San Francisco: Top 5 sights
Take one of the world’s most famous bridges, some Californian sunshine, refreshing, cool wind and hills which might take your breath away - metaphorically and literally if you walk about them all day - and you get the beautiful city of San Francisco!
Always worth a stop is Telegraph Hill, one of the quieter residential areas. In the heart of this charming neighbourhood, you will find the Coit Tower which was built in 1933 in remembrance of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a patroness of San Francisco’s volunteer firefighters in the second half of the 19th century. If you climb up the stairs to the hill or even the tower itself, you will be able to enjoy a gorgeous view over San Francisco. After taking plenty of pictures of the sights, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Financial District with the Transamerica Pyramid, head west to the popular Lombard Street area. The steep one-way road with its eight hairpin bends over a distance of only about 600 feet is one of the curviest streets in the world.
A walk along Fisherman’s Wharf is an absolute must. Typical coastal stores, souvenir shops and Californian restaurants line the streets and create a charming and delightful ambience. Don’t forget to stop by the legendary Pier 39 to watch the overwhelming amount of sea lions sunbathing! To get back to the city centre, you can use one of the three active cable car lines that were rebuilt after the earthquake in San Francisco in 1906. Given that the queue is not too long, it is a lot easier than walking up Hyde Street, which is not the steepest street in the city but can quickly appear like it is once you start your seemingly never-ending ascent. However, that could just be me since my physical condition is definitely something I should work on and you will most likely be fine.
Another attraction is of course the glorious Golden Gate Bridge, the town’s landmark. From Baker Beach you have a mesmerising view of it as well as from the observation points on the other side of the bridge. Seeing the city at night is also an incomparable experience.
The Twin Peaks are two hills in the middle of San Francisco and simultaneously the highest point of the city, from where you will have a spectacular view. The easiest way to get on top is by hire car, or by taking a tourist bus. Seeing the stunning lights from a height of about 925 feet is totally worth it! Don’t make the mistake of underestimating the evening chill at such a height, so remember to wrap up warm.
Last but not least, you should definitely book a tour of Alcatraz. Even though the island of the famous former prison looks close to the shore, imprisoned criminals, who would have tried to escape, would have had to swim 1.5 miles across the bay through a very strong current. That made a getaway almost impossible. In the end, one last small tip: Remember to wear different thin layers of clothes rather than just one as the sun may be warm but the wind can get quite brisk even in the summer - and not just at night on the Twin Peaks! I found myself taking off my jacket and putting it back on fairly often (and managed to annoy every single fellow being around me with my indecisiveness). Let the journey to one of America’s most striking cities begin!