New Mexico's 'Hub City' South Of Albuquerque Is A Desert Gem With Historic Charm And A Huge Food Festival

If you're thinking about a visit to New Mexico, you may consider hitting up Albuquerque's walkable downtown and great entertainment or paying a visit to the oldest state capital in America, Santa Fe. However, while you're traveling through the state, make sure to stop in New Mexico's so-called "Hub City" of Belén. This charming city was once home to the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway and is full of historic buildings and things to do. In fact, you may want to head over with a full appetite in January for a major food festival: the World's Largest Matanza, an annual Spanish-style pig roast that celebrated its 26th year in 2026. 

Around 34 miles from Albuquerque and 95 miles from Santa Fe, Belén was once famous for its "Harvey Girls," who were trained in hospitality to serve travelers as they passed through this 19th-century hub. You can learn all about them at a local historic museum, then dine at some great Mexican restaurants and stroll the quaint desert streets.

Belén is a gem of a desert city, with lovely weather for much of the year, according to Weather Spark. The winter has mild temperatures, with average highs between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and chilly evenings perfect for bundling up. Spring and fall are pleasantly warm, though it can reach a toasty 94 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Outside of July, August, and September, there is little rainfall, so outdoor activities are much easier. The dusty, flat landscape makes for some lovely sunsets, and the wide expanse of colors is incredible for photos. 

Spanish settlers came to the area that is now Belén, founding the town in 1740. It was originally called Nuestra Señora de Belén, meaning Our Lady of Bethlehem, and later shortened. New Mexico became a U.S. territory in 1846, but what really put the area on the map was the arrival of the railroad in 1880.

If you're visiting, make sure to stop at the Harvey House Museum. There, you'll learn about the railroad partnership with restaurateur Fred Harvey, who got exclusive rights for restaurants along the route. In a time when jobs for women weren't exactly abundant, young women from the surrounding areas were trained in customer service and hospitality, living in the buildings above the high-quality restaurants. You can visit Wednesday through Sunday for a guided tour, as well as a meal at the Fred Harvey Whistle Stop Cafe, open Thursday through Sunday. It's about a three-minute drive from the Belén Rail Runner Station, with free parking spaces nearby.

Historic buildings are all over the town, including the Pueblo-style Old Belén City Hall, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. You can also check out the Belén Hotel, built in 1907. It's listed on the register, as well, and looks very similar to its original appearance. If you want to do some walking around outside to enjoy the sunshine, you can hit Anna Becker Park for some basketball, or Doodlebug Park, which has a restored train car.

Each January, Belén puts on the World's Largest Matanza, a Spanish-inspired pig roast that raises scholarship money for county students in the city's Eagle Park. Here, you can expect stalls of food vendors and smoky skies as meats are grilled to perfection. At the 2025 event, there were over 8,000 attendees enjoying musical acts, cooking competitions, food tastings, and a beer garden. You can sample delectable dishes like carne adovada, chicharrones, and more. That's not bad for a $20 entry fee, and kids 10 and under get in free. 

To pair your foodie feast with some beverages, you can do some wine-tasting at the Jaramillo Vineyards Tasting Room on Becker Avenue in the historic 1909 Central Hotel, Thursday through Sunday. If you're not too full, you can grab some great Mexican dishes at Pete's Cafe, the oldest restaurant in Valencia County, opening in 1949. Finally, if you're looking for some outdoor activities like hiking during your New Mexico vacation, Belén is around 117 miles from the pretty trails of Cibola National Forest.