Autumn in NEW ORLEANS

As the seasons begin to change, this lively city in the American South comes into its own

- QIN XIE

Few US cities are as lovely to visit in autumn as Louisiana's New Orleans. The normally sultry weather starts to cool towards the end of September, but days remain warm and dry until well into early November.

As trees take on a golden sheen, Halloween decorations start to appear in windows and on porches - perfect for a city whose most celebrated attractions include cemeteries and haunted houses. Too ghoulish? No matter; this hub of hedonism, affectionately known as NOLA (short for New Orleans, Louisiana), has plenty of other tricks up its sleeve.

Sample a melting pot of cultures

Long before the Europeans arrived in the Americas and established NOLA, the area was already a busy trading hub for Native Americas. The Choctaw Nation called this land Bulbancha, the place of many tongues. Today, the city's indulgent culinary scene continues to showcase the melting pot of cultures that shaped its history.

Two cookery styles are most prominent: creole and cajun. Creole is more formal, and incorporates African influences into classic European-style cooking. Cajun is more rustic, and has its roots in French Canada.

Napoleon House on Chartres Street is the go-to place in the city. Order gumbo (a meat or seafood stew) and jambalaya (a one-pot rice dish) while you soak up the atmosphere in its intimate courtyard. Don't miss the muffuletta sandwiches, made with peppers, salami and Sicilian sesame bread.