Walk through the vibrant city of Santa Fe while discovering its long, dramatic history against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty. Native tribes, Spanish colonists, and the young United States all vied for both territory and cultural supremacy here. This was a world of proud Indigenous peoples and zealous Catholic missionaries, of ancient stability and modern expansion. In its history, Santa Fe tells the story of America like few other cities can.
On this tour, we’ll trace the city’s journey from Pueblo homeland to Spanish colony to the capital of the American Southwest. We’ll also meet the creative minds who made Santa Fe’s art scene one of the most distinctive on Earth. And we’ll explore the rich architectural gems of the city, from adobe homes and studios to a mysterious Gothic staircase and the oldest church in the continental U.S.
NOTE: This is a self-guided outdoor walking tour. Your purchase does not include entrance to any attractions highlighted on the tour.
Begin your adventure by downloading the free TravelStorys app to your phone. Visit the story sites on the interactive map in any order you choose. The audio will play automatically as you approach each story site. You can also enjoy the entire tour remotely from the comfort of your home.
Santa Fe Plaza has witnessed multiple collisions between cultures over the centuries. This lovely public space was the final stop on the famous 19th-century wagon route known as the Santa Fe Trail. Starting in Independence, Missouri, the 800-mile trail served as a trade route between the U.S. and Mexico and as passage for marching soldiers and settlers seeking a better future.
The adobe-style San Miguel Chapel was built in the early 17th century by missionaries and Native Americans. This is the oldest church in the continental United States. In 1680, it became one of many targets in what some call “America’s first revolution.”
Georgia O’Keeffe once said, “Details are confusing. It is only by selection, by elimination, by emphasis, that we get at the real meaning of things.” At the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, you can see how this iconic American artist translated her insights into world-renowned works of art. Over more than six decades, she produced a long list of stunning pieces, from precisely painted New York skyscrapers and rich mountainous landscapes to close-up abstracts of flowers and stark images of skulls juxtaposed with other, sometimes surprising objects, such as broken pottery.
Inside the New Mexico History Museum, you’ll find all the expected things: fossils, Native pottery, and a bounty of information about the tumultuous past and diverse people of this deeply intriguing state. But you’ll also discover a little-known chapter in American history: the story of the Harvey Girls.
The collection of the Institute of American Indian Arts (or IAIA) Museum of Contemporary Native Arts boasts nearly 10,000 progressive works from the genius of American Indian artists. The museum occupies the historic Santa Fe Federal Building, a fitting example of the Pueblo Revival architecture so prevalent in this city. The style imitates the traditional building techniques of the Pueblo people.
The Loretto Chapel was modeled after a famous church in Paris called the Sainte Chappelle. But it’s not the European-inspired architecture most people come to see. They’re drawn by the intriguing staircase inside that many have called a miracle.
The unique community along Canyon Road hosts more than one hundred art galleries and studios. It serves as the long, flowing bloodstream of Santa Fe’s internationally renowned art scene. The road’s identity as a thriving community of creators dates to the early 1900s, but the artists who were first drawn to Santa Fe came here not for its natural beauty and unique culture, but because they were dying.
Like so many great American institutions, the beautiful pseudo-Moorish, Spanish Renaissance Lensic Performing Arts Center was built by an immigrant with a quarter in his pocket.
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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