Old Town Albuquerque

Old town on the same day of our landing to NM. And what we found. The beautiful church and the vintage cars “exhibit”. Quaint little place with local shops, wine spots, souvenir shops, coffee places. First day made in Old town!

Absolutely incredible small town. You will have an adventure walking down the streets shopping for souvenirs, learning history and enjoying great food. You could easily spend the whole day browsing the major attractions and soaking in the vibe of the city.

Very charming. Unique shops with varied choices. Most had very friendly hosts. The wine tasting at Noisy Water was nice. The bartender was super helpful and helped choose some tasty options! I highly recommend stopping by here a time or two during your visit.

I always loved at least driving through old town to see a different time in history. The shops are great and the restaurants are good. Just a beautiful place to see.

Beautiful place to visit. Lots of vendors and history. And definitely lots of peppers! I stopped in a few shops and everyone was so knowledgeable and helpful. I’d definitely visit again.

Old Town Albuquerque is such a charming and vibrant place to explore! The adobe-style buildings, colorful shops, and lively atmosphere make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time while still enjoying a fun, welcoming vibe. There are so many unique local stores offering handmade crafts, art, jewelry, rugs, and souvenirs—you can easily spend hours browsing. The courtyards are filled with bright decorations, fountains, and sculptures, which make for great photo spots. Street performers and the friendly shop owners add to the warm experience. Highlights for me were the authentic artisan pieces, the historic San Felipe de Neri Church, and just walking around enjoying the mix of culture, history, and art. It’s the perfect place for families, couples, or anyone who wants to soak up New Mexico’s spirit. Definitely a must-visit if you’re in Albuquerque!

Old Town is probably the place you have to see just once in your life — just to admire the old buildings and imagine how long they’ve been standing there and all the history that’s taken place around them. Overall, it feels more like a tourist shopping area where you can find all kinds of souvenirs. There’s also a Breaking Bad museum (I think I got the name of the show right), and the entrance fee is $5 per person. Parking in the area costs $5 for 4 hours, which is reasonable. I can’t say I was particularly impressed with the visit, but I’m still glad we came and saw it for ourselves. It might just be that it’s not tourist season right now — it was extremely hot, and some shops were closed. So I recommend checking online ahead of time to see when would be the best time to visit.

Our family visited back in June and had the best time! We were visiting from NC for a wedding and wanted something relaxing to do on our final day. So much to see, it's all so beautiful. We literally wanted to buy and eat everything. The workers at each store were super polite and greeted you with a smile. We will definitely be visiting again on our next trip back to NM. Thanks for having us!

A cute and vibrant part of town with tons of historic architecture and shops. They've got a shop for anyone! There are puzzle shops, handmade soap shops, coffee and tea, wine, food shops, honey shops and so so much more. You've got the vibrant community and Native Americans selling handmade jewelry from necklaces to rings and bracelets. There is a Breaking Bad gift shop with stickers and photo ops too. I can't list everything this is to do and see. It's worth a stop.

I hadn't been to a Dia de los Muertos celebration before, so my husband and I visited the Old Town event. We enjoyed seeing the different ofrendas at many businesses as well as the one in the plaza gazebo. A couple of kids from the local school were proudly showing their parents the artwork they had made to honor their relatives. The evening ended with watching Coco in the San Felipe church courtyard, complete with popcorn, hot cocoa, and candy. It was delightful!

I truly love old town. It's probably my favorite part of town. When I first moved to Albuquerque for college, I think I came to the area once in four years. Then later on when I started working, I ended up in the area a few times for business lunches of which Church Street was a favorite. At the time there wasn't a lot of places that I really would want to hang out and there were a few very notorious tourist traps. Then around 2019, the area really changed. If you compare what it looks like now to what it was five years ago, it's a completely different area. There are so many great local businesses that really are deeply connected to the community and especially the artisan side of Albuquerque. it's my favorite part of town to just stroll around and enjoy the public arts, the great local vendors, and just a genuinely cool ambience.

