SANTA FE

<,p>,America&rsquo,s oldest capital city is the only one to have fascinated travelers for more than 400 years. Atop a rim of the vast upper Rio Grande basin 7,000 feet above sea level, it is one of the nation&rsquo,s highest major towns. Nearby, the loftiest peaks of the southernmost Rocky Mountains provide a towering backdrop and a benign sheltered four-season climate. The unique site and relative isolation fostered slow, thoughtful growth.<,/p>,<,p>,Today, Santa Fe has achieved world-class status as a fascinating getaway destination. Here, it is all about food, art, museums, operas and entertainment, leisure spas, and Rocky Mountain recreation. Santa Fe vies with any city as a top concentration of gourmet cuisine of many kinds (including peerless native food stylings) and at every level of cost. All of the most distinctive restaurants are reviewed in this guidebook. So are traditional and unusual attractions ranging from America&rsquo,s oldest public building in continuous use to a purely 21st-century museum celebrating sensory interactions. Side trips to charming small villages are also provided, along with sylvan parks, a ski area, hiking and biking , trails, and other outdoor recreation diversions. Lodgings, including all of the most romantic and luxurious resorts, hotels, and bed and breakfast inns, plus clean budget-oriented motels, are priced and described. More than 200 listings, plus a unique weather profile and a discussion of livability, are featured. This guidebook will provide all the information you need to make plans and discover why Santa Fe is America&rsquo,s most fascinating getaway town.<,/p>,_,