Tucson, Arizona: A Travel Guide

10 Interesting Sites for the Visitor

Tucson, located in the heart of Arizona's Sonora Desert is a surprising gem for any visitor, offering much more than its average of 350 days of annual sunshine. A city of about half million people, Tucson seamlessly blends its historic Spanish Colonial heritage with the modernity of the 20^th Century. Home to the University of Arizona, Tucson is a much more cosmopolitan city than its size might indicate, offering a vast array of entertainments.

Tucson Museum of Art Located on what's known as the Historic Block, the museum exhibits its European and American art in its main building. But in five other historic buildings along the Historic Block, the museum displays some very interesting pre-Columbian artifacts, as well as an impressive collection of Spanish Colonial art.

El Presidio Historic District This is the site of the original Spanish presidio which was called San Agustin del Tucson was founded in 1775. More than 70 of the buildings in this district date to what is known as the Territorial Period, the era that pre-dates Arizona's statehood.

St. Augustine Cathedral Dating to 1896, this cathedral is an example of the Spanish Colonial style of architecture. Local figures of the Sonoran Desert are interestingly featured in the artwork of the church.

San Xavier del Bac Mission Located outside of Tucson, this mission, the work of Franciscan missionaries, was completed in 1797 and is today considered to be the finest extant example of Spanish Colonial architecture the American Southwest. Admission is free.

University of Arizona Museum of Art Located on the University of Arizona campus, this museum houses a wide-ranging collection of over 4,500 pieces of art from artists such as Domenico Tintoretto, Edward Hopper, Auguste Rodin, Pablo Picasso, Jean Arp, Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, Mark Rothko, Henri Matisse, Wassily Kandinsky, among many, many others. Admission is free.