NM08 - Santa Fe — This Town was Made for Walking

Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, with dark blue skies that kiss the horizon, Santa Fe is a city thoroughly steeped in history and culture. Founded 13 years before the first pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, this melting-pot community is truly a world city, and a worldwide destination.

For a taste of the distinct history of Santa Fe and New Mexico itself, a visit to the Palace of the Governors on the Plaza is a must. The ancient building and former capitol is the oldest public building in continuous use in the United States. Territorial governor Lew Wallace wrote his epic novel Ben Hur here while he corresponded with a jailed Billy the Kid. Artifacts from New Mexico’s history — from pre-Spanish contact, to the important contribution of Jewish pioneers to the state, to the present day — is displayed like a tangible timeline. Next door is the New Mexico Museum of Art, where you can view nose-to-canvas the breathtaking work of the early Santa Fe masters such as John Sloan and Andrew Dasburg, who are responsible for making Santa Fe the universally recognized art city it is today.

Outside the Palace of the Governors is one of the most recognizable sights in Santa Fe: The Plaza. Under its shady portale Native Americans from the surrounding sell their jewelry and art. For a much larger taste of the market on the Plaza, the August’s Indian Market brings together 1,200 Native American artists representing tribes from across the country.

Indian Market is only one of a few fiestas that that dot the summer months in Santa Fe. Spanish Market at the end of July celebrates Spanish traditional and contemporary art. Hundreds of local craftsmen and women come out to show off their work. The Fiestas de Santa Fe Fiestas are held each September and celebrate the reclamation of the city by Diego de Vargas in 1692. The most famous event is the burning of Zozobra, a 50-foot-tall paper maché bogeyman. Each year he is burned to the ground in a blaze of fireworks, and along with him go, for a night at least, the worries and troubles of the city.

Santa Fe is best explored on foot, and the narrow, winding streets surrounding the plaza are the perfect place to start. In addition to numerous boutiques and galleries, you’ll also find pieces of Santa Fe history. The Loretto Chapel is famous for its “miraculous staircase,” an architectural marvel that makes two 360-degree turns like a spring with no visible support. The Chapel of San Miguel, which is the oldest chapel still in use in the United States, is down the street on historic Old Santa Fe Trail.

Santa Fe is a city of artists, writers, and students who wandered into town for a week and stayed for the rest of their lives. And they all come out to play on Friday nights when Santa Fe’s 250-plus galleries, more per capita than any other city in the nation, throw their doors open to locals, tourists, artists, and critics alike. Canyon Road is the heart of Santa Fe’s art scene. On Friday nights, people wander up and down the road for a fiesta of art, drinks, and food. During the holidays, both Canyon Road and the Plaza are lined in glowing farolitos, paper sacks with candles that have became synonymous with New Mexico.

World-class art is found off Canyon Road as well. The Andrew Smith Gallery, located just west of the Plaza, is a photography gallery that represents famous photographers such as Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz, and Henri Cartier-Bresson. In the Guadalupe District, SITE Santa Fe is the epicenter of a booming contemporary art scene and regularly has internationally recognized installations. If theatre is more to your liking, the Santa Fe Opera attracts opera lovers from around the world to its beautiful open-air amphitheatre with views of the surrounding desert and sunsets.

Georgia O’Keeffe, the grand dame of New Mexico art, is honored with her own museum, a major travel destination. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum houses the largest body of her work in the world. At Museum Hill, an entire day could easily be spent exploring the collections in four museums dedicated to Native American, Spanish, and world folk art.

For all its worldly culture and big-city dining and shopping, Santa Fe wouldn’t be the same without its breathtaking scenery. Hyde Park State Park is just minutes north of the Plaza and offers hiking, camping, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and wildlife viewing. Just a little further up the road from the park is the Santa Fe ski basin. During the fall, the ski lift offers views of the surrounding mountains and the aspen trees in all their golden-leaved glory. East of Santa Fe, near the Río Grande, you can find a host of trails perfect for working off that green chile cheeseburger you ate for lunch.

The City Different has a misbegotten reputation for going to sleep before 9 p.m., but night owls are pleasantly surprised to find an exciting music scene beginning when the sun goes down. El Farol and La Fonda both have live music every night of the week, and there are several taverns in the Guadalupe District that welcome guests late into the night. For some true local flavor, the Santa Fe Brewing Company is known for its award-winning brews, and the adjoining restaurant has indoor and outdoor stages for live music. Stop in at noon for a tour and tasting or drop by on a summer evening for an unrivaled view of the sunset. You may even catch an impromptu game of horseshoes while you’re there.

Every visit and stroll around Santa Fe seems to reveal new details that are the true heart of this community. There’s the Shrine to the Mothers off Alameda Street that is a tribute to the soul of a still-devout city, and the old neighborhoods surrounding Canyon Road (start at Acequía Madre) are home to the historical adobe homes Santa Fe is famous for. The artist market held on Saturdays in the Guadalupe District is proof that Santa Fe is still a city of living, working artists. So put on some comfortable shoes and discover Santa Fe for yourself.

After graduating from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Heather Apodaca moved back to her native Albuquerque. She is the editor of three local trade publications and freelances from her Duke City home.