street (Rue Royale in French and Calle Real in Spanish). One of the oldest streets in the city and the French Quarter, it was obviously named as homage to the royalty in France when the city was established. But in contrast to Bourbon Street, Royal Street is more sophisticated and luxurious. It is home to high end antique stores, art galleries, boutique restaurants such as Brennan’s and elegant hotels such as Hotel Monteleone. In the evenings, the central portion of Royal Street is closed for traffic and is taken over by street performers, including musicians, who entertain passersby.