AAA Traveler - Summer 2016 - 32

CITIES WE LOVE

Santa Fe
BY KATIE MCELVEEN

WITH ITS GRACEFUL COLONIAL-ERA PLAZA, STRIKING MOUNTAIN VISTAS AND ADOBE ARCHITECTURE, SANTA FE IS AS
VISUALLY STRIKING AS IT IS HISTORIC. ADD A THRIVING GALLERY SCENE, INNOVATIVE RESTAURANTS AND DEEPLY-ROOTED
NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE, AND YOU'VE GOT A MULTILAYERED DESTINATION THAT WILL SATISFY A VARIETY OF INTERESTS.

The Plaza

Constructed in 1610 as a fort, Santa Fe's sun-splashed
Plaza remains the epicenter of the city. The north side
of the Plaza is anchored by the Palace of the Governors,
which has housed Spanish governors, a Pueblo Indian
community, territorial governments and, currently,
rotating historical exhibits, within its four-foot-thick
walls. Outside, under the shady portico, up to 118 Native
American artisans gather each morning at 8 a.m. to sell
traditional jewelry, pottery, metalwork, stone and wood
carvings, sandpaintings and other craft works. The
Portal Native American Artisans Program, founded in
the 1930s is highly regulated: artisans must create the
work themselves using traditional materials.
Adjacent to the Palace is the New Mexico History
Museum, which tells the story of Santa Fe and New
Mexico through period photographs, artifacts from
archaeological sites, artwork and oral histories.

Loretto Chapel

Standing in stark contrast to the pueblo-style buildings
that surround it, the Gothic-revival-style Loretto
Chapel was completed in 1878. The ornate stained
glass was created in France and made the journey to
Santa Fe via ship, paddleboat and covered wagon;
during summer months, the sun shines through the
multicolored windows at just the right angle to bathe
the altar in gorgeous purple light. The chapel is best-

known, though, for its miraculous staircase, which
winds to the second-story choir loft with no visible
means of support. Legend has it that it was St. Joseph
himself, disguised as an out-of-work carpenter, who
built the graceful structure.

Museum Hill

Located about two miles from the Plaza and accessible
via free shuttle, Museum Hill's five separate museums-
the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum
of Indian Arts and Culture, the Museum of Spanish
Colonial Art, the Wheelwright Museum of the American
Indian and the Santa Fe Botanical Garden-make it easy
to delve into Santa Fe's varied culture. Most offer free
docent led tours, sell one-of-a-kind works in their gift
shops and offer interesting, hands-on activities for kids.

Canyon Road

Strolling through the more than 100 galleries, shops,
restaurants and cafes that line Canyon Road, it's hard
to believe that this charismatic neighborhood got its
start as a collection of small farms built along an old
Indian trail. Take the time to step into the galleries:
beyond walls lined with oils, photographs, textiles and
watercolors, many of these buildings-some of which
were constructed in the 1700s-hide lovely secret
courtyards shaded by giant cottonwood trees and set
with fountains, benches and sculptures.

Do you have off-the-beaten-path recommendations in a favorite city? Share them with traveler@AAACarolinas.com.

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AAA Traveler - Summer 2016

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