Santa Fe in New Mexico is the oldest capital in the USA, founded by the Spanish in the early 17th century, and one of the most idiosyncratic cities in the country. The uniform cityscape of earth-colored adobe houses, the Spanish-Indian history and one of the liveliest art scenes in America make it unmistakable. Anyone looking for the other, artistic America has come to the right place.
The Plaza and the Palace of the Governors
The center is the historic Santa Fe Plaza. At the Palace of the Governors, the oldest continuously used government building in the USA, indigenous artists sell their jewelry under the arcades. All around are galleries, cafés and the cathedral.
Canyon Road and the art
Santa Fe is a city of art. Along Canyon Road dozens of galleries line up, plus museums like the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, dedicated to the painter who made this landscape famous.
Adobe style and history
By building code, almost all buildings are kept in the earth-colored adobe or pueblo style, which gives the city its uniform, warm look. Add to that the mix of Spanish, Mexican and Indian heritage.
Starting point
Santa Fe is also a good start into northern New Mexico: the artists' town of Taos, old pueblos and the wide landscapes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are within reach.
