This northern New Mexico city, hugging the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, has long served as a multicultural crossroads. For centuries, it housed one of a string of pueblos (indigenous villages) along the Rio Grande that traded goods and jewellery. Then, it became a frontier tourist destination; later an off-the-beaten-track artists’ enclave. That well-trodden road is worn in a little deeper now (and the airport’s flight frequency has grown, too), but the “City Different” still sparks joy for creatives.
Guided tours take you to peaceful sculpture gardens and private artists’ workshops; ancient healing techniques influence spas and retreats; while Native American and Latin flavours influence a scattering of inventive restaurants. Here’s how to dive headfirst into this culture-packed, nature-wrapped city.