Cool little old town vibe. Especially as a tourist passing through they have nice restaurants and cool gift shops.

This is a very cute area full of old buildings that now house a variety of small shops (art, tea, wine, gift shops) and eateries. Worth a look when in the area. Plenty of Christmas shopping ideas. Dec 6 they are hosting an evening 'holiday stroll' event.

Some fun activities for the Dia de Los Muertos on the plaza and surrounding areas. The activities make the area a fun place to be.

While we were in Albuquerque we had to go check out old town It was very charming loved the historic buildings The buildings had stories to tell The church was pretty on the outside couldn't go in there was a marriage ceremony going on. We walked around saw lots of cool stuff Very clean grounds Looked in the shops Enjoyed the center park read about the history

Old Town is just shops you'd find in any tourist area - jewelry, souvenirs, fudge and extremely expensive art that you're not sure how the owners are paying the rent. While the area itself is more than 300 years old, it doesn't feel particularly historic. There are quite a few shops that are empty and it seems like everything closes early, even on the weekends. I don't think you're missing much if you skip Old Town. Visited October 2024.

It's really brings you out of the City and into a little Village back in time. Experience it and get out and walk around and enjoy window shopping, smells and Native American Jewelry. Many little Restaurants and a park in the middle with seating. Great place to take Visitors from out of town too. Make sure your car is parked and locked with no visable valuables. That's my only caution about this. I think you will enjoy it whether you just walk around, go to an eatery or buy from a Store or Authentic Native Jewelry. A Must see for all.

Small, but must-see in Albuquerque. Tourist shops, restaurants, and a small plaza. Like a smaller version of Santa Fe plaza.

What a fun day of shopping! So much to see! Would love to go back! The parking wasn't too difficult and restrooms seemed to be pretty accessible.

I was told by some friends that I HAD to visit old town while in Albuquerque. I made time to go before I went to the airport and I'm so glad I did. My friends know me well because I loved the atmosphere. The history and culture alone there made it so worth it. So many unique shops and locals selling handmade items on the path. I loved the cozy feeling out there. It was such a beautiful space and I spent lots of money in the shops. I will definitely be back to visit here to take in more of the history and food down here. The service I received in every shop I walked into was great. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. I feel like the value of all the items was great. Quality was top notch and a lot of the handmade items, you could just tell were made with love. Parking is only $5 in a nearby lot and it was worth the stroll I took.

Well I enjoyed walking around and window shopping! The range of shops is impressive but hours are somewhat limited. There seems to be a nice mix of local artists, souvenirs, and local food products. Almost none are open before 10AM with others not opening until 11AM. Most close by 5 or 6PM so I missed the hours they were open due to being involved with a conference during those hours. I did get to eat dinner at a restaurant in the area which I'll review separately. It is a nice place for a morning walk before the heat sets in though!

This in honor of my 1800th review! As a native New Mexican, I'm not always happy to visit Albuquerque, but Old Town is definitely worth one's time. The buildings reflect the adobe architecture of our ancestors. That is what makes this area the most unique for out-of-state visitors. There are so many neat places to visit, though. Here were some of my favorites: + American International Rattlesnake Museum + Blackbird Coffee House + Breaking Bad Store + Chili Patch + Luna and Luz + Nizhóní Soaps + Sheehan Winery Tasting Room Some of the shops are open some days of the week. I ended up coming two days in a row in June 2023 because one shop on my bookmarks was closed the first day. Lol. It's a mostly clean area. Leashed dogs were okay in most places. There are cool murals, painted rocks, and some sculptures and other art scattered around. The public restrooms were okay. No towels for drying, but the water was piping hot and soap and toliet paper was stocked up. They are located kind of near Sheehan Winery. My least favorite thing about this area is the pay-to-park machines. They are hard to read when the sun is beating down on them. They take forever to accept payment. A $.25 fee is also charged if you use a debit/credit card for payment. And one of the machines was not working on 6/13/2023... On another note, I had a nice interaction with the local police. They were driving around when they stopped and asked me questions about my Jeep.

