Welcome Home . . .  to Santa Fe

A Santa Fe resident, quoted in the Wall Street Journal, said, “This is the last place in America where you can get spectacular views, live near wild horses, buffalo, and elk, and still be only 25 miles from a major city.”

Santa Fe is truly the City Different, with over 250 art galleries, scores of quality restaurants, a world-class opera company and enough variety in housing to fit every taste. The Sangre de Cristo mountains provide a gorgeous backdrop—snowcapped in winter; dramatic in summer, as thunderclouds form above the peaks.

Santa Fe is a city that’s rich in history. In 1598, it was the northernmost settlement along the Camino Real, the "Royal Road" from Mexico City. The city itself was founded as a city of New Spain in 1609 and its official name is "La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Assisi" or "The Royal City of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi." It’s the oldest state capital in the country.

Santa Fe was built around a central plaza, in the traditional Spanish style of the day. In 1829, the plaza marked the end of the Santa Fe trail, from Missouri. Today the plaza is ringed with shops and galleries, and it’s the site of art festivals, performances, and special events. Native American artists sell their jewelry and crafts at the north end, under the portal at the Palace of the Governors. Vendors sell carnitas and other local food specialties from colorful carts on the edges of the plaza.

Santa Fe celebrates diversity. Three distinct cultures are represented: Native American, Hispanic and Anglo. Each contributes to the unique culture and style that makes Santa Fe “The City Different.”

http://www.santafe.org/

www.santafe.org/