156. Old Town, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Nestled between the Sandia mountains (Spanish for watermelon) and three volcanoes (the Three Sisters) is a rift carved by the Rio Grande River that is home to a historic farming community, turned outpost, and then officially a village in 1706 that predates the forming of the United States by four generations. This village – which has flown the flags of three nations (Spain, Mexico, U.S.A.), was center-stage for the brutal merger of two civilizations, and has become one of the most unique and culturally significant melting pots in the history of the United States – is known as Old Town Albuquerque, NM.

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Old Town’s narrow streets and century-old adobe houses are home to New Mexican eateries serving enchiladas and sopaipilla pastries, and tiny artisan shops selling jewelry, rugs and pottery. Old Town Plaza is a charming spot overlooked by 18th-century San Felipe de Neri Church. Nearby, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science has dinosaur skeletons, while the Albuquerque Museum displays Southwestern art. The historic heart of Albuquerque is Old Town Plaza, where the pace slows and pedestrians find refuge from fast traffic. Old Town's official beginning took place on April 23, 1706, when Francisco Cuervo y Valdés, the Spanish governor of New Mexico, certified the founding of the Villa de Alburquerque. Spain's Laws of the Indies, in effect at the time, required setting a plaza at the center of any villa.

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Centered around the plaza, Albuquerque's Old Town comprises about ten blocks of historic adobe buildings. On the north side of the plaza is the San Felipe de Neri Church, the oldest building in the city, built in 1793. Surrounding the church, the city's settlers had built their homes, shops and government offices, many of which have been converted into the restaurants, art galleries and shops of Old Town. More than 100 stores and galleries feature a wide variety of Southwestern artwork, including jewelry, sculpture, paintings, weaving and pottery. In addition, the Albuquerque Museum, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and Explora Science Center and Children's Museum are all located just to the east of Old Town, showcasing world-class exhibits.

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