The City Different

When you travel, at least one of your reasons is to immerse yourself in something different from what your hometown and daily lifestyle can offer. And you’ll achieve just that when you visit Santa Fe.

BECAUSE SANTA FE IS THE CITY DIFFERENT.

The nickname is not a recent slogan born of consultants brainstorming in a conference room with a whiteboard, but of a rich and authentic history.

In the early 1900s, the “City Beautiful Movement” was sweeping the United States and all state capitals were invited to join. Advocates were convinced that improved urban planning and architecture more representative of their communities would attract and readily ensconce new residents and tourists. In Santa Fe, city officials embarked on a different approach with the realization that it was already beautiful, and owned a unique and historic “Santa Fe Style” that just needed codifying. “The City Different” represented Santa Fe’s departure from the norm.

In 1912, as New Mexico became a state, Santa Fe released a style preservation plan. Derived from its heritage, the prescribed Territorial and Spanish Pueblo Revival look that originated with the Pueblo Indians, the area’s first people, became a strong component of advertisements promoting the city as a unique tourist center of the Southwest.

So, when you visit Santa Fe, consider the reasons that it’s different. One is certainly that it is still entranced and influenced by its past every day. Remarkably, this approach does not keep the city from modernizing or from growing, but helps it do both with purpose and intention.

COME SEE WHAT MAKES THE CITY DIFFERENT!

Located at 7,000 feet elevation at the juncture of the historic Camino Real and the Santa Fe Trail trade routes

Oldest and highest elevation capital city in the United States, founded in 1610

320+ days of sunshine and 365 days of breathtaking landscapes in the foothills of the Southern Rocky Mountains

An embrace of denim, turquoise jewelry, Western hats and boots

Hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails

Highest point is 12,075 feet at the top of Ski Santa Fe, just 16 miles from downtown

A living history of Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures in a now multicultural city

An internationally known art hub of 250 galleries, 20 museums, the acclaimed Santa Fe Opera, and art markets, including the International Folk Art Market, Spanish Market, and Indian Market

A gastronomic center of award-winning chefs at more than 400 restaurants

Northern New Mexico’s use of chile in its cuisine

On a chilly day or evening, Santa Fe has the aroma of piñon and juniper as the wood burns in the many fireplaces that warm the indoor spaces

DID YOU KNOW?

One of the first projects in the 1912 plan was a portal for the Palace of the Governors. Located on the historic Plaza, it is the oldest continuously occupied government building in the country.