Enter this gateway to the ancient city of Santa Fe and discover why people across the globe continue to be entranced with the most magical region of the Southwest.

Santa Fe's high desert, haute cuisine, fine art and creative culture reflect a long history of diverse traditions stretching back across the eons. These traditions embrace centuries of Native American culture, from ruins and petroglyphs that are thousands of years old to contemporary pueblo villages filled with colorful pageantry and resounding with ritual dance and music echoing past eras.

The city's ties to Spanish Colonial culture remain strong, with generations of families devoted to preserving and enriching their ancestral traditions of storytelling, music, dance and art and craftsmanship with wood, tin, silver and other revered artistic mediums.

Santa Fe's adobe-lined streets, many still made of desert dirt, teem with arts and culture. Celebrated across the globe, the city's sophisticated galleries and museums exhibit the work of painters, sculptors, jewelers, photographers and other world-renowned and emerging artists. Santa Fe's fame reaches so far, in fact, that the city's art market ranks second in the U.S. only to New York City.

The shopping here, much of it locally owned, just can't be beat, whether you're a tourist or a resident seeking well-crafted objects steeped in tradition or cutting-edge contemporary art and fashion that break all boundaries.

But there's more, including a lengthy roster of performing arts and artists both classical and contemporary, from opera singers to flamenco musicians and ballet dancers as well as poetry slammers and world music composers. Be sure to checkout Santa Fe business websites for event and calendar listings.

Filmmakers around the world appreciate Santa Fe's scenery as well as its legions of resident professional directors, cinematographers, actors, screenwriters and support crews. The city's reputation as a leading center for new, alternative and independent media ' from digital and graphic design to high definition format -- is only growing.

Outdoor enthusiasts naturally love Santa Fe. Situated in the foothills of the Rockies, the city is surrounded by magnificent mountains offering great slopes for skiing and serene spots for camping and hiking. The waters of the Rio Grande appeal to river rafters as well as people who enjoy boating and fishing.

Hardy green thumbs toil in Santa Fe's glorious gardens, which reflect leading water conservation technologies that combat drought, including Xeriscaping and Permaculture.

Santa Fe's moveable feast offers culinary options catering to every whim, from traditional northern New Mexican restaurants to world-class cooking schools, chefs and local growers focused on foods of the Southwest.

Santa Fe also attracts serious book buffs who appreciate the city's rich literary history. There's a multitude of world-famous local authors as well as visiting international writers who lecture, read and sign their works in locally-owned bookstores. The city also is home to numerous independent publishers.

Santa Fe boasts a well-deserved reputation for the healing arts. Take a soak in an Asian-inspired hot tub or ancient hot springs or meditate in an abundance of ashrams and you'll agree -- there's no better place to unwind from stress.

And to fully experience Santa Fe's enchantment, you don't have to live here year-round. Ample vacation rentals range from sleepy summer casitas to full-service ski condos as well as luxurious lodgings in haciendas, rambling adobes, guesthouses and the tried-and-true hotels and bed and breakfasts. (If you're intent on moving here, real estate remains hot.)

The city of Santa Fe is worth discovering, and Santafe.net will guide you to sites worth visiting. Whether you're a longtime resident reacquainting yourself with local treasures or a first-time visitor uncovering Santa Fe's endless secrets, step inside and explore the very best of Santa Fe.