Lovely at night and pleasant walking. Plenty of shops for browsing. The church was especially nice this time.

Private Parking Lot Old Town, Romero and Rio Grand Blvd NW DO NOT PARK HERE. Parked here thinking it was free public parking--my bad, would have happily paid amount and fine in form of a ticket--but returned from extended Ghost Tour to find my car booted with mysterious "text" number. Guy jumps out of shadows and demanded 75$ cash. Luckily my friend had it. More frightening than Ghosts. Why don't they ticket like everyone else? Felt like a shake down. NO info on individual or corporation who owns lot, nothing. Nan

The plaza, established in 1706, is the Spanish center-point for about 80 stores and restaurants, many surrounded by or in historic buildings. The place is clean and multi-textured (adobe, brick, wrought iron, wood). Fine art and handcrafted trades dominate the deceptively hidden maze of stores, but you'll also find some cheap gift shops and snacks. I got an authentic whoopie cushion from the times of the Pueblo people. At least that's what they told me, from fine warriors like Breaks Like the Wind and Steps on Duck.

Come on Town A nationally designated historic site that originated back in 1706, Old Town ABQ is one of the more interesting "Old Towns" that we've visited. With lots of original adobe and sugar pine built buildings still in service, the authenticity of this place oozes charm and harkens visitors back to a simpler time. Aside from the asthetics, Old Town ABQ is a great place to get some shopping, sightseeing, and dining in as it features over 150 businesses visitors can spend their hard-earned dollars at. There's also plenty of free parking, so really no excuse not to at least come, take a gander, and enjoy the scenery.

Our guide Misty was very friendly and helpful. She also was very funny and knowledgeable about the history of Old Town ALBUQUERQUE. We highly recommend this tour.

Absolutely beautiful. We loved it here so much we came twice! A cute little downtown shopping area with local art, food, crafts, you name it! The gazebo was picturesque and there was so much to see and do. When we went they actually had an antique car show, which was an unexpected yet lovely surprise! Don't forget to check out the Breaking Bad store/museum!

A place to enjoy history , art, food and shops. The Old Town is very old and there are still many original adobe architecture. We went mid- afternoon and it was not very crowded. There is a designated parking lot, but there is street parking, as well. There are many galleries showcasing multiple artists. There are restaurants and coffee shops. In the center is San Felipe de Neri Church, unfortunately it was closed when we visited. A wonderful way to spend several hours to enjoy history, culture, and art.

I can see why people recommend you visit Old Town if you are visiting Albuquerque. It's a really cute, quaint area with really well preserved buildings from the past. Visiting, or at least checking out the outside, of the San Felipe de Neri Parish is really cool, not only for picture opportunities but for getting up close and personal with some interesting history. The blocks are set out in a kind of grid, with little alleyways that lead to courtyards with shops and cafes. You could possibly get lost but it's not that big so not really. I loved that the little alleyways are named and decorated in different ways. Now, keep in mind, this is a tourist area and unless you're the kind of person who likes to check out art galleries or buy a lot of knick knacks, this may not be the shopping destination for you. I mean there are other shops too, we went into a gaming/hobby store that was interesting, but it's not a mall. We ended up finding a 2 hour street parking spot right in front of the church but I will say that parking is NOT plentiful. There is plentiful, PAID parking right on the edge of Old Town though.

There's so many cute shops to see here. You can do a ghost tour which sounded cool to do but it was really cold and raining and it would've been at night. This old town isn't that big but I actually prefer this old town to the one in Santa Fe. There's a parish you can visit. This is good place to get souvenirs and gifts. You could easily spend a couple hours here. I've been here a few times. On rainy days not a lot of shops were opened. This last visit I was here for their Tree Lighting. I wasn't too much into the lighting but mainly came for the mariachi that was scheduled to play. Excellent!

