Palace of the Governors

Santa Fe is famous for its dramatic and rugged desert landscape, situated as it is in the spectacular Sangre de Cristo foothills, as well as its historic architecture, quaint and crooked cobbled streets, delicious cuisine, and globally recognised vibrant arts scene. Explore the vibrant, multicultural, creative capital of New Mexico with an expert, English-speaking private guide including tickets to the Georgia O’Keefe Museum. 

On your private tour you will: 

• Start your tour from Santa Fe Plaza - the historic heart of the city and discover the vibrant Plaza, the cultural hub of the city;
• Admire the Palace of the Governors, the old capitol building of New Mexico, built in 1610 of the traditional adobe (mudbrick in Spanish) that the city is renowned for;
• Learn about the history of New Mexico, its confluence of Spanish, Native American, Mexican and American cultures reflected in its cuisine and creativity;
• Soak up the rugged desert views and dramatic scenery, enjoy the vibrant colours - and famous turquoise and immerse yourself in the artistic atmosphere of the city;
• Visit the impressive Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi - dedicated to the city’s patron saint, it was built in the 19th century, and its rose window was imported from France in the 1800s;   
• Pass by Loretto Chapel, and hear the story about the "miraculous staircase";
• Walk down De Vargas Street and see the city’s oldest two-roomed adobe house which is now a small but fascinating free museum;
• Pass by San Miguel Mission - the oldest church in America dating back to 1610;
• See a hidden gem on Palace Avenue - a little-known drop-off point for spies and scientists involved in the Manhattan Project for the onward journey to the hidden research facility in Los Alamos, where they developed the atomic bomb;
• End outside the Georgia O’Keefe Museum where your guide will give you tickets and tell you all about this iconic 20th-century artist, her fascinating life, her influential style in American modernism, and her lasting legacy, so you can enjoy the museum at your own pace!
  

Santa Fe Plaza is where your private walking tour begins, the hub of this multifaceted city that is by turns majestic, vibrant, quirky, creative, historic, and modern. Santa Fe was founded in 1610 by Spanish settlers and is today a total melting pot of culture and cuisine, famous for the rugged beauty of its desert and mountainous landscape, and its many art galleries for which it is justly world-famous - including the Georgia O’Keefe Museum. 

Enjoy this welcome tour of the historic centre of Santa Fe, taking in all the main highlights, including the Palace of the Governors, San Miguel Church (the oldest church in America and dedicated to the Archangel Michael), the Basilica Cathedral of St Francis, De Vargas Street and more. You’ll soak up the vibrant atmosphere of this uniquely artsy city, and enjoy the banter of the market vendors selling beautiful jewellery, tapestries, weavings, paintings, folk art, and photography; combined with the city’s history and unique adobe architecture Santa Fe is truly a perfect destination for curious travellers and art enthusiasts. 

Your tour ends outside the Georgia O’Keefe Museum, where your guide will hand you tickets and tell you all about the extraordinary life and legacy of the artists. O’Keefe lived and worked just an hour from Santa Fe, and is considered one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Her work is instantly recognizable and includes large-scale depictions and abstractions of flowers, rocks, shells, leaves, bones and other natural phenomena, as well as cityscapes of New York and landscapes of New Mexico. The Museum houses over 3000 works by O’Keefe including 140 oil paintings, 700 drawings, and hundreds of other works until 1984 when the artist’s eyesight forced her to retire. 

Enjoy a welcome introductory private walking tour of Santa Fe, the vibrant, multicultural, creative capital city of New Mexico situated in the spectacular Sangre de Cristo foothills. Founded as a Spanish colony in 1610, Santa Fe is famous for its historic architecture, dramatic landscape, quaint and crooked cobbled streets, delicious cuisine, and colourful art scene. 

On your private tour you will: 

