The history of San Francisco begins in 1776 with the founding of the Catholic Mission by Francis of Assisi. At first, it was a small Spanish village, transformed into a vibrant city after the outbreak of the Gold Rush in 1848. Despite the fact that there were not very many reserves of gold in the Sierra Nevada mountains, the city was still doomed to success.
The best way to get to know the city is by walking along its steep streets. You can start your tour from the Fisherman's Wharf, which offers a beautiful view of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, which is familiar to many from the films. The embankment is loved not only by numerous tourists, but also by sea lions, located on one of the marinas. They sunbathe, lounging imposingly on wooden pontoons - they don't seem to care about prying eyes.
You can continue your walk in one of the carriages of the cable car, which will lead to North Beach - an area that became famous in 1953 after the opening of the City Lights bookstore. The owner of the store was one of the representatives of the beat generation - Lawrence Ferlinghetti. In 1957, North Beach became a kind of capital of the Beatniks, proclaiming a rejection of the traditional way of life and inspired by Eastern religions.
Southeast of North Beach is Downtown, the financial center of San Francisco. This area of glass and steel skyscrapers contrasts with the colonial buildings prevailing in the city.
While in San Francisco, one cannot help but visit Alcatraz Island, to which ships run daily from one of the marinas. The rocky island-prison keeps within its walls many secrets of especially dangerous criminals, including Al Capone. The name of the island comes from the Spanish word alcatraz (pelican), due to the fact that the island was once a haven for these birds, but the city authorities decided that such isolation would be more suitable for criminals. The prison has been closed for a long time, but you can feel its atmosphere during the tour.
Despite the fact that the city is more inherent in the colonial style, here you can enjoy the oriental flavor. To do this, you just need to go to Chinatown, located in the center of San Francisco. Everything here is saturated with Chinese culture, and the aromas of oriental dishes literally drive you crazy. Previously, in Chinatown, one could easily meet representatives of the Chinese yakuza, who ran opium dens and brothels. It will be interesting to visit existing temples or visit the Golden Gate bakery, whose confectioners bake more than 200 thousand cakes every day.
You can take a break from sightseeing in the city's beloved Golden Gate Park. The park can be compared to an oasis, which is quite justified. A huge amount of greenery, a large area where everyone will find a secluded corner for themselves. In the Japanese tea garden, you can indulge in contemplative relaxation and rejuvenate according to all the rules of feng shui. After enjoying the wonderful views of the park, over which the statue of Buddha rises, you can visit the museums located here with rich collections of sculptures or paintings. If you visit the California Academy of Sciences, you can see the skeleton of a dinosaur about nine meters in size. And the Stein Hart Aquarium gives you the opportunity to see thousands of species of aquatic fauna.
Another place, familiar to someone from the movies, and intended for relaxation, is Twin Peaks. These are twin hills with unforgettable views of San Francisco. You can climb the hills on foot, by car or by bike. The main thing is to correctly calculate the forces, because the height of the hills is considerable - 281 meters. The hills are located almost in the center of the city, which makes it possible to fully explore it. Twin Peaks are loved by locals not only for their wonderful views, but also for the opportunity to have picnics here or become visitors to numerous cultural events and events.
You cannot ignore the purchases that can be made in the shops of San Francisco. Their number is in the hundreds and even thousands. Fashion houses and well-known brands from all over the world offer shopping enthusiasts items that sometimes resemble exhibits in art galleries. Prices for them, however, can also be like for objects of art, so you need to immediately prepare yourself for the fact that the number of zeros on some price tags will go off scale. In this case, you can safely go to Chinatown without fear of going broke.
