Albuquerque’s heart lies in its historic Old Town. An integral part of Albuquerque since the city’s founding in 1706, Old Town remains an important cultural hub. As Albuquerque’s first official neighborhood, this 300-year-old neighborhood is home to the oldest church in Albuquerque, the San Felipe de Neri.
Today, Old Town is a vibrant hot spot home to museums, locally owned shops and galleries, and delicious restaurants. Let’s take a quick tour.
All the Fun is Waiting in Old Town
When Old Town was first settled in 1706, settlers built historic adobe homes in a Pueblo-Spanish style. Newer architectural styles did not grace the streets of Old Town until the late 1800s, when the railroad brought more modern Victorian styles.
History
If you’re interested in learning more about the fascinating history of Old Town, peruse any of the wonderful museums here. The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History has both vast collections of native art and traveling exhibitions. The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science will capture your imagination with its prominent dome planetarium.
Afterwards, walk through the Botanic Gardens to explore local foliage or go fishing at Tingley Beach. Fans of culture and history may have a hard time deciding exactly what to do in this cultural hot spot!
Here are some of our other favorite museums and attractions in the area:
- The Turquoise Museum
- Rattlesnake Museum
- ABQ Bio Park
- Tricentennial Tiguex Park
- Tingley Train
Events and Music
From holiday celebrations to live musical performances and the annual Balloon Fiesta Week, Old Town Albuquerque has a lot going on. Every year, Albuquerque hosts the beloved Balloon Fiesta, which means a whole week of partying in Old Town!
A number of holiday events take place during the “colder” months (except it never really gets too cold in New Mexico), such as the Old Town Holiday Stroll.
New Mexican Cuisine
If you’ve been dying to try traditional New Mexican cuisine, you can’t do much better than Old Town. As soon as you wander into town, you’ll encounter the delicious smells of roasting meat and enchiladas. Treat yourself to a heaping plate of these wonders, or a sopaipilla stuffed with chiles and seasoned chicken.
Go Shopping!
There’s something for every budget waiting in the locally owned shops of Old Town. Whether you’re searching for fine-art, Breaking Bad memorabilia, or one-of-a-kind clothing, there’s a wide range of shops to peruse.
Eager to Call this Wonderful City Home?
There’s a reason so many homebuyers and visitors are flocking to beautiful Albuquerque. With fantastic natural wonders, excellent schools, and beautiful homes for sale, this is an excellent place to call home.
If you have any questions about the real estate opportunities in Albuquerque, or its surrounding communities, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We have easy-to-use home search tools and other buyer resources to help you in your real estate journey.
In the weeks before you start packing, begin to gather packing supplies. Hit up your local big-box retailer during off-hours to see if they have extra boxes. You can also go to the liquor store for this. Keep in mind that these boxes are not reinforced.
If you’re moving from somewhere sea-level, you should know that your body may take a few days or even weeks to adjust to the altitude.