Albuquerque

For thousands of years, the culturally advanced Native America Pueblo people thrived in New Mexico’s vast desert valleys and greeted the Spanish upon their arrival in the 1500s. The first colonists settled in Albuquerque in 1706, marking the official founding of this Southwestern city at the foot of the mountains and on the banks of the Rio Grande River. Anchored by a neighborhood church and central plaza, the settlement prospered as the territory changed hands between Mexico and the U.S. With the arrival of the railroad, Albuquerque’s population exploded and attracted diverse residents and notorious western legends. Route 66 and the area’s later designation as a major research and technology center furthered the city’s growth into a major metropolis. Best known today for its annual hot air Balloon Fiesta, ideal weather and Southwestern culture and cuisine, modern Albuquerque offers unlimited outdoor activities, stunning scenic beauty and takes pride in celebrating its multicultural heritage.

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