TIME: ?

COST: $37 / 2 HRS?

GROUP SIZE: 20 PERSON LIMIT

(ADVANCED RESERVATIONS REQUIRED)

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Overview

Step into the shadowy past of New Orleans and uncover a story that most visitors—and even many locals—have never heard.

This walking tour explores the origins of organized crime in the United States, beginning right here in the French Quarter. Long before Hollywood glamorized the Mafia, New Orleans was a battleground of rival Sicilian factions, political corruption, and one of the most shocking acts of vigilante justice in American history.

As we wind through the Quarter’s narrow streets and historic corners, you’ll hear the story of Sicilian immigration to New Orleans in the late 19th century—how a marginalized community built lives along the riverfront, and how tensions between business, law enforcement, and competing criminal groups erupted into violence. At the center of it all is the infamous 1891 lynching, when a mob stormed the parish prison and killed eleven Italian immigrants following the assassination of Police Chief David Hennessy. It remains the largest mass lynching in U.S. history.

But this tour goes beyond a single event. We’ll explore how early Black Hand activity and extortion networks operated in the city, how myth and reality intertwine in the story of the “first Mafia,” and how power, prejudice, and profit shaped the narrative that followed.

This is not a ghost tour—though the past lingers here. It’s a story of immigration, resistance, injustice, and the birth of something that would later be mythologized across the country.

Expect a thoughtful, provocative walk through history that challenges popular narratives and sheds light on a hidden chapter of New Orleans’ past.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Explore New Orleans the fun and eco-friendly way on this small-group walking tour through the Big Easy’s oldest and most distinctive neighborhood—the French Quarter.

Stroll along a flat, leisurely route as your guide unearths the Quarter’s most chilling true crime stories — stories rooted not in legend, but in documented history.

Meet your guide at our shop in the French Quarter (626 North Rampart St), and prepare to see this storied neighborhood in a way few ever do.

PLACES YOU WILL VISIT

Site of the 1891 Sicilian Lynching
Little Palermo
The Beauregard-Keyes House
The French Market
Hidden corners where the city’s most unsettling Mafia stories unfolded

IMPORTANT DETAILS

A minimum of two guests is required for the tour to operate. Once two guests have booked, single guests may reserve.
Guests must be 13 years or older to participate.
Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
Tours are limited to 20 people. (If you have a larger group, contact us to arrange a private experience.)
The tour is $37 per person.
A 48-hour cancellation notice is required.
Please arrive no earlier and no later than 15 minutes before departure time.
Tours operate rain or shine.
Please note: many New Orleans establishments are cash-only, while some are card-only.
In the event of severe weather before the tour begins, participants may reschedule or receive a refund. We do not offer refunds once the tour has departed.
If you are driving, street parking in the French Quarter is limited to two hours. You may download the app listed on the parking meter to extend your time. The best parking rates are typically at the Basin Lot, which ranges from $5–$10 for up to 10 hours when no festivals are taking place. Please allow extra time for parking — tours depart promptly at the time listed on your booking.