What to see in San Francisco?

San Francisco is unbelievably, ridiculously beautiful. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in California, a fascinating and unmissable stop! It may not be one of the largest cities in the United States, but it still takes a bit of planning to visit it properly (and make sure you don’t miss anything). In this article, we’ve put together a list of what we believe are the must-see highlights in San Francisco.

What to see in San Francisco: the main highlights.

The Ferry Building

The Ferry Building is the perfect place to start your visit to San Francisco. It’s located in the busy Embarcadero area, right in front of Market Street, and it used to be a major transportation hub. Today, it’s a go-to spot for breakfast or lunch, especially on certain days of the week when the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market fills the area with food stalls of every kind. Having breakfast on the pier, at the outdoor tables, admiring the sea, maybe with a street musician playing in the background, is the best way to start a day in San Francisco—in true local style.
 

Coit Tower and Lombard Street

San Francisco is the panoramic city par excellence! Its constant ups and downs create breathtaking views and perspectives. Among them all, some deserve a special visit simply because they’re amazing. One of these is Coit Tower, the observation tower on Telegraph Hill. Another is Lombard Street, the world’s most crooked (and flower-lined) street, located on another of the city’s famous hills, Russian Hill.
It consists of eight steep hairpin turns, built to reduce the slope of the street, and that’s what made it so distinctive. Did you know it can only be driven downhill? And at no more than 8 km/h. Not a problem, though—this way you have plenty of time to admire the little houses along the street and San Francisco Bay in the distance.
If you’d like more information about Telegraph Hill, you can find it in this article.
 

Chinatown in San Francisco

How could we not mention Chinatown?! San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest and largest Chinese community in the United States, as well as the largest Chinese community outside Asia. The entrance to the neighborhood is on Grant Avenue and it’s unmistakable: the Dragon’s Gate, a large three-arched gateway in perfect Oriental style. You can find lots of information on how to visit Chinatown here.
 

Golden Gate and Sausalito

Well, of course we have to mention it: the Golden Gate is the great red bridge connecting the city to Marin County. It is the ultimate symbol of San Francisco and at the same time one of the boldest achievements of American architecture: 2,700 meters long, supported by 2 gigantic towers. One of the best ways to see the Golden Gate is to rent a bike and cross it all the way to Sausalito, a lovely seaside town also known as the Portofino of America.
 

Fisherman’s Wharf

One of the craziest and most vibrant sides of San Francisco can be found at Fisherman’s Wharf, one of the city’s most visited and tourist-filled attractions, but also one of its most spectacular. Shops and restaurants, views over the bay, and of course the famous colonies of noisy sea lions sunbathing on the docks. It’s wonderful to come here and explore some of the delightfully quirky shops at Pier 39, the shopping area: stores for left-handed people (yes, you read that right—where they sell only left-handed items!), specialty sock or magnet shops, plush toy stores where you can make and customize your own stuffed animal, and much more. In short, it’s an amazing place not to miss. Fisherman’s Wharf, among other things, is still a docking point for fishing boats.
 

Cable Cars: San Francisco’s historic streetcars

Iconic and charming precisely because they’re old-school: the Cable Cars are the historic streetcars that have operated in San Francisco since 1873. One of the best experiences you can have in the city is riding one of these vehicles. Queue up at the stop located at the intersection of Market Street and Powell, one of the city’s most beautiful and distinctive stops. Here there is a rotating platform where two operators manually turn the cable car around to reverse its direction. It’s a little show that takes you back in time. A ticket for the cable car costs about $7 per person and can be purchased directly on board.
 

Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies

One of the most photographed neighborhoods in San Francisco is near Alamo Square, where you’ll find the famous Painted Ladies, which you’ve surely seen in a movie or on a postcard. Here you’ll find pastel-colored houses in pure Victorian style, beautiful to admire. In addition, Alamo Square Park is a wonderful green oasis where you can relax and enjoy views of the city skyline, the skyscrapers of the Financial District, and the bay. To get to the area, take bus 21, which stops at the corner of Hayes and Steiner Streets, near the Ladies.

Come on, we’ve probably left something out, but we did our best to include everything we love most about San Francisco. Take a look at our California tour, because this amazing city is one of the stops on that itinerary!