San Francisco is situated on a 120 sq km (46.6 sq mile) peninsula bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by the Golden Gate Strait and from north to east by San Francisco Bay. This provides one of the world’s finest land-locked harbors. The Bay is spanned by two landmarks, the Golden Gate and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridges. It is also graced by four islands – Alcatraz, Angel, Yerba Buena and Treasure. The city’s history is a mixture of Spanish colonialism and rowdy American romanticism. The first European settlement on the site of the present city was established in 1776. It kept the name Yerba Buena until 1847 when it was officially christened San Francisco. The city is built on a series of hills — over 40 — so that almost every other street points the way to a panoramic view of the Bay. The principal hills, which earned it the Roman soubriquet of ‘City of the Seven Hills’, are Nob, Russian, Telegraph, Twin Peaks, Mount Davidson, Rincon and Lone Mountain.

One of San Francisco’s principal attractions are the century-old cable cars, America’s only mobile National Historic Landmark. In the San Francisco Cable Car Museum, visitors can view the actual cable-winding machinery as it reels 17km (11 miles) of steel at a steady pace of 15km (9.5 miles) per hour. Visitors might be surprised that the Golden Gate Bridge isn’t actually gold at all. It is painted orange, is resistant to harsh weather conditions and is at its most visible through fog. The 1017 acres of Golden Gate Park encompass free-to-the-public meadows, lakes, rose gardens, an arboretum, a rhododendron dell, an open-air music concourse, a children’s playground, a buffalo paddock and the tallest artificial waterfall in the West. The park is also home to the California Academy of Sciences, which includes the Natural History Museum, the Morrison Planetarium and the Steinhart Aquarium. The Cartoon Art Museum, the only one of its kind on the West Coast, displays rotating exhibitions of art from comic books. The city’s museums are free at least one day each month. Other sights include Fisherman’s Wharf, with its bay-view restaurants and resident sea lions, Alacatraz, once the site of the USA’s toughest maximum security prison, now a National Park, Chinatown, the largest Asian enclave outside Asia, the pagoda-crowned Japan Center and Ocean Beach and Seal Rocks.

The city also has rich cultural offerings. The US$44-million Center for the Arts at Yerba Buena Gardens is devoted to showcasing the work of artists from the multicultural community and features diverse programs of dance, theatre, music, film, installations and festivals. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, opened in 1995 to great acclaim. The city offers its own ballet and opera companies, as well as a symphony orchestra and dozens of live theatre groups, including the perennially popular American Conservatory Theater. For visitors seeking peace and quiet, San Francisco’s Russian Hill, with its historic brown-shingle houses, sweeping views and botanical treasures offers an ideal country getaway. Stretching some 35 blocks, this urban retreat derives its name from the Russian sailors buried in its soil. The hill encompasses four historical districts and once offered refuge to Jack London and Mark Twain.

Other Excursion: In the northern area of the Bay is Vallejo, California’s first capital, and a magnet for history buffs, sportsmen and nature lovers. The Naval Historical Museum is well worth a visit here, and the annual Whaleboat Regatta is a colorful calendar highlight. Nearby is Marine World Africa USA, a wildlife theme park featuring shows with whales, dolphins, sea lions, tigers, chimps and exotic birds. Moving south, Oakland is the centre of many activities in the Bay Area. Miles of waterfront, boating, breathtaking scenery and acres of parkland make up this charming city. Points of interest include the Oakland Museum which retraces local history and colorful Jack London Square and Village, with their waterfront dining and shopping facilities. Further south still, San José is noted for its year-round golden climate and offers unique visitor attractions, including the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and the bizarre Winchester Mystery House. Just fifty minutes south of San Francisco, in the heart of Silicon Valley, is Santa Clara, known as ‘The Mission City’. Attractions here include Paramount’s Great America, an enormous theme park featuring rides and live entertainment. At the southern tip of the Bay Area is Santa Cruz, where points of interest include Felton Covered Bridge (the tallest covered bridge of its kind, built in 1892), Roaring Camp and the Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad, which offers steam-train excursions, and the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, with its replica 1791 mission. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk features the West Coast’s only beach amusement park, with one of the world’s top ten roller-coasters.

Special Events: Oct-Jun American Conservatory Theatre season. Feb-May San Francisco Ballet (64th season). Mar 16 St Patrick’s Day Celebration. Apr 12-13/19-20 Cherry Blossom Festival. Apr-Sep San Francisco Giants’ Baseball Season. May 24-25 Carnival ’97. May 31-Jun 1 Union Street Spring Festival of Arts & Crafts. Jun San Francisco Symphony Season (85th season). Mid Jun-mid-Aug Stern Grove Midsummer Music Festival. Jul 17 Cable Car Bell-ringing Championship. Sep 13-14 Festival of the Sea. Sep 20-21 San Francisco Blues Festival. Oct 12 Columbus Day Celebration, Oct 18-19 Great Halloween and Pumpkin Festival. Oct 24-Nov 2 Grand National Rodeo. Dec Christmas at Sea.

Travel: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is located 15 minutes from the city centre. The space-age BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport System) operates four lines, joining San Francisco with Oakland, Berkeley, Concord and Fremont. San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) operates buses, cable cars and a subway/trolley system. Visits to Los Angeles/Anaheim, Monterey and other coastal attractions as well as overnight stays at the Yosemite National Park are possible, courtesy of California Parlor Car Tours.

Climate: San Francisco’s ‘automatic air conditioning’ (created by a unique combination of waters, winds and topography) makes it one of the coolest spots in California. The weather is spring-like all the year round. The summer fog usually clears by noon. Lightweight summer clothes are not practical. Knitwear and light woolens suffice year-round.