Luxe PLACES METROPOLITAN MASTERPIECE

The oldest capital city in the U.S. offers endless art in every direction

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ

Santa Fe became a U.S. city in 1607 and New Mexico’s capital in 1610, making it the oldest capital city in the country. Its roots, of course, are even deeper, with its Native American pueblos dating back to 1050.

Nearly 1,000 years later, Santa Fe retains many proud remnants from all facets of its past through its architecture, food and cultural offerings without feeling like a journey through a ghost town. The area’s downtown is a vibrant mix of past and present, with earth tone adobe buildings still standing alongside Victorian, Italianate, and California Mission Revival-style buildings.

Creative Endeavors

There is art in all directions, especially near the Palace of The Governors, the oldest public building in continuous use in the continental United States. The entire south side of the building, which takes up a city block, is home to the Native American Artisans Portal Program. The whole space is dedicated to local artisans selling handcrafted goods ranging from paintings and sculptures to jewelry and pottery. There are more than 1,500 artists authorized to use the space, and it is open seven days a week.

Adjacent to the portal is the New Mexico History Museum and within walking distance or a short drive are approximately 250 galleries, including Canyon Road Contemporary, Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, James Roybal Art, and more. Those seeking something exceptionally outside of the box should venture just outside of downtown to Meow Wolf House of the Eternal Return, a 20,000-square-foot and fully immersive 70-room adventure that merges audio-visual effects with mind-bending installations and a sci-fi mystery under one roof.

Edible Art

Art also comes in the form of food in Santa Fe. Just last year, the James Beard Foundation crowned Fernando Olea as among the best chefs in the country. Sazón, his restaurant just two blocks from the main downtown plaza, has been celebrating traditional and contemporary Mexican and New Mexican cuisine since 1991. Guests wait for months to taste his storied degustación menu, a 10-course tasting adventure offered twice nightly that marries ingredients like creamed poblanos with blue crab and amaretto foam, and zucchini blossoms with ginger aioli and chocolate balsamic sauce. Joining Sazón are similarly acclaimed eateries in the area in Geronimo, a AAA Four Diamond and Forbes Four-Star Travel Award winner beloved for its elevated, whimsical menu with global influences; Compound Restaurant, the fine dining flagship of iconic chef Mark Kiffin; Amaya, a celebration of seasonal ingredients and local pueblo and northern New Mexican culinary traditions; and Luminaria Restaurant, which is fine dining in nature but also home to a nationally lauded green chile cheeseburger with chile-candied bacon that guests beg for them to package and sell.

Smart travelers mix fine dining with some of the more casual options in order to explore a little of everything, often by adding one or more walking culinary tours of the region. Food Tour New Mexico, in particular, offers a good variety of high-end and casual options, all with a professional guide who can speak to the area’s history, epicurean inspirations, and evolution over time, some with wine and margarita pairings.

Romp Then Recharge

Outside of architectural, traditional, and culinary masterpieces, there are two other types of art in the area as well. The first comes in the form of the idyllic natural surroundings, a canvas painted with desert, mountains, vivid greens, and never-ending sky blues. Sante Fe is located at the southern base of the Rocky Mountains, and the bustling downtown is surrounded by 1.6 million acres of high mountain coniferous national forest, making it as much a dream for connoisseurs of outdoor adventure as fine art. Hikers should not miss traversing the Rio Grande and climbing into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, while bikers may enjoy one of more than 100 of well-groomed or rugged trails. The Rio Grande also offers a host of river rafting options, with outfitters like New Mexico River Adventures, Big River Raft Trips, and New River Rafting easily accommodating novices and experts alike.

And the final artistic pursuit in Santa Fe? That would be the art of relaxation, perfected at the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado. The luxury boutique resort features just 65 ultraprivate, adobe-style casitas, including suites, spread across 57 rolling acres in the Sangre de Cristo foothills just a 10-minute drive from the heart of downtown Santa Fe. The casitas are impeccably appointed with heated floors, fireplaces and expansive patios with views for days. They are complemented by a stunning eatery on property in Terra, which offers a traditional menu as well as a private chef’s garden table five-course experience for two to six guests; Terra Bar, always hopping but especially so during its popular build-your-own-margarita mixology classes; the Adventure Center, a full-scale exploration concierge team that builds custom itineraries and private excursions to the best the land has to offer; and the epic spa.

The Spa at the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado is designed to be both dreamy and romantic, complete with outdoor basking sanctuaries for guests to enjoy post-service featuring private Jacuzzis, saunas, loungers, and bubbly. A can’t-miss treatment includes the new Solo Sound Bath Meditation Session that awakens the chakras and energy channels of the body through an immersive meditative journey guided by the yoga of sound.

The art in every form makes it easy to see why Santa Fe is nicknamed “The City Different.”

Learn more at www.santafe.org.