It's a cute historic area. There are around 100 shops/cafes that occupy old adobe houses which is kinda neat. There is also a church in the center. You can pick up a map/brochure within some of the stores and/or in other places around town. Why a 3 star? The stores vary drastically: the majority seem to be the touristy overpriced places with things you'd find way cheaper elsewhere (ie it gave Mexico vibes). Some do have artisan items or nicer clothing but unless you want to shop or have a quick meal then this has very little to offer besides a quick view of the old buildings.

Nothing better than a Saturday in Old Town. This last weekend was a car show and the end of Dia de los Muertos and it was awesome. I went to many places shopping and left a few prayers for friends and family past and then ended up having cocktails at Sheehan Winery. I highly recommend you watch Old Town and attend any of the upcoming events. The holiday season is here and it is lovely to experience. Check out the pictures and check out our Historical Old Town charm. Oh yeah there are many pet friendly places but there are also some that you'll understand can't have pets inside. I highly recommended you walk old town.

Nice little old town here in Albuquerque. More shops are open than the Central downtown area at least. Lots of little shops, lots of handmade soap shops too. San Felipe de Neri church is one whole block in the central downtown area. Still quite a few stores closed up for good or vacant.

So many nooks and crannies in this area. Every small street leads to an entire shop, coffee shop, or art display. Various shops to buy gifts for visitors, try New Mexico products, and experience a more artistic aspects of the culture here. Parking hasn't really been issue, just be patient and cruise around for a bit. This area really gives you the perspective of what New Mexico could look like in architecture and design. Great coffee, cool old school cars driving around but everything is overly priced. Also the Breaking Bad museum is here, it has many props, gifts, and art affiliated items.

Stayed and played in Old Town during an August trip to ABQ. If you're an Airbnb fan and looking to stay in Old Town, I highly recommend Lily's Casita, a 1 minute walk to everything Old Town. We enjoyed the Albuquerque Museum, though much of Old Town seemed to be closed down during our visit. Nowhere (good) to grab a margarita, the restaurants were closed, the shops totally empty. Maybe it was the time we were visiting. Old Town is a tourist destination and I think ABQ has some work to do in the visitor marketing dept. EVERY website, article, and listicle written about the city lists Old Town as THE place to stay when visiting. I am not super confident that is the case. We visited a couple of other neighborhoods throughout our time with better local restaurants, a more fun vibe, and generally more cultural richness. I DO think it is a must-visit, but must-stay? Not sure. Anyways - I did really enjoy staying here nevertheless and enjoyed being steeped in ABQ history.

I love Old Town. Parking was free when we went and there's a pretty big parking lot nearby and all around. It's a wonderful spot to get souvenirs and take in the sights and sounds of how Albuquerque started. There was love music in the plaza plenty of space to walk around and see the shops. It's kept clean and in good repair for the building being the orginals. There's a few eateries located there that can get pretty busy. It's a tourist area for sure.

In my opinion, the best time to visit The old Town is after 5pm. At that point most of the stores will be closed, or at least tourists will be rare to spot and stores will be empty. If you do love shopping, come early and leave early, most of the stores do cater to tourists and that's ok. Plenty of stores to choose from, if shopping is all you care about, you can spend a day here. Our highlight was Old Town Plaza Park where you can frequently view performances by locals, it definitely added the character. Old Town Emporium is probably one of the most photographed businesses, with great selection of knickknacks, jewelry and of course textiles. We spent the most time admiring San Felipe De Neri, the oldest church in Albuquerque. We didn't interact much with businesses so I can't say anything about the service, but I do believe this is great part of the town to visit, and should be too 3 on list when visiting Albuquerque. So great value, for several dollars spent on parking.

Really need to get simpler pay stations at the east parking lot. We left because we couldn't figure out how to use it. The people at the next pay station near us were still there when we left trying to figure out how to use it.

Loved walking around Old Town Albuquerque. Highly recommended if you visit the ABQ area.

Nice quiet place to just wander and explore. A lot of shops, some offering unique items but most of them offering a lot of stuff in the same sort of genre/style. Tons of little food and cafe spots throughout! And there's a trolly for those who aren't able / don't want to walk the whole circuit.

