Old Town and Rio Grande
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Until the railroad arrived in 1880, Old Town wasn’t old—it was the town, a cluster of one-story haciendas on the riverbank with the formal title of La Villa de San Felipe de Alburquerque.
Today this area is primarily a tourist destination, the labyrinthine old adobes repurposed as souvenir emporiums and galleries. Despite all the chile-pepper magnets and cheap cowboy hats, though, the residential areas surrounding the shady plaza retain a strong Hispano flavor, and the historic Old Town buildings have a certain endearing scruffiness—they’re lived in, not polished to museum-quality shine.
Because there are few formal sights but plenty of lore in the neighborhood, a free walking tour with the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History is recommended if you have time.
A few blocks west of Old Town runs the Rio Grande, which creates a ribbon of green space through the city and a quiet reminder of the city’s agricultural history.
© Zora O'Neill from Moon Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque, 2nd edition
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.