Albuquerque
Country: United States · 564,559 inhabitants · Founded: 1706
Attractions
Wikivoyage
For the town in Spain, see Alburquerque
Albuquerque, also known as ABQ, is a vibrant, sprawling city near the center of New Mexico. Cradled in the Rio Grande Valley beneath the Sandia Mountains, it is by far the largest city in the state, acting as the media, educational, and economic center of New Mexico, as well as the home of the state's only major airport, making it a common entry point into New Mexico. Despite this, Albuquerque is often overshadowed as a tourist destination by Santa Fe, 60 miles (97 km) to the north.
But any visit to New Mexico would be incomplete without taking in what Albuquerque has to offer, as New Mexico's only major city has pleasant scenery, colorful history, and a wealth of great attractions in its own right. Here, in a setting that has been made familiar to many by the television series Breaking Bad, you'll find many excellent museums, colorful neon signs along old Route 66, the naturalistic beauty of the Rio Grande and the Sandia Mountains, and a spectacular hot-air balloon festival in the fall.
Wikipedia
Albuquerque, also known as ABQ, Burque, Duke City, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County. Founded in 1706 as La Villa de Alburquerque by Santa Fe de Nuevo México governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdés, and named in honor of Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 10th Duke of Alburquerque and Viceroy of New Spain, it was an outpost on El Camino Real, linking Mexico City to the northernmost territories of New Spain.
Located in the Albuquerque Basin, the city is flanked by the Sandia Mountains to the east and the West Mesa to the west, with the Rio Grande and its bosque flowing north-to-south through the middle. According to the 2020 census, Albuquerque had 564,559 residents, making it the 32nd most populous city in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the Southwest. The Albuquerque metropolitan area had 955,000 residents in 2023, and forms part of the Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area, which had a population of 1,162,523.
Albuquerque is a hub for technology, fine arts, and mass media. It hosts New Mexico's primary international airport,
Albuquerque International Sunport, and the state's flagship and largest university, the University of New Mexico. The U.S. federal government has a strong presence through Sandia National Laboratories, one of three laboratories of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and Kirtland Air Force Base, the largest installation in the Air Force Global Strike Command.
Albuquerque is home to several historic landmarks, including over 160 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Notable annual events include the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the largest balloon festival in the world, the Gathering of Nations, the largest powwow in North America, and the New Mexico State Fair. Albuquerque is also known for its restaurant scene, which features both New Mexican and global cuisine, and as a center of New Mexican music and architecture.