My husband and I stopped for lunch there. Unfortunately, many restaurants are closed for good. There are many nice stores, and finally we found a good restaurant there. The plaza will you make travel time. The architecture is really beautiful.

I've never been to ABQ before so I decided to stop by Old Town to learn about the city. It's a great place to walk around and see the sites but I realize this is mostly a tourist attraction. I wish that there were some sort of museum or information about old town, when it was created and who inhabited old town. I think I would have liked that more than all the tourist stuff.

Every time I'm in ABQ, I try to make my way down to Old Town. The place never ceases to amaze me. It's the kind of place that can take you back in time to see what things were like way back when. Old Town ABQ's Plaza is rich with history, culture, and entertainment. You can find everything you need during a visit, there is the Plaza, the center of Old Town with shops, restaurants, museums, galleries, bars, cafes, and other services. The San Felipe de Niri Church for instance is located right on the Plaza. You will also find many of New Mexicos indigenous peoples with art, jewelry, clothing, blankets and traditional items like sage, sweetgrass, or really cool things like antelope jerky for sale. Whatever your interest is you will find it in Old Town. On this visit, I had the chance to check out many of the gift shops and 'Trading Posts' where one can find the usual touristy trinkets like pottery or one of the famous Kachina Dolls. There are hundreds of pieces of turquoise and silver fashioned into necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other types of jewelry. My goal was to find local hot sauces, BBQ rubs and maybe some unique spices, and wouldn't you know it, I found a whole wall of hot sauces in one of the trading posts. I also found an old favorite, New Mexico Pinion Coffee. I was able to get some really cool shirts for my kids too. One of the most featured items I came across was the blankets, keep in mind these are high-end and hand-woven blankets with intricate Southwest designs and they can set you back hundreds of dollars. You could literally spend hours in the gift shops. Old Town ABQ has a thriving food culture as well, you will find a smorgasbord of dining options right in the Plaza area. The food tends to focus on local cuisine as you will find, Southwest, TexMex, Mexican, Grilled foods, Cafes, Coffee Shops, Pizza Parlours, etc. You will not go hungry if you visit Old Town. The food prices vary from budget level to fine dining, please budget accordingly. There are also a host of other restaurants in Old Town and nearby to serve you as well. Old Town also has an abundance of Galleries, showcasing art and artists from all across the southwest. These galleries showcase paintings, sculptures, saddles, ornaments, Kachinas, Pueblo art, and so much more. Be sure to check out the many galleries in Old Town, and as I mentioned before, budget accordingly as I witnessed someone buying a piece of art that was thousands of dollars in value. The heart of Albuquerque has a host of other options as well. There are a few buildings for tourist info, museums, services as there are a host of businesses in Old Town. Need a hair cut? Massage? Dentist? Yes there are several services on-site to choose from. This is a historical mecca and if you guessed it, there are several tours you can choose from, some for the Plaza itself, tours of Old Town, haunted house and ghost tours, a trolley tour of Albuquerque and the Famous Breaking Bad tours that take you to many of the sites where Breaking Bad was filmed. I could go on and on, but I will wrap this up. Old Town is a must if you're ever in ABQ. You will find every amenity you need for your stay, as there are malls and grocery stores nearby. There are plenty of places to stay including boutique hotels and motels, chain hotels, and value hotels as well. Old Town Albuquerque is truly a national treasure and a must for any explorer.

Well just like many others have said this is a touristy part of town. The church is beautiful check it out by some shot glasses and postcards then go exploring in Albuquerque, NM !!!

Another great stop while driving across the states. I loved the nighttime walk-through in old town. We came across some really cool stores, including the park area. I would really like to come back again soon. People are friendly and lots of parking. There were lots of places to eat but we had already had dinner. If you have not had the opportunity to come and you are in the area i would recommend this as a stop for a nice enjoyable walk and pick up some goodies. I love the history of the old buildings and the church in town.

