Santa Fe Travel Guide

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico. It is a great city - and a very good base for visiting the rest of the state. Established in 1610, it's the oldest capital in the United States, and one of the oldest European cities in the USA. Santa Fe is an odd mix of old and new, with heavy admixtures of conservatism and quirkiness. The enforced style of "adobe" (most of it is actually stucco blown onto shaped styrofoam) ensures that even big box stores have that "taco deco" look. On the other hand, the history of the old downtown is genuine. The small scale of the buildings, with the low doors, thick walls, and lack of square is for real, as are the litany of events that happened in the old city. Experience it on foot; take a walking tour, or get a map to figure it all out. It's easy to be seduced by the combination of heritage, glamour, and kitsch that make up Santa Fe. Sure, you'll leave, but you'll want to come back again. Really.

There are numerous high end art galleries and shops in Sante Fe including the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. A lesser known art gallery and one of the best is in the state capital building which shows many New Mexico's artworks on the walls throughout the building.

Santa Fe, New Mexico is one of the most distinctive destinations in the U.S., known for its indigenous architecture, Native American and Hispanic heritage, vibrant arts community, and beautiful natural setting. Santa Fe was designated the United States’ first UNESCO Creative City, in Folk Art, Crafts, and Design, on July 6, 2005. The city played a key role in expanding the Creative Cities’ mission of connecting cities wanting to share experiences, ideas, and best practices aiming at cultural, social, and economic development when it hosted the Creative Cities Strategic Planning Meeting in 2006.

The Santa Fe International Conference on Creative Tourism came about directly from that Santa Fe gathering of Creative Cities in 2006. Home to artists, musicians, scientists, authors, and creative people of all kinds, Santa Fe is renowned for its abundant creative resources and is poised to share its vision of creative tourism with all who attend the conference. For more information about Santa Fe visit www.SantaFeCreativeTourism.org