New Iberia

New Iberia is a town on Bayou Teche in the Acadiana region of southern Louisiana, surrounded by sugar cane fields and rice mills. The downtown runs along the waterfront with brick buildings from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Spanish settlers under Francisco Bouligny founded Nueva Iberia in 1779 with five hundred families coming from Málaga. The town grew as a trading post on the waterway and later developed into a center for sugar cane and salt.

The town sits in the heart of Acadiana and preserves the traditions of French-speaking Louisiana through everyday habits and local celebrations. You can still hear Cajun French in cafés and shops along Main Street.

You can walk through downtown streets and reach most landmarks within a short distance. Guided tours of museums and heritage sites run throughout the year.

The hot sauce maker Tabasco has its headquarters on nearby Avery Island and gives the whole area a spicy smell during harvest season. The rice mill operates with the same old wooden and metal machinery for over a century.

Location: Iberia Parish

Inception: 1779

Founders: Francisco Bouligny

Elevation above the sea: 6 m

Website: https://cityofnewiberia.com

GPS coordinates: 30.00360,-91.81830

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:45