Best Sightseeing in Santa Fe

San Miguel Mission is the oldest church in the United States. It was originally built in the early 1600s by Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico under the direction of Franciscan Friars. It was destroyed during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. It was rebuilt in 1710 after the Spanish reconquest. The high ceiling shows a perfect example of vigas (log rafters) used in Spanish Colonial buildings. The colorful reredos (altar screen) dates from 1798. The bulto (wooden carving) of San Miguel, believed to be the oldest carving of the Saint in the U.S., was brought from Mexico in 1709. There's one Mass at week on Sundays at 5pm. Cross DeVargas Street where you'll find what's claimed to be the oldest house in the country dating to 1646. It's believed that some of the foundation dates back over 1,000 years. While there explore the Barrio Analco, the neighborhood established in 1598.

Santa Fe has four museums devoted to American Indians and their influence is felt in others. The state-run Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC) showcases the art, culture and history of the Pueblo and other native peoples. Their mission is "to inspire appreciation for and knowledge of the diverse native arts, histories, languages, and cultures of the Greater Southwest." There are two long-term exhibits. Here, Now, and Always, a journey through the history and culture of the native people of the southwest from pre-Columbian times to the present. Take the time to listen to the recorded perspectives of 50 Native Americans. The Buchsbaum Gallery Southwestern Pottery, opened in 1997, has about 300 pieces spanning the history of the pottery tradition of the Pueblos of New Mexico and Arizona. Traditions Today, a part of the exhibit, highlights contemporary pottery. In addition, changing exhibitions spotlight Native American art and culture.

Santa Fe is a deeply religious city. Founded as the La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Assisi (The Royal City of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi), it's been a Catholic stronghold for over 400 years. Some early settlers headed for the hills. Chimayó, on the High Road to Taos, is a small village with an important church. The Santuario de Chimayó was built to commemorate a miracle. Some believe that the dirt found in "el Pocito" (a tiny, candle-lit room to the side of the altar) is healing. This belief is so strong the town's been called the "Lourdes of North America." You can even take some of this tierra bendita (sacred earth) home with you. An annual Good Friday pilgrimage brings tens of thousands of people to this mountain hamlet. Also walk the Stations of the Cross down the hill.

Spanish Colonial history is a big part of the area's heritage. El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a living history village southwest of Santa Fe, recreates life in Spanish Colonial New Mexico. The property was originally a parejo (camping stop) on the historic El Camino Real, between Mexico City and Santa Fe. The original hacienda has been rebuilt and buildings were brought here from other New Mexico locations including a schoolhouse, mills, a blacksmith's, and a recreated Morada (a Penitente meeting house). On summer weekends Golondrinas comes alive with fairs and festivals. Docents wearing period attire demonstrate long-gone life skills including spinning, weaving, bread baking in ornos (outdoor clay and mud ovens), tin- and black-smithing, grain milling and other period activities. They raise heirloom crops and heritage livestock breeds. They're open Wednesday through Sunday from May through September. Hours are 10a.m. to 4p.m.

People often associate Georgia O'Keeffe with Santa Fe. In fact, the iconic artist didn't live in the city until her last years. She lived in Abiquiu, about an hour northwest of Santa Fe. Her original home was at Ghost Ranch, a former dude ranch turned conference center. In 1946 she bought a second home in the village. She wanted to grow vegetables but the soil at Ghost Ranch was too arid. Her village home (The Georgia O'Keeffe Home and Studio), open from March to November, can only be visited on a guided tour. These fill up so book well in advance. On the hour-long tour, docents guide you through O'Keeffe's garden and into the courtyard where you'll see the black door she often painted. Parts of the house are in fragile condition and can only be viewed through windows. You will go into the kitchen, pantry and separate studio building.

Tent Rocks National Monument (Kasha-Katuwe) is a spectacular series of rock formations on the Pajarito Plateau southwest of Santa Fe. The conical rock formations resulted from volcanic eruptions six or seven million years ago. Some of the tent-like rocks, called "hoodoos," have round capstones perched on top. These serve to protect the softer pumice and tuff inside. Rocks range in size from a few feet tall up to 90 feet. Observe these amazing formations from the road or you pay a fee and walk around the site; even hike if you're ambitious. The slot canyon hike is amazing. There are also less strenuous trails. The area is scattered with "Apache Teardrops" formed from rounded black volcanic glass (obsidian). Pick them up and check them out but put them back where you found them. Taking souvenirs is not allowed.

If you're interested in seeing cliff dwellings, head to Bandelier National Monument. Signs of human presence date back at least 10,000 years. The Tyuonyi Pueblo and cliff dwellings, ancestors to the current-day Cochiti Pueblo, were inhabited between about 1,400 and 1,500 AD. Other Pueblo peoples with ancestral ties to the monument's over 33,000 acres are San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo and Zuni. Walk the Main Loop Trail past the remains of Tyuonyi and along the cliff dwellings. Ladders lead to caves and you can even crawl inside some. Kids and adults love it. Feel adventurous? Climb the three long wooden ladders to the Alcove House 140 feet above Frijoles Canyon. The park is open from dawn to dusk every day except Christmas and New Year's. Hours vary seasonally. In summer and fall, mandatory shuttles run from the White Rock Visitors Center from 9a.m. to 3p.m.

A walk up (or down) historic Canyon Road is a must. This charming, narrow thoroughfare is home to about half of the city's over 200 galleries. Artists have been living on this street at least since the late 1880s. Discover unique boutiques and a few eateries. The former homes here, mostly galleries now, represent distinct architectural styles including Pueblo Revival, Territorial and Arts and Crafts. Most Friday nights, especially in season, there are gallery openings and great people watching. Art runs the gamut from European Impressionists to contemporary covering a wide range of mediums. Special events including the annual Paint Out and the Edible Art Tour are held throughout the year. On Christmas Eve, it turns into fairyland for the annual Canyon Road Farolito Walk. Farolitos (candles in paper bags, as well as the plastic, electrified versions) and luminarias (piñon wood bonfires) light up the street. It's magical!

If you only had time to go to one place in Santa Fe, it should be the historic Santa Fe Plaza, the center of life in this city for over 400 years. Every day you'll find food vendors, buskers and great people-watching year 'round. The Palace of the Governors, built in the early 1600s and the oldest continuously used public building in the country, sits on the north side of the square. Daily, American Indian artists and artisans sell their handcrafted wares under the portal (overhang). The other three sides are filled with shops, galleries and restaurants. In summer it's hoppin' with weekend fairs and markets, including Spanish and Indian Markets. There are free Santa Fe Bandstand concerts most evenings. During the Christmas season the Plaza becomes a winter wonderland. Join the procession at the annual Las Posadas on a mid-December Sunday. It's a long-standing tradition.

This delightful pocket park, adjacent to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, provides a tranquil opportunity to relax while exploring downtown Santa Fe