Carmel Mission
3080 Rio Road, Carmel
624-1271, www.carmelmission.org
A place of history and art, San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo Mission brings a steady flow of awestruck visitors and professional photographers to Carmel-by-the-Sea. The museums, gardens and galleries surrounding the Basilica church reflect the Spanish architecture that heavily influenced California’s origins. The church’s outer walls are 5-foot-thick adobe with an arching roof above two wooden doors. The hand-painted altar holds authentic Spanish statues, and intricate carpentry across the wall supports the crucifix. The church, built according to the plans of Padre Junipero Serra in the 1770s, is still under construction for historic preservation. The mission itself is a piece of art that houses history, a long-thriving parish and original hand craftsmanship.