"I shoulda taken a left 'toin' at Albuquerque!" is what Bugs Bunny said after burrowing a long distance to the wrong destination at the beginning of many of his cartoon shorts. Maybe if he popped his head up when he made that 'toin', he would have had his zany shenanigans with Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, and Donald Duck in Old Town. After all, there's a rattlesnake museum fraught with comic possibilities. Jamie W. and I didn't make it in there as we strolled among the Spanish-style adobe buildings. Inside are mostly tourist-centric shops, pricey art galleries and family-friendly restaurants. We just got off the plane at the Sunport, so we felt a snack was in order before our road trip to Santa Fe. We took advantage of the inexpensive homestyle tamales at Taqueria Alondra's (photo), but there's more to experience like flamenco dancers at Casa Flamenca, San Felipe de Neri Church (photo: http://bit.ly/2Y281Hs), and the Old Town Plaza (photo: http://bit.ly/2Rm08KF). If you do just one thing in Albuquerque, you should make a left 'toin' here. RELATED - Do you know the way to Santa Fe? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2I4mWdq

Well preserved area with some history, lots of shops, coffee houses and cafes. It's so pleasant on this early June day. We found a shop with handmade items by an Indian family on San Felipe St, next to the little grocery, and are keeping an eye out for more of the same.

Old town is such a cute and beautiful location! We bring all visitors from out of town here to stroll around and look at the shops, have a coffee and eat a meal! The Christmas lights are so charming and it's very clean and safe. Our little one loves to come and ride around in her stroller here. The public bathrooms do not have a changing table and are kind of gross so I'd avoid those... use bathrooms in a business instead. The roads/sidewalks are stroller friendly. We love to go to the museums and take a stroll over to Old Town. Parking is not always generous but this is to be expected in an old part of town.

Historic Old Town is a must see for any visit to Albuquerque. The Town's narrow streets and century-old adobe houses are home to New Mexican restaurants, and a variety of rtisan shops selling jewelry, artwork and pottery. Old Town Plaza is a charming spot overlooked by 18th-century San Felipe de Neri Church. Some free Parking is available if your lucky. The ambiance and charm have to be experienced to be appreciated. Due to Covid, some businesses weren't open.

We were on vacation and decided to stop by. This place is definitely more for tourist. A lot of shops and a little sitting area in the middle. You can definitely get some cool pictures here. If you're a tourist I highly recommend to stop by here.

Came here on a weekday morning, cool spot to walk around. Not many people out and about, a lot of shops with clothes, souvenirs. Some coffee shops and neat nooks and courtyards. Old Town isn't too big, good spot to walk around though! Architecture was interesting.

Not too crowded and most people are wearing masks so feels relatively safe walking around this part of the city. Bright, colorful artwork and sculptures are by each shop. A nice park is in the center of it all. It's a great way to spend a warm Sunday morning!

I enjoyed my visit to the Old Town... I was able to find parking since I arrived early, around 11am. I was able to go around and shop for gifts... Recommended for any visitors to Albuquerque...

Great little town with multiple shops. Has a real Mexican vibe. Not too many places to dine within the town but you will still find something to satisfy.

A quaint shopping area with enough shopping to entertain for hours. Find plenty of parking in several lots just outside of the square. The parking is reasonable too. We paid $10 for the entire day, but they offer hourly parking for less too. The center of the shopping area is the square. When we visited the square was lively with musicians playing in the gazebo. The shopping isn't just around the square, but up and down several of the streets off the square as well. There is a great variety of shopping. Shopping includes clothing stores, gourmet food stores, home décor stores, art galleries, local goods shops, an olive oil store, and a tea shop. In addition to shopping there are coffee shops and restaurants. The Candy Lady is a fun shop that offers blue rock candy as an ode to Breaking Bad.

I took a quick stroll through Old Town on a Saturday afternoon and was really impressed by the historic beauty and architecture of the area. I felt like I had been transported to another time period. I didn't have time to stop by any shops or restaurants, but there wasn't anything that caught my attention in particular. Parking was a bit difficult but my friends and I managed to find a spot near the sculpture garden not too far away from the main areas of Old Town. Overall a very lively area that is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.