A journey into the American southwest on a “kindred spirits” spa and vistas tour

With a name that pays homage to a flag-raising ceremony held on July 4, 1876, marking the first century since American Independence, Flagstaff, a pleasant university town at the foot of the mountains, has since become something of a meeting point for bikers and a diverse cultural melting pot. The famous Route 66 crosses the town for more than 12 miles/twenty kilometers, offering old-fashioned diners and microbreweries in an atmosphere that is simultaneously nostalgic and trendy.

The first city in the world to be designated an International Dark Sky Place, Flagstaff is home to the famous Lowell Observatory, a listed historic monument. It was here that the dwarf planet Pluto was discovered in 1930, though Percival Lowell inaugurated his observatory in 1894 to study Mars. The complex now houses an observation site with six ultramodern telescopes and an ‘open planetarium' on the rooftop.

Far from any modern skyscrapers, Taos Pueblo is an astonishing group of dwellings and ceremonial centers founded several centuries ago by Pueblo Indians. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, the pueblo, with its rustic adobe walls, offers a rare and precious architectural testimony to the long presence of indigenous Indians. Today, it is located in a cosmopolitan city, rich in artists and artisans.

This steam locomotive takes passengers on a journey back in time to the Old West and the Gold Rush. Built in 1882 to transport silver and gold mined in the San Juan Mountains, the railway is now used exclusively for tourism and leads through spectacular landscapes, often inaccessible by road.

With an altitude of 14,435 feet/4,401 meters, Mount Elbert's peak is the highest point in Colorado. It dominates the Rocky Mountains, of which 78 of the 100 highest peaks are located in this same state. Known as the ‘Gentle Giant,' it is a meeting place for keen hikers who take its various trails to the summit during summer months. In winter, it attracts skiers who come for some of the lightest powder in the world.