Albuquerque Gift Cards

Albuquerque is another Southwestern town with a history longer than most of the East coast cities that were once English colonies. The name is probably derived from the name of a Spanish village known as Alburquerque. The spelling changed slightly at some unknown juncture. Once a Spanish and then a Mexican municipality, this city became American after the conclusion of the Mexican American War in 1848.

With its growth during the last century, Albuquerque has turned into a populous city attracting diverse interests that include tourism, education and business. The mixture of cultures and cuisines includes Native American, Mexican and Texan styles and fashions. You can experience this cultural fusion when you visit almost any location in the city.

Old Town Albuquerque:  Here the city has preserved the look and feel of the original Spanish settlement, with adobe walls and a central plaza opening out from a large Catholic church. Along with numerous souvenir shops, you can also find a few important museums. Starting in December 16, people line the streets with paper lanterns to mark the nine days prior to Christmas Day.

Restaurants:  Like many other southwestern towns, Albuquerque is home to a great variety of restaurants that serve a distinctive local cuisine. In the same sitting, a group of people can order Mexican dishes, such as chiles rellenos, as well as steaks cooked Texas-style. As with any big city, there are also many restaurants catering to other tastes, such as the Italian food at Saggio’s.

University of New Mexico:  The University of New Mexico is not one of the larger colleges in the US. It does have the distinction of operating branch facilities at Los Alamos, where the US government continues to conduct important research into nuclear physics.

Albuquerque is a town steeped in history but welcoming to modern tourism. It continues to grow, as the Southwest becomes an increasingly popular destination for tourism and for retirement.