![]() The restaurant was founded in 1965 and has played an important role in bringing New Mexican cuisine to national and international prominence. Hands-down, my favorite New Mexican restaurant was Rancho de Chimayo, a scenic 30-minute drive north of Santa Fe. If you can't decide, order your dish Christmas-style and sample both. ![]() Red chile tends to be sweeter, and green chile has more herbal notes. You'll be asked "red or green" when you order, a reference to what kind of chile you want with your meal. Chile rellenos with Christmas chile, Tomasita'sĭuring your time in Santa Fe, be sure to try New Mexican cuisine, which is known for its distinctive combination of indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, and Latin influences. For a sweeter option, try a historic European-inspired or contemporary sipping chocolate. You can get a chocolate elixir based on traditional Mesoamerican beverages (I loved the intensely flavored Mayan elixir). ![]() Housed in cozy adobe building, the chocolate shop serves chocolate elixirs, chocolate baked goods, ice cream, and truffles. I found the descriptions of the works to be very informative and thought-provoking.Īfter a day of sightseeing, refuel at Kakawa Chocolate House. It's the country's only art museum that focuses solely on the work of contemporary Native artists (created 1962-present), including regional, national, and international artists. The IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) is also well worth visiting. Spend some time in the courtyards, which feature sculptures and murals in a tranquil setting. I recommend checking out the New Mexico Museum of Art-it gives you a nice taste of historic and contemporary Southwestern art in a manageable footprint, and it's housed in a beautiful Pueblo Revival-style building. Several art museums, including the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, are located in or near the historic downtown. New Mexico Museum of Artįor generations, artists have been drawn to Santa Fe and the surrounding area, most famously Georgia O'Keefe. Other historic religious sites include the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, a French-inspired Romanesque church built from 1869-1886, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was built in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century and is a short walk from downtown. Today, it's a wedding venue and tourist attraction with a $5 admission fee-it's worth a visit if you enjoy church architecture. It's known for its "Miraculous Staircase" which has two 360-degree turns without a center pole for structural support. The Loretto Chapel is a Gothic-style chapel that was built for a Catholic girls' school in the 19th century. When you step in the door it feels like you've traveled back in time, and there's signage throughout the church about the history of the building and the religious artwork. Most of the current adobe building dates to 1710, when it was rebuilt after a fire. Construction may have begun around 1610, with the earliest written mention of the chapel in 1628. The historic downtown is also home to several notable churches, including San Miguel Chapel, the oldest church in the continental United States. ![]() ![]() Bring cash, since many vendors don't accept credit cards. Its most distinctive feature is a block-long covered portal, where Native American artisans sell handmade jewelry and decorative items (I purchased a small sand painting). Built in 1610 as a colonial administration building, today it's home to the New Mexico History Museum. Start at the traditional Spanish-style plaza, which is bordered by the Palace of the Governors. Santa Fe's historic downtown is small and easily explored on foot. About 200 years later, Spanish colonizers settled Santa Fe in 1609-1610 and constructed European-style structures that are still standing today. Pueblo villages were founded in the area between 1050-1150 and were occupied for a few hundred years before being abandoned. Start your time in Santa Fe by delving into the city's history-it's the oldest state capital in the United States. Palace of the Governorsĭay 1: Explore Santa Fe's history and culture This three-day itinerary will give you a taste of Santa Fe's history and the scenery of the surrounding area, plus plenty of time to relax and rejuvenate. It's a small city (about 84,000 people), which makes it perfect for a short getaway. Santa Fe's most popular nickname is "The City Different." It's a reference to the New Mexico city's distinctive architectural style: starting in 1912, city officials recommended (and later mandated) that buildings be built with adobe in the Pueblo Revival style, which is inspired by the area's indigenous inhabitants.īut it goes beyond the architecture-Santa Fe is a truly unique destination, with a vibrant art scene, some of the country's oldest European-American buildings, beautiful scenery, and opportunities to learn about indigenous culture. ![]()
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