Unique. Enchanting. Beautiful. Dazzling. Each of these adjectives, and several more, seem entirely appropriate when describing this smallish, but vibrant and historical, city perched high in foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico. With more than 400 years of heritage and tradition, Santa Fe continues to enthrall visitors and natives with its combination of pueblo architecture, Old World charm, artistic flair and cultural energy. It is truly a city influenced by a dynamic and rewarding blend of cultures.
A land of brilliant sunsets, expansive mountain horizons, all embraced in rich green forests, and streets lined with shimmering cottonwoods; the city itself appears as a work of art, with a series of constantly changing painted canvases. It is no wonder that the arts and crafts flourish here, with literally hundreds of galleries and unique shops offering not only native work, but also paintings, sculpture and other artifacts created by a community of international artisans who have relocated here from all corners of the world.
Santa Fe’s cultural life is further enhanced by its highly acclaimed Symphony, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Chamber Music Festival. But perhaps its cultural jewel is the Santa Fe Opera, which performs each summer in a dramatic adobe open-air amphitheater carved into a hillside…an architectural masterpiece that blends harmoniously with the high desert landscape.
Present day Santa Fe is a city like few other places in the U.S., especially for a city of less than 63,000. Everywhere you turn you encounter a living link to its past. Walking the streets of this 400 year old village is like tracing the city’s heritage, with reminders on every street corner and in its customs, foods and people of the area’s rich Native American culture and its strong Hispanic heritage. In recognition of this unique cultural lineage, the city fathers have implemented building ordinances which require that all new construction be from adobe or similar methods. Consequently, Santa Fe is assured of remaining as a living monument to those generations who paved the way for this unique and beautiful place. In the OldPlaza, which is the heart and soul of Santa Fe, historic streets are filled with throngs of locals and tourists, searching through a labyrinth of art galleries, craft shops and fabulous restaurants.
Rising outward on the edges of the city and toward the distant mountains, a number of new planned communities and condo developments are being developed to meet the demand from the legends of new arrivals relocating to take advantage of Santa Fe’s climate, beautiful natural surroundings and exciting lifestyle. Housing costs have skyrocketed with such demand, but still remain far below such other trendy destinations as Aspen, Vail or San Francisco. There are, however, several choices available for reasonably priced housing.
Outdoor enthusiasts quickly become enthralled with the wide array of recreational opportunities that await them. The surrounding countryside offers an abundance of trails and streams for hiking, camping and fishing. And the outdoor excitement continues throughout the winter, winter five major ski resorts, including Taos, within ninety miles of downtown Santa Fe. For anyone in need of the advantages that might be available in a more urban and larger setting, Albuquerque, a city of 500,000, is only sixty miles to the south.
As the state capital, Santa Fe enjoys a stable and growing economy bolstered by a high percentage of government employees. With its thriving tourist-related businesses, combined with an increasing number of scientific and technology-oriented enterprises, the entire region is at the forefront of newly emerging economic hotspots.
For a city of its size, Santa Fe benefits from above average health care facilities. Also, its enviable crime statistics rank it as one of the safest cities in the country. Will its rich, cultural past, its magnificent location and setting and its diverse and energetic people; there is little surprise that Santa Fe’s stature as a great place to live and retire is rapidly rising.
Population: City (62,500) County (130,000)
Climate: Avg. Jan. Low (19) Avg. July High (84) Rainfall: 14” Snowfall: 29”
