Santa Fe, Spanish for “Holy Faith” is the oldest state capital in the United States.  Also, it has the highest altitude of any of the U.S. state capitals with an elevation of 7,199 feet (2,194M). Keep this in mind when you visit as this means the air is rarefied & thinner.  You might be huffing and puffing through the hills. Speaking of hills, Santa Fe sits in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains in the southernmost range of the Rocky Mountains range. The climate is semi-arid with 320+days of sunshine and four distinct seasons.  With 12,000-foot vistas that you can explore from above or below, it’s tucked into the Northern Rio Grande Valley, surrounded by 1.5 million acres of unspoiled national forest.  

It’s renowned for its Pueblo-style architecture and is an art mecca of the world. Founded as a Spanish colony in 1610, it has at its heart the traditional plaza which is a must see when visiting.  The surrounding historic district’s crooked streets wind past many adobe landmarks.  A few of the cultural highlights include Santa Fe Plaza, Palace of the Governors, Fiesta de Santa Fe.  

Accommodations

We splurged and stayed at the luxurious Inn of the Five Graces.  We had a beautiful 2 bedroom/2 bath suite for our stay. The property has a full spa, so it’s great for a girl’s trip or mother/daughter getaway. The spa décor and furnishings alone are breathtaking!  This beautiful property has manicured landscapes and with a perfect location for walking in historic Santa Fe.  Nightly music in the courtyard with cocktails & appetizers is nice when you come back in the evening after a long day out seeing the sights.  You can order from any of the local restaurants and they will deliver to you in the courtyard.  Breakfast is included and it’s DELISH!  The French toast was my FAV!   Also, a bonus was the mini fridge in your suite that is stocked with non-alcoholic drinks and snacks for your stay.  https://fivegraces.com/

Other options in the historic area of Santa Fe:

https://www.lafondasantafe.com/ Celebrating 100 years & located in the historic Santa Fe Square. On a side note, the best sunset spot in Santa Fe is on the rooftop of the La Fonda.  Definitely reserve a spot on the rooftop for a sunset memory. 
https://www.lafondasantafe.com/dining-entertainment/bell-tower-bar https://www.innonthealameda.com/
https://www.druryhotels.com/locations/santa-fe-nm/drury-plaza-hotel-in-santa-f

Activities & Culture

Our first stop was the beautiful, Loretto Chapel.  It’s a very special place to locals and visitors alike.  Located in the heart of historic Santa Fe, New Mexico it attracts people from all over the world who want to find out more about the infamous, “miraculous staircase.”  Honesty, I think this was my favorite stop in Santa Fe.  It gives you peace after visiting.  There are three mysteries that surround the spiral staircase in the Loretto Chapel. 

1. the identity of its builder (he disappeared never to be found again)

2.  the type of wood used to build the staircase. 

3.  the physics of its construction. 

The real mystery is that the staircase has two 360-degree turns and no visible means of support. Also, the staircase was built without nails, only wooden pegs.

https://www.lorettochapel.com/

Santa Fe Plaza- Shopping mecca of Santa Fe, also great people watching! You can sit in the plaza and watch all the shoppers. The plaza is a National Historic Landmark that hosts Indian and Spanish markets yearly.  The Native American Vendors Program of the Palace of the Governors is open daily from 10am-5pm. You can negotiate prices with them, just be respectful and especially with taking photos.  

Attention Ladies!  Jewelry Galore in Santa Fe on and off the square to find what you are looking for to take home.  We did some damage at the Wind River Trading Company.  Lots of silver jewelry with gemstones, but turquoise is my fav! https://windriversf.com/

For leather goods and hats, Red River Mercantile is a fabulous stop.  I bought a very cool leather turquoise cuff. https://www.redrivermercantile.com/

A few others we popped in and loved:

Great indoor shopping plaza after you visit the Loretto Chapel.  Handwoven originals were adorable and the ladies were so helpful! https://www.hotelloretto.com/shops_at_loretto/ 

High-end ladies’ shop on the square.  https://santafedrygoods.com/

Canyon Road- This is a must see when in Santa Fe.  This street is dedicated to the artists of the world.  There are 100 galleries, boutiques, and restaurants on this magical half-mile street. It seemed longer on our visit.  There are shuttles to and from the area, but we decided to jump in a pedicab (there were 3 of us, he got his exercise) We stopped in at a few of his favorites which were awesome & so fun!  https://www.visitcanyonroad.com/

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi- A favorite stop in Santa Fe.  The original adobe church was built in 1610 on this site, replaced in 1630 by a larger one, and then destroyed by the Pueblo Indian Revolt in 1680. The church was named in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Santa Fe.  The only part of the church still existing is the small adobe chapel dedicated to Our Lady La Conquistadora brought from Spain in 1625.  Her statue is the oldest representation of the Virgin Mary in the United States. https://www.cbsfa.org/

There’s plenty of culture in this city.  Even if you aren’t a history, culture, or art buff, there is a site for you in Santa Fe.  There are many to choose from, so I suggest selecting the one that best suits your interest. 

Here are a few:  
New Mexico History Museum 
Museum of International Folk Art 
Georgia O’Keefe 
Museum of Indian Arts and Culture 
Meow Wolf

Restaurants-
Lunch or dinner- We sat for lunch at the rooftop cantina. Try the ice cream tacos were yummy!  https://www.coyotecafe.com/
Popular spot and no reservations, so get there early for lunch or dinner. https://sfshed.com/
We ordered delivery one for pizza & salads. https://www.uppercrustpizza.com/
Fine dining is located on Canyon Road in a 1756 adobe home. https://www.geronimorestaurant.com/
For more details on Santa Fe, this is a great resource: https://www.santafe.org/