The history of Santa Fe, a southern town, can be felt in the cracks in the walls of its historical buildings. The city, the capital of New Mexico, was founded in 1610 and is the oldest capital of the United States. It is also one of the highest cities: it is 2,130 meters above sea level!The city has many tourist attractions that you can visit without suffering from the crowds, since despite being the capital, it has just over 60,000 inhabitants.the scenic beauty of the place, which will welcome you full of color, music, dance and tradition, often makes it nicknamed “The Land of Enchantment”.
The best area to stay in Santa Fe is the Downtown of the city. The area, located in the center, contains most of the tourist attractions and is a lively place full of life. Central Square is the favorite meeting point for both visitors and locals, and around the square you will find several museums and historical buildings, as well as all kinds of restaurants and nightlife.As for accommodation, there are several options for all budgets, from simple motels and charming inns decorated with flowers, to hotels with spacious rooms and excellent service.
If you are interested in knowing where to sleep in Santa Fe you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in Albuquerque or where to sleep in New York.
Downtown Santa Fe, the best area to stay
Downtown Santa Fe is the downtown area.It’s a very busy place for tourists during the day, full of life and activity, and at night, it’s vibrant and fun. The neighborhood offers all kinds of services that make it a perfect place to stay, since it’s very safe and well guarded by the local police force, and it’s also very well connected to the other different areas of Santa Fe: it has a great public transportation network, through which you can move around the city by bus.There is even a train so that you can get to the airport and move around the city; furthermore, the area is perfectly equipped with other infrastructures such as roads and paths like the Paseo de Peralta, the main road where you will find several shops, restaurants, bars and hotels.
The neighborhood grows around the Plaza de Santa Fe, which is the preferred meeting point for the inhabitants of the city. walking around the square you will find several cafes, restaurants and shops, as well as some tourist attractions such as the Museum of History of New Mexico, which happens to be the oldest public building in the country; inside it you will find various exhibitions, both permanent and temporary, which show from objects of the first settlers to contemporary items.Near the Plaza de Santa Fe you will find other interesting museums such as the Art Museum, which focuses on local New Mexico art, although you can also visit the International Folk Art Museum, which displays all kinds of handicrafts, and the Spanish Colonial Art Museum, full of exhibitions of Hispanic art.Other places of interest that you can visit in the Downtown area include: the Cathedral of San Francisco, which is impressive both inside and out, full of color and with a beautiful structure; the Loretto Chapel, which has an amazing staircase; and the Mission of San Miguel, which is one of the oldest churches in the country.
If you decide to stay a few days in Santa Fe, you will find that the center is home to many art galleries.If you want to buy a souvenir Native American art you should go to Canyon Road, where you will find several shops of this type. Near the main square, in the center of town you will find many other shops and some small markets and shopping centers like De Vargas Centre and Sanbusco Centre, which sell toys, food, books, clothing, technology, jewelry, crafts and more.The nightlife in Santa Fe is full of life and fun, in its bars and pubs , both tourists and locals take the opportunity to drink beer and have a few drinks while having a great time; the city center is lit up in a spectacular way and for culture lovers, many theaters and halls like the Santuario de Guadalupe and Greer Garson Theatre, offer very diverse productions such as musicals, operas, concerts, dance shows and much more.
If you decide to spend a few days in Santa Fe, the Downtown area is the best place to stay, as there are several options for all budgets, from simple motels, bed & breakfast and charming inns with beautiful gardens decorated with flowers, to spa centers where you can relax after an intense day and hotels with spacious rooms and excellent service.
Stay in the outskirts of Santa Fe
Santa Fe is a city surrounded by nature and contrasts, where you can visit various interesting places and do all kinds of activities and outdoor sports.
The most popular tourist attraction among the visitors of the area is the Rancho de las Golondrinas, a village totally set in the colonial era located south of the city, and where you can get an idea of how they lived in the New Mexico of the eighteenth century.
For sports lovers, in the outskirts of Santa Fe you can practice all kinds of sports such as hiking and mountain biking , and even, in several tourism agencies, you can hire an experienced and friendly guide to accompany you.In addition, in winter the mountains are tinged with winter and it is a perfect opportunity to practice snow sports on its ski slopes, fully equipped and where you can rent all the equipment you need.
If you wish to stay in the outskirts of Santa Fe there are several options, for all kinds of budgets, although less than in the city centre.You can rest in a simple road motel or in a renovated ranch with a great service, or you can also relax after a tiring day in one of the several centers of spa that are in the area.
If you have found our recommendation on where to stay in Santa Fe don’t miss our recommendation on the best areas to stay in other outstanding destinations in the United States.
