It is the fourth year in a row Alexandria made the list of 15 top destinations, and it climbed from 15th place last year.

In publishing its list, Travel + Leisure noted one quality that was rewarded for cities on the list most often, no matter the location: a tangible sense of history, particularly in the city’s architectural identity.

Of Alexandria, Travel + Leisure said readers gave the city high marks for its colonial architecture in Old Town, the Potomac River waterfront, shopping on King Street and its emerging food scene. It also said readers liked Alexandria or its big-city polish, yet being far enough removed from the fray.

The city of Alexandria may have had a hand is landing its high ranking this year. Visit Alexandria, the city’s tourism arm, said it conducted an extensive “get out the vote” campaign. It said research demonstrates rankings in publications like Travel + Leisure make a real difference in influencing travel decisions.

Santa Fe, New Mexico, claimed the No. 1 spot on the list, bumping Charleston, South Carolina, from the top spot for the first time in 12 years. Santa Fe’s inventive New Mexican cuisine, natural beauty, markets and art galleries were cited as favorites by readers.

New Orleans ranked No. 2. Charleston fell to No. 3 this year. Savanah, Georgia, ranked No. 4.

Travel + Leisure’s full list of this year’s 15 best cities for travelers is online.