Old Town

Website: www.albuquerqueoldtown.com
Having been the focal point of community life in Albuquerque since 1706, the picturesque Old Town attracts visitors all year round with to its Pueblo-Spanish adobe buildings, quaint arcades, flower-filled courtyards and the shady, tree-lined central plaza.

Established at the behest of King Philip as part of a Spanish colonial settlement near to the Rio Grande River, settlers here followed the traditional pattern of building homes and businesses around a central plaza. Pride of place is taken by the city’s oldest church - San Felipe de Neri, while a central seating area is flanked by an elegant bandstand, from which neatly laid paths gently meander away towards its periphery.

Although the Old Town was hit hard by arrival of the railroad to Albuquerque in 1880 (which resulted in the commercial centre of the city shifting east) it eventually regained its standing (and vibrancy) towards the middle of the last century. Today, local artisans, sheltered from soaring temperatures by the shade of their picturesque portals, sell handmade crafts and turquoise jewellery, while winding alleyways give rise to inviting gift shops graced by hidden patios and bedecked with potted plants.

With tourists also attracted by the Old Town’s unique architecture and stunning Southwestern sunsets, its mix of more than 150 stores, galleries, fine restaurants and museums, help give true insight into the colours, sights and flavours of Albuquerque.