Tour of San Francisco
Windy city with golden bridge
On your way to California, a state on the west coast of the United States, it is almost unthinkable for you to miss a visit to the 4th most populous city in this state – San Francisco. The city is located in the north of the San Francisco Peninsula. There is a lot to see in the city from the landmark of the famous Golden Gate Bridge, walks along steep roads that offer beautiful views to experiences such as a historic cable car ride through San Francisco's steep hills. The city is famous for its windy weather.
Golden Gate Bridge
This two-pillar landmark of the city, which already belongs to it, is the Golden Gate Bridge. A typical red bridge is located in the north of the city and connects the Marin County Peninsula across the San Francisco Bay. Since 1937, the bridge has served anyone who wants to shorten their trip and at the same time enjoy a beautiful view of the bay and the city.
Golden Gate Bridge beach
There are really many opportunities from where to enjoy the view of the bridge, both from both banks and from the east and west banks, where you will also find, among other things, beautiful sandy beaches.
City view from the bridge
From the Golden Gate Bridge you will have a beautiful view of the city center with its skyscrapers.
Downtown looking at the arrival to the city
The main center in the business sense is generally called downtown in the USA and consists mostly of skyscrapers or other high-rise buildings. It's no different in San Francisco. This center with towering skyscrapers can be seen upon arrival in the city.
Russian hill
This city is really full of beautiful views and one of the neighborhoods worth walking through Russian hill. It is located on top of a hill in the city center and is easily accessible on foot from downtown.
Lombard street
Part of the Russian hill district is the famous Lombard street, which is like an accordion bent into the very bends down the hill. People are also waiting in line to drive this famous street in a car. It was enough for us to walk along the sidewalk and enjoy the view of the passing cars behind us.
Nob Hill
Another area that you can walk through on the way to the city center and adjacent parts is the Nob hill district. It is located south of the Russian hill, to which it is connected. The district provides an inexhaustible number of unforgettable views of the surroundings, steep streets with a cable car and also beautiful architecture in the form of colorful adjoining houses, usually two-storey.
View of Downtown
When viewed from the hills on which the Nob hill and Russian hill districts lie, you have a view of the city center itself – Downtown with its skyscrapers.
Cable car
You can move around the city in various ways, but the most stylish is probably a ride on a historic cable car, which can climb with you to the tops of San Francisco's steep streets. These colorful wooden ships move around the city in several directions and a ride costs about $ 7 a one-way trip (non-transferable).
Turntable of cable trams
An attraction for tourists is the historic hand-held tram turntable, which is still in operation. Because no drive would get the trams to such steep hills, they work on a rope drive. In practice, you can hear the rope constantly moving in the track, where the tram gets caught and lets it be pulled up. A turntable is then a necessity, because trams only run in one direction.
Chinatown - Markets
Like most western cities, San Francisco has its Chinatown. We were lucky to walk through it on Saturday around noon, when the locals were shopping for their weekend lunch. We got a really unusual view, when we found ourselves in the real China by crossing an imaginary line. We hardly met a European on the street, the shops offered a lot of vegetables and fruits, which we saw for the first time and had no idea of his name.
Chinatown
Exoticism was ubiquitous, from the frog legs behind the shop window to the typical red lanterns and cats with a swaying paw to complete the atmosphere. You will even find two main parallel streets that lead through this neighborhood. In one, it is intended for the local Chinese population and thus creates a truly authentic Chinese impression. The second street is intended for tourists and local non-Asian residents.
Architecture and typical houses
The towns are characterized by a typical architecture, mostly in similar two-storey adjoining colorful houses in steep streets. The cost of living is one of the highest in the world, but it is definitely worth walking through the streets and peeking into the local windows.
Skyscrapers
A city as large as San Fransicso cannot do without such typical buildings as skyscrapers. We will find both a modern type of skyscrapers and older traditional buildings, which form such a characteristic American spirit of the place.
Waterfront and ferry building
The waterfront in San Francisco is made up of several piers that are numbered, and you will often find seals lying around. Another attraction to visit here are gastro bistros and other cafes. The dominant feature of the waterfront is the historic ferry building.
Coit tower
If you do not have enough views from the hills, you can visit the Coit tower. You can walk on it. It took us a maximum of 20 minutes from the waterfront, but count on it uphill and quite a lot. Alternatively, you can take a bus, which goes to the parking lot under the tower, where you can take a car. Admission up is about $ 9 and there is a historic elevator waiting for you in the tower, with staff who will teach you about the attractions of the place as you drive. From the tower you will have the whole city in the palm of your hand and a 360 ° view of the surroundings.
Alcatraz Prison
Probably the most famous prison in the world, Alcatraz, is located on an island near San Francisco. It is literally within sight of the Golden Gate Bridge and can be overlooked from many vantage points. You can get to the island by ferry and on a nice day it is a pleasant day trip. As part of the entrance, you can walk through the prison itself, which only serves as a tourist attraction.
Bridges to the city
The city is connected across the bay by several bridges, not just the most famous Golden Gate Bridge. We used these bridges on the way from the California capital Sacramento and shortened our journey really much, compared to going around the coast. We paid $ 7 for the transfer, but the downside was that we didn't find a way to pay by card, just in cash.
San Francisco is worth a visit
The city is full of contrasts and there is something for everyone. We probably enjoyed walking the streets and enjoying the views of the steep streets that are so typical of San Francisco and you probably won't find them anywhere else. Due to its location by the ocean, the city is often very windy and rainy, but on the other hand it gives the city many faces.
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