Plaza
Nowhere is this charm more evident than on the Santa Fe Plaza. Shaded by 150-year-old cottonwood trees, the grassy square is surrounded by historic buildings. The ancient adobe structures, with their gentle corners and irregular earth-tone walls, bake in the soft light of the New Mexico sun. The hustle of the modern city teems to the south, but on the Plaza life slows, and the locals affectionately call their home “the land of mañana.”
On the north side of the Plaza is the Palace of the Governors, the oldest public building in the country. Across the front of this grand structure, Pueblo artisans sell the fruits of their labors on colorful blankets, as their ancestors have done for over 300 years. The remaining three sides of the Plaza are lined with boutiques, galleries, restaurants and jewelry stores that cater to tourists. Narrow streets that originally carried traffic on foot, horseback and wagon, radiate out from the Plaza and hold intriguing names like Burro Alley, San Francisco Street, Guadalupe Trail and Galisteo Road. Some of the names came from utility. Originally, Galisteo Road was the route south, out of town. The next settlement down the road, now a colony of artists, is called Galisteo.
The Plaza district is a mere two-square-mile rectangle. However, a high density of specialty shops, luxurious and historic hotels and incredible restaurants make this part of town one of the most popular tourist destinations on the world.
Canyon Road
Carrying snowmelt down from the 12,000-foot peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Rio Santa Fe splashes and dances over granite boulders on its way south and west to the Rio Grande. Over the eons, this river carved a wide swath from the foothills of the mountains just east of the Plaza. Native Pueblo peoples on hunting and religious treks into the mountains developed a route along the river and grew crops in the fertile soil of the valley floor. Spanish settlers also used the canyon trail as a route into the mountains, and to bring crops into town from the high fields. This route became known as Canyon Road.
Today, walled compounds hide historic haciendas along this narrow winding road. Many of the old properties have been converted into galleries, bed-and-breakfasts and restaurants. On many of these compounds, the gates themselves are works of art and a drive up this peaceful road just to experience its charm is recommended. One of the favorite stops among locals is a restaurant and bar called El Farol. The menu offers Spanish tapas, small servings of specially prepared meats or vegetables, which are commonly ordered in great variety and shared.
Greater Santa Fe
Sprawling to the south of the tranquil Plaza district is a modern city, brimming with life and activity. Although the tourist trade is Santa Fe’s primary industry, the city is also the state capitol and the county seat. Large government complexes spread across acres of land. Because zoning laws prevent the construction of any buildings over five stories, the only thing on the skyline here are the tallest trees against the backdrop of the mountains.
Like spokes of a wheel, three major arteries spear their way northward from Interstate 25 toward the Plaza. On the western fringe of the city, Cerrillos Road (exit 278) is Santa Fe’s busiest boulevard and boasts the largest concentration of modern hotels and retail outlets in the city. Villa Linda Mall, Santa Fe’s largest indoor shopping mall, is located on the far southern reaches of Cerrillos Road. Be prepared to deal with heavy traffic congestion along this road in the summer months and during ski season.
To the east is Old Pecos Trail (exit 284). This two-lane route to downtown is void of the high-density commercial zones that line Cerrillos Road, but a sharp eye will spot a number of stylish bed and breakfasts peeking out from behind the piñon trees.
Between these two thoroughfares is St. Francis Drive (exit 282), a wide, four-lane road that, until recently, served as the highway north through Santa Fe to points north, like Los Alamos and Taos. There are few commercial retail outlets along this road until you approach the Plaza, but a number of government complexes have attracted popular fast food chains and local hole-in-the-wall restaurants.
North
Rolling hills carpeted with piñon and juniper trees bracket the city to the north and create a setting for the world famous Santa Fe Opera. This outdoor theater is famous for its acoustics and offers the very finest in operatic entertainment. Tailgate parties in the parking lot before the shows take on a distinctly Santa Fe flavor, with opera goers bedecked in tuxedos and cowboy boots grilling steaks and burgers alongside trays of Russian Caviar and bottles of Dom Perignon.
Luxurious bed-and-breakfasts are nestled in the canyons and perched atop the fat hilltops. Rancho Encantado, a converted hacienda, is a remnant of Santa Fe’s colorful past, when the city sat on the Spanish frontier and the only thing between the Spanish colonists and the wild unknown were thick adobe walls and heavy, carved wooden gates.
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