Santa Fe Map

About City

Sante Fe, meaning “holy faith” in Spanish, is the capital city of New Mexico state. It is the oldest capital in the United States of America. The complete name of the city when it was founded was La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asis, meaning “The Royal town of the Holy faith of St Francis of Assisi.”
Also called “City Different,” the place encompasses a rich and varied history, melding Hispanic, Native and Anglo American customs whose influences can be seen in almost everything – food, art, architecture, and so on.

Geography

Santa Fe is located in the northern valley of Rio Grande at a height of 7,000 feet above sea level. It is the highest capital city in the whole of the United States. The city spans a total area of 37.4 square miles. Lying at the foot of the spectacular Sangre de Cristo Mountains, it makes a great spot for mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and backpacking.

How to reach (Transport)

• By air: 

  The Santa Fe Municipal Airport is served by the American Eagle Airlines and has three flights from Dallas and Los Angeles flying in every day. However, entering the place via another major air hub – the Albuquerque airport – there is at present no commuter air facility linking the two airports. So one can hire a car, taxi or can avail shuttle facilities.

• By rail: 

  The New Mexico Rail Runner Express connects neighboring cities, like Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Presently, there are three stations at Santa Fe – the South Capitol station located between St. Francis Drive and Cerrillos Road, the Santa Fe Depot close to the Sanbusco Center, and the NM 599 station, southwest of town between NM 599 and I-25.

• By car: 

  Interstate 25 borders the city of Santa Fe, but be careful about the weather conditions while coming to the city via this road. La Bajada, a single long, craggy hill can be dangerous during snowstorms and is closed for several hours from time to time. State road 14 that runs to the east of the Sandia Mountains is another alternative to opt for.

When to visit

Santa Fe has a lovely weather throughout the year. Winters are often warm during the day, with abundant “sunny” moments. Though springs and early summers are rather hot and unpleasant, the weather becomes lovely after mid-July.

Points of Interest (Places to Visit)

Santa Fe is a vibrant and lively place that does not disappoint anyone. The historic city offers a colorful journey to the international folk art and native American art. A blend of cultural heritage, art, and history – it has a lot of interesting places for its visitors, some of which some are mentioned below:

• New Mexico History Museum: 

  Opened in May 2009, the museum comprises of three floors of exhibits on the New Mexico history, involving various artifacts from the annals of history to the contemporary times.

• St. Francis Cathedral: 

  One of the “must-visit” attractions in the city has a majestic interior and attractive art both outside and inside the cathedral.

• Loretto Chapel: 

  The magnificent chapel in gothic style was constructed in 1878 and took its inspiration from King Louis IX’s Sainte Chapelle, Paris. The highlight of the chapel is the Miraculous Staircase that attracts the visitors’ attention. It also serves as a famous romantic wedding site.

• New Mexico Museum of Art: 

  The museum is situated just west of the plaza and has been outshined by the major collections of Georgia O’Keeffe and other pieces by Southwestern artists, along with other contemporary art exhibitions.

Accommodation

There are a wide range of hotels and Bed & breakfasts to stay in Santa Fe, starting from budget hotels, like Comfort Suites, Holiday Inn Express Suites Cerrillos to luxury hotels, like Eldorado and La Fonda Hotel.

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References: Wikipedia, Santafe.org