Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour of Historic Santa Fe

Santa Fe has long been a pivotal destination along many trails through the American west. That includes the Old Spanish Trail which connects Santa Fe to the California coast and El Camino Real, which extends all the way up from Mexico City. And it’s these ancient trails

We’re standing in the middle of Santa Fe Plaza. This obelisk in front of us is the Soldiers’ Monument, erected in 1867 to honor the Union soldiers from New Mexico who fought in the Civil War. It’s actually been a pretty controversial monument for decades. To hear more about that, click on Learn More.

Pause here and look to our right. Here stands Loretto Chapel, built in 1878. Though it doesn’t have as much history as something like the San Miguel Chapel, it does have its own claim to fame all the same. That would be the so-called “miraculous stair.”

Pause here. To our right stands the mighty Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, built in 1869. It sits on the site of a much older church which missionaries built back in 1610. That one burned down in 1680, but it might have survived to the present day if not for a fateful decision in 1675.

This tour begins outside the New Mexico Capitol Art Collection building at 415 Don Gaspar Ave, Santa Fe. If you're not already there, you should head there now. To get started, stand so the big circular Art Collection building is on your left. Then start walking straight down Old Santa Fe Trail.

NOTE: The tour is over 1.2 miles long, with more than 19 audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete.

Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

Pause here and look to the right. See that simple adobe chapel with a cross on top? That’s San Miguel Chapel. And guess what? You’re looking at the oldest church in the United States!

Pause here. That adobe building across from us is the Palace of the Governors, the administrative center of Santa Fe since 1610. From here, the Spanish ruled over New Mexico for decades. And it’s here where Po’pay sets his sights when he leads his Puebloan forces into the city.

Look up ahead a little, on the left side of the street. Do you see the white sign that says “chocolate + cashmere”? That marks a stylish little boutique selling exactly what it says in the name… but the address itself has a much more surprising history.

After Otermín’s failed attempt at reconquest, a decade passes in relative peace. That is, until Diego de Vargas enters the scene. In 1692, Vargas marches on Santa Fe with only a few hundred men and a handful of cannons. But he isn’t there to fight. He offers the Puebloans a deal: If they allow Spain to retake control of New Mexico, they will all be granted clemency and will not be punished for their revolt. After much debate, the Puebloan leaders agree.

Continue walking along the path. Remember to pace yourself if you need to. We’re currently more than 7,000 feet above sea level. That means the oxygen up here is a lot thinner than you might be used to! So if you start feeling out of breath, it’s okay to take a break!

Up ahead stands the Cross of the Martyrs, the most iconic feature of this park. This cross honors the 21 Franciscan missionaries and 380 settlers who were killed during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.