Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, is rich in history and natural beauty, from its majestic mountains to its vast desert mesas. And with an elevation of 1,615m (5,300ft), it ranks among the highest metro areas in the nation.

A sunny and dry climate
Take a tram to the top of the 3,050m (10,000ft) Sandia Mountains, and you can look out over nearly 40,000 sq km (15,000 sq miles) of spectacular scenery. Albuquerque enjoys dry, clear skies and averages more than 310 days of sunshine a year, making it a popular destination with artists and photographers, as well as outdoor enthusiasts. Hot-air ballooning, biking, hiking and golf are favourite activities.

Spanish settlement
Founded in 1706 by Spanish colonists as an agrarian outpost, Albuquerque lies on the banks of the Rio Grande and is named in honour of a Spanish duke, hence its ‘Duke City’ nickname. The devoutly Catholic Spanish settlers erected a small adobe chapel, which remains an anchor of the city’s charming Old Town district.

Albuquerque grew in prominence as an important stop on the Camino Real, a vital trade route from Chihuahua to Santa Fe. Historic Route 66, which became a famous automobile road of the early-20th century for western travellers, weaves through Albuquerque, lending a bit of vintage architecture and retro nostalgia to the Duke City.

Indigenous roots
Albuquerque has rich Native American cultural ties, which are honoured here through museums, restaurants, shops and festivals. Most of the state’s 19 pueblos are within a two-hour drive of Albuquerque, as are a number of small villages where Spanish heritage is vibrantly celebrated.

With a name translated as ‘holy faith', Santa Fe claims some of the most faithful fans among tourists spending time in New Mexico. More than a few of its 70,000-plus residents have relocated to this hot-spot from other places in order to submerge themselves in the art world, take advantage of year-round outdoors adventure offerings, and enjoy the mystical, spiritual appeal of New Mexico's deep well of Native American heritage.

Some travellers might make the mistake of dismissing Santa Fe as simply a shoppers' paradise where visitors are known to drop outrageous sums of money on artworks, jewellery, and clothing. Just a quick glance at its history, however, tells you that Santa Fe owns riches that transcend such a superficial realm; in fact, the oldest capital city in the United States was settled 13 years before the Mayflower Pilgrims landed at their Plymouth colony and remains the oldest European community west of the Mississippi River.

There were a few residents as early as 1607, but Santa Fe was settled in 1609-1610 by the conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, who chose the ancient Pueblo Indian ruin of Kaupoge at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to plot the town site.

Throughout the central, oldest part of the city, you will find the early style of architecture, a mix of mud and straw that form adobes, remains dominant. The intriguing blend of décor amidst homes and businesses still incorporates the carved images of saints called santos, as well as artworks in tin, iron, straw and silver, representing the Hispanic customs of the region.

At the same time, you will find pottery, stonework, baskets, and weavings illustrating the significant Native American influences from the Eight Northern Pueblos that cover the landscape in this part of New Mexico.

At an altitude of over 2,100m (7,000ft), Santa Fe is a lofty setting in which to experience a culture like no other in America.