Perhaps more than those of any other Southwestern state, the sparsely populated mountain and desert landscapes of New Mexico exude an ancient atmosphere. Centuries-old pueblos, such as those at Acoma and Taos, remain bastions of Native American life and culture. The legacy of the Spanish colonizers’ culture also remains palpable. Catholic priests planted some of North America’s first vineyards to make sacramental wine, and some 500 years later, New Mexico produces bottlings of surprising quality. Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the United States. It contains the oldest church in the country (dating to the early 1600s), the highly regarded Santa Fe Opera, numerous fine restaurants, a huge array of art galleries and several excellent museums. The high-desert town of Taos, at almost 7,000 feet, is situated between the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Rio Grande Gorge. Its wide-open vistas and extraordinary light have drawn artists since the late 19th century, and that creative energy endures in myriad art galleries and studios. Today, visitors also come for Taos Ski Valley and Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage site that has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years.