Backyard Destinations

Albuquerque Old Town was founded in 1706 by Governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdez, decades before the Declaration of Independence was even signed and over 200 years before New Mexico became a state. The city’s oldest building, the San Felipe de Neri Church, is also located in this area.

Today, Old Town covers about 10 blocks of historic adobe buildings and resembles what it looked like when it was first built, with Pueblo-Spanish architecture. There are a lot of shops there where you can buy clothing, antiques, art, and more, and a couple of restaurants, cafes, and bars where you can grab a drink and bite to eat.

I made it a priority to go to Old Town while I was in Albuquerque because of its historical significance. While I was there, I walked into a couple of the shops and browsed through a lot of pottery. But I mostly just walked around to get a feel for the area.

Plastic bottle tree

Plastic bottle tree

Plastic bottle tree

I also spent a good amount of my time in Old Town chatting with a lady named Marilyn, a Native American who was selling jewelry. She advised me not to walk around outside Old Town with my camera hanging around my neck and suggested I make my way up to the Taos Pueblo when I went to Santa Fe. It was a great conversation and I ended up buying a $7 bracelet from her.

Apart from walking around and appreciating the architecture in Old Town, there are a couple of tours visitors can sign up for if interested, including a Breaking Bad RV tour. I was told that it would be cheaper to map out the locations and go to them yourself, but the tour an option out there for those who don’t want the hassle of having to plan things out.

With so much history packed into 10 blocks, Albuquerque Old Town is a place you won’t want to miss!