• Explore the vibrant Santa Fe Plaza, a National Historic Landmark and the iconic cultural hub of the city - playing host to many markets, concerts, and community events; 
• See the Palace of the Governors, the original capitol building of New Mexico, built-in 1610 of traditional adobe (mudbrick in Spanish) where the Pueblo Indian revolt took place in 1680;
• Learn about the history of New Mexico, its unique mountainous geography, and today’s confluence of Spanish, Native American, Mexican and American cultures reflected in its cuisine and creativity;
• Enjoy the buzz and good humour of the local market sellers and stall holders selling many authentic Native American crafts;
• Visit the impressive Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi - dedicated to the city’s patron saint, it was built in the Romanesque Revival style in the 19th century, in sharp contrast to the local adobe, its rose window was imported from France in the 1800s;   
• Walk down De Vargas Street and see the city’s oldest two-roomed adobe house which is now a small but fascinating free museum;
• Pass by San Miguel Mission - said to be the oldest church in the US dating back to 1610, it is dedicated to the Archangel Michael and is still in use today for mass and live music;
• Visit Palace Avenue - a little-known point of interest in Santa Fe that was the drop-off point for the onward journey to the hidden research facility in Los Alamos for spies and scientists involved in the Secret Manhattan Project, to create the atomic bomb;
• Pass by the New Mexico History Museum - a fascinating and informative treasure trove of artefacts and art that traces the complex history of New Mexico;
• End near the Santa Fe Plaza, surrounded by fabulous bars and restaurants!
  

Situated around the central Plaza where your private walking tour begins, Santa Fe is by turn a majestic, vibrant, quirky, creative, historic and modern city - a true melting pot of cultures and cuisines, famous for the rugged beauty of its desert and mountainous landscape, and its many galleries leading to it becoming a globally recognised art and culture centre.  

The capital city of New Mexico, Santa Fe was founded 400 years ago in 1610 by Spanish colonisers - whose history and controversies you’ll learn all about outside the Palace of the Governors, where the Pueblo Indian uprising began in 1680. Today the city is a confluence of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and American cultures.

You’ll learn about the significant role Catholicism and devotees of Saint Francis have played in the formation of the city - and see America’s oldest church, San Miguel.  

Santa Fe’s complex social fabric, multi-ethnic cuisine, unique adobe architecture, beautiful jewellery, tapestries, weavings, paintings, folk art, and photography has made it a mecca for travellers and art enthusiasts. 

As well as the historic and cultural highlights of Santa Fe your guide will show you the hidden spot along Palace Avenue that played a key role in the top-secret Manhattan Project during the Second World War.

Your tour ends near Santa Fe Plaza, surrounded by vibrant bars and restaurants - your guide will be only too happy to make recommendations for the rest of your stay. 

Discover the highlights of the multicultural, historic, and creative capital city of Santa Fe, New Mexico with an expert private guide, including tickets to the world-renowned Museum of Art. 

On your private tour you will: 

• Begin your private tour near Santa Fe Plaza, the historic gathering place and a National Historic Landmark;
• Admire the Palace of the Governors, the old capitol building built in 1610 with traditional adobe (mudbrick in Spanish);
• Learn about the history of New Mexico, and its amalgamation of Spanish, Native American, Mexican and American cultures that influenced its art, culture, and cuisine;
• Admire the desert views and mountain scenery, soak up the vibrant colours and atmosphere of the city;
• Visit the imposing Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, a French Romanesque revival style building dedicated to the city’s patron saint;
• Stroll along De Vargas Street and see the city’s oldest house, turned small free museum;
• Visit the San Miguel Mission (If open at the time of the tour) - the oldest church in America dating back to 1610 dedicated to the Archangel Michael;
• Discover a hidden gem on Palace Avenue and learn all about the top-secret Manhattan Project at the nearby research centre Los Alamos;
• Pass by the New Mexico History Museum - a fascinating treasure trove of artefacts;
• End outside the Museum of Art where your guide will give you tickets and tell you all about this famous art gallery, so you can enjoy the museum at your own pace! 

Your tour begins in Santa Fe Plaza, the vibrant, historic and cultural heart of the city. Your tour will explore all the major highlights and a few hidden gems of New Mexico’s capital city. Santa Fe is famous today for its colourful art scene, multicultural and multiethnic music, cuisine, and crafts.

It was founded in 1610 by Spanish settlers, on Native American land - resulting in the Pueblo uprising of 1680. Its complex past means that the city today is a total melting pot of culture and cuisine. It is also famous for the rugged beauty of the mountainous desert landscape and spectacular sunsets.

World famous as a mecca for art, your tour includes tickets to the amazing Museum of Art. 

On your private tour, you will see the Palace of the Governors, San Miguel Church (the oldest church in America), the Basilica Cathedral of St Francis, De Vargas Street, and more. Enjoy the banter of market vendors selling beautiful jewellery, crafts, folk art, and photography. 

Your tour ends outside the Museum of Art, a century-old museum that evokes all the nostalgia of the Pueblo Revival style associated with Santa Fe architecture. Your guide will give you a thorough introduction to the museum, for you to explore at your own pace, and choose from among the tens of thousands of pieces of artwork to admire across a breadth of styles and periods.