General Info

San Francisco, California’s second largest city, is located on the Pacific coast, at the extreme northern point of the San Matteo Peninsula. The San Francisco area stretches southwards along the peninsula and comprises nearly 40 hills. The city and its hills form an incredibly scenic back-drop, home to Victorian houses, suspension bridges and the famous cable-cars straining to climb the steep roads.

The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco’s most famous suspension bridge, is one of the longest in the world. The bridge, built in 1937, serves to link the city with Marin County at the mouth of the bay. It is possible to drive over the bridge by exiting at the Sausalito junction of the freeway and passing along Conzelman Road. To see the bridge from its base, the visitor should go to Fort Point, site of the Presidio, a fortified military zone, founded in 1776 by the Spanish and occupied until 1847 by the Americans. The chapel and the officer’s club still remain, as evidence of this military period. The Presidio complex is located in the elegant district of Richmond which is lined along its ocean shore by Lincoln Park. Castro Street and the Mission District are located on the hill-side nearby and originally formed the nucleus of the city. Today it is the site of the Hispanic community, which developed around the site of the Dolores Mission, situated between 16th Street and the corner of Dolores Street.

Dolores Street joins Market Street, and leads into Buchanan Street, site of the Japanese Consulate and home to the Japanese community. The beautiful Japanese “Cherry Blossom Festival” is held here every April. Following Van Ness, one of the main city streets, the visitor descends to Market Street and the Civic Center, which houses various Government, State and Council buildings, together with the more prestigious cultural institutions in the city: the 1915 City Hall, inspired by the Classic-style architecture of the 17th Century; the State Office building; the Main Public Library, the Civic Auditorium and the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, built in 1980 and home to the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (closed Monday), located in the vicinity, offers an extensive range of European and American contemporary art. Continuing along Market Street, the visitor arrives in Hallidie Square; from here, Powell Street leads on to Union Square, the commercial centre of San Francisco.

Maiden Lane between Geary Street and Post Street, located to the east of the square is considered the most beautiful street in the city. The Circle Gallery built in 1948 by F.L. Wright and inspired by the Guggenheim Museum in New York, is located at N°140. The largest Asian community living outside Asia, lives in San Francisco’s colourful Chinatown. A labyrinth of narrow alleys and streets complete with Bhuddist temples, restaurants, shops selling exotic gods and cultural institutions including the Chinese Cultural Center and the Chinese Historical Society Museum, which displays photographs and records, detailing the development of the Chinese district.

The Financial District is located at the end of Kearney Street. This zone is the centre for business, banking and commerce and is the site of the city’s skyscrapers: the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building (1929); the Bank of America Building; The Bank of California; the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange and the Transamerica Pyramid (1972), which has now become one of the symbols of the city. North Beach, the exclusive residential district of the city is located a few blocks away from the Transamerica Pyramid. North Beach is the Italo-American district, famous for its restaurants, art galleries and night life. It is also the site of Saint Peter and Paul Catholic Church, where mass is celebrated in three languages. Italian, English and Chinese. Telegraph Hill, offering wonderful views over the city, is located a short distance away. The Coit Tower, built in 1933, stands on the summit of Telegraph Hill and commemorates the heroic work of the city’s firemen during the blaze, which followed the 1906 earthquake. Columbus Avenue, Nob Hill and Russian Hill lie to the west and make up the wealthy and prestigious West Coast district. The area is dotted with Victorian style houses, painted in pastel shades. The majority of the houses date back to the period 1870 to 1906, having miraculously survived the 1906 earthquake. Fine examples include the Haas-Lilienthal House Museum, Whittier Mansion and Octagon House. Nob Hill is also the site of the Neo-gothic style Grace Cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of the Episcople Church of California.Lombard Street, located on Russian Hill, is regarded as the world’s most tortuous street. It has an incline of 40% and a series of 10 curves, which wind their way around among elegant flower-beds. Fisherman’s Wharf, the city’s most famous district, is located north of Colombus Avenue, in front of the Cannery. This old quay, with its large number of souvenir shops and local restaurants is a firm tourist attraction. The ancient, but fully functional, Ghirardelli Chocolate Manufactory stands in Ghirardelli Square between Beach, Larkin, North Point and Polk. San Francisco is home to numerous academic institutions, including: Berkeley University of California (1868), San Francisco State University(1889), Golden Gate University(1901) and Stanford University of Palo Alto (1885).

San Francisco’s public transport system is comfortable and efficient. A first-time visitor must take a ride on the famous trams and trolley cars. A spectacular 360° view of the bay can be had from the summit of Twin Peaks.