San Francisco is one of those cities that many people want to travel to. Not all the prominence of the United States is taken by New York, something that is not surprising considering that this Californian city has a good number of attractions that attract tourists from all over the world.
In this article I am not going to focus on what you can do there, but I am going to share a series of curiosities that will probably awaken your desire to pack your bags to feel like one more Californian. Shall we start?
Why San Francisco?
The city is called San Francisco in honor of San Francisco de Asís , something that is not surprising if we consider that we are talking about a settlement-mission created by the Franciscans in the 18th century. Of course, it also came to be known as Yerba Buena, since there were numerous mint plantations.
The Golden Gate is not always free
There is no more recognizable construction in San Francisco than the Golden Gate, which is surely the most famous bridge on the planet. It is a huge suspension bridge (more than 1,200 meters long) painted red that cannot be crossed for free at night, since a toll of 8 dollars is established for anyone who wants to use it. That is something that does not happen if you go on foot or by bike.
San Francisco’s alluring cable car
It is not the most modern means of transport in the world, but in San Francisco there is no tourist who misses the opportunity to get on the cable car, which is like a kind of moving monument that allows you to explore the city effortlessly.
Prepare for the slopes
Strolling through San Francisco may not be as pleasant as one can imagine because of the slopes. It is a city settled on more than 50 hills and that makes the tram option stronger.
The most curvy street in the world
The curiosities do not end here, since the city has the privilege of having the most curvy street in the world, which is called Lombard Street and has eight curves that could not be more sinuous. In addition, between the highest point and the lowest point there are 400 meters of distance , which confirms that San Francisco is a city with many slopes.
Your Chinatown is huge
Suffice it to say that the largest Chinatown outside of Asia is here to get an idea of the oriental experience you can have in San Francisco’s Chinatown . It is the oldest Chinatown in the United States and accommodates more than 100,000 people.
A movie prison
Everyone knows that Alcatraz prison is not just any prison. It is on a rocky island and is one of the safest in the world. In fact, the strong currents and the sharks that roam the area make escaping even more difficult. Of course, in the movies it has been exaggerated a lot, since they are small sharks that are not so easily seen along the coast.
You should know that the prison is no longer a typical prison. Where popular criminals like Al Capone were held, today a museum has been installed that you can go to if you get on a boat from Fisherman’s Wharf.
Seals sunbathing
It seems incredible, but in San Francisco you can also see seals sunbathing without having to go to the zoo. Just go to Pier 39 at Fisherman’s Wharf to see its exhibitionism. In addition, you can take advantage of the visit to taste the best fish in the area.
A getaway to Silicon Valley
More incentives? A few kilometers from the city, in Palo Alto, is Silicon Valley, a place where some of the most powerful technology companies in the world have grown, such as HP, Intel, Google or Facebook.