San Francisco conjures up images of hippies and flower power, but nowadays little is left of that 70s nostalgia. San Francisco came to life with the gold rush, caused by the finding of gold in the Sierra Nevada's foothills. In 1936, with the Bay Bridge and in 1937, with the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, the city was connected to the bay area, an area now known for its numerous high-tech companies.

The city center, on a hilly peninsula, has a unique character with very distinct neighbourhoods, like Chinatown, Japantown, Castro, SoMa and Mission district. San Francisco is also home to a number of great parks, the best known being Golden Gate park and the Presidio park.