The quaint mountain village of
CHIMAYÓ
, 25 miles north of Santa Fe at the junction of Hwy-503 and Hwy-76, is the site of New Mexico's most famous Spanish colonial church, the 1816
Santuario de Chimayó
(daily May-Sept 9am-6pm; Oct-April 9am-4pm). Known as the "Lourdes of America" for the devotion of its many pilgrims, this round-shouldered, twin-towered adobe beauty squats behind an enclosed courtyard; a pit in the floor of a small room to one side holds the "holy dirt" for which the site is venerated. A smaller and more ramshackle chapel nearby contains a diminutive statue of
Santo Niño
, the Lost Child - more of a doll, if truth be told - to whom expectant mothers bring gifts such as tiny pairs of shoes.
Two properties belonging to the Jaramillo family, resident since 1695, make Chimayó an appealing overnight destination. The
Restaurante Rancho de Chimayó
, Hwy-503 (tel 505/351-4444), must be the best traditional New Mexican
restaurant
in the state, serving superb
flautas
and mouth-watering
sopaipillas
, stuffed with meat and chilis, on a lovely sun-drenched outdoor patio. Across the road, the rambling adobe
Rancho de Chimayó
(PO Box 11, Chimayó, NM 87522; tel 505/351-2222, $75-100) has lovely
B&B
rooms.
