Alberqueque is described as having one foot in the past, one in the present, and its eyes firmly set on the future. This certainly sums up this multi-cultural city, spread across the desert plains beside the Rio Grande, known for its high-tech research facilities, sentimentally proud of its historic Old Town, and offering a mix of museums, galleries, spicy restaurants and great shopping centres to satisfy the appetite of every kind of visitor. Holiday in Albuquerque if you have a taste for top class New Mexican cuisine and enjoy plenty of diversions to work off the culinary over-indulgence. This vibrant city on the Rio Grande also offers a glimpse of historic New Mexican life. Picking a good time to travel to Albuquerque is a matter of individual preference, the city having vast extremes of temperature between the seasons. Summer holidays in Albuquerque are for those who like it hot, while in mid-winter the thermometer plunges to below freezing. A popular time to visit is in October for the annual hot-air balloon festival. A holiday in Albuquerque suits those who enjoy good (spicy) food and indulge in a variety of active pursuits, from cycling to dancing. Families who holiday in Albuquerque will find plenty of natural and recreational attractions, as well as excursions, to fill their time.