A Slow Morning in Old Town Albuquerque

Albuquerque gets a reputation as a highway city, but its heart is older and gentler than the freeways suggest. Old Town, founded in 1706, wraps a shaded plaza in adobe, and a slow morning here is the loveliest way to meet the Duke City.

The plaza and San Felipe de Neri

The old church of San Felipe de Neri has anchored the plaza since the 1790s, its twin towers rising over a green square ringed with portales. Benches under the trees invite you to sit, watch, and do very little.

Old Town moves at plaza speed — which is to say, no speed at all.

Shops, chile, and silver

The surrounding lanes are thick with trading posts, chile shops, and galleries. Some are touristy; the best sell genuine Pueblo and Navajo work. Take your time and ask questions.

Breakfast first

No Albuquerque morning is complete without a breakfast burrito smothered in green chile. Order it 'wet,' grab extra napkins, and understand at last why locals are so evangelical about their chile.

Field notes

• Free parking is easier here than downtown Santa Fe.
• The nearby ABQ BioPark makes an easy add-on with kids.
• Evenings during the holidays glow with thousands of luminarias.

By the time the plaza fills with midday sun, you'll have the measure of Albuquerque: unhurried, unpretentious, and quietly in love with its own long history.