San Francisco, United States

From series “The Most Magical and Picturesque Cities in the World”

10 out of 15 - San Francisco, United States

Many modern tourists associate the city of San Francisco in the state of California with magnificent skyscrapers, expensive hotels and restaurants, as well as huge shopping centers. Only a few know how magical and picturesque the historic district of San Francisco is. Its main decorations are chic villas, whose facades are painted in bright colors.

The historical district of the city is located in the picturesque hilly area. Here, visitors can see beautiful monuments of the Victorian era, walk through quiet old streets and admire the panorama of the city from a height. Alamo Square is considered one of the most interesting areas of the city for walks. Here you can see wonderfully beautiful old villas, which belong to the richest city dwellers. The architecture complex has its own name - 'Painted ladies'.

The history of the construction of Victorian mansions is very interesting and coincides with the era of the Gold Rush. In a few years the population of the city has increased several times. At the turn of the 19th century, more than 48000 beautifully coloured villas were built in less than 50 years in San Francisco. A significant part of them were destroyed during the earthquake in 1906, but some houses remained unscathed and today they continue to please citizens and visitors of the city with their fabulous appearance. The founder of the tradition of painting the facades of houses in bright colors is an artist Butch Kardum. In 1963, he painted one of the houses. The artist liked the work of the local residents so that soon the block of Alamo Square shone with all the colours of the rainbow.

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San Francisco - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'Chase Bank' located in 0.17 km (

check the route on the map).

Car rental office: 'Bob's Auto Transport' is located in 0.29 km (

on the map).

Fuel station: 'RC GASOLINE' in 0.45 km

Supermarket: 'Noe Grocery' in 0.1 km

Parking: 'Market & Noe Center Public Parking' in 0.2 km

Apotheek: 'Bioscrip Infusion Services Inc' in 0.2 km

Police station: 'San Francisco Police Juvenile' in 1.07 km

Cafe/restaurant: 'L'Ardoise' in 0.03 km

Railway station: '16th St. Mission BART Station' in 1.21 km

Nearest airports:
» Commodore Center Airport KJM - in 14 km

» San Francisco Airport SFO - in 17 km

» Oakland International Airport OAK - in 20 km

» Hayward Executive Airport HWD - in 30 km

» San Carlos Airport SQL - in 32 km

Photo gallery: The Most Magical and Picturesque Cities in the World

Become a gulliver. Famous Miniature Museums of Architectural Objects and Cities

Forbidden fruit is sweet. Forbidden Construction Objects with Label "Access Denied"

Cities nearby

» Guide to San Francisco

» Cuisine & restaurants

» Traditions & mentality

» Culture & art

» Attractions & nightlife

» Tips for tourists

» Hotels in San Francisco

» Guest houses

» Bed & Breakfast

» Apartments

» Hostels

» Car rent in San Francisco

» Minivans

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» Car rent in San Jose

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» Guide to Sacramento

» Hotels in Sacramento

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Best hotels near San Francisco

Perramont Hotel

Located in 0 km from San Francisco
Route on the map:

Rooms: 36

Select rooms feature a city view of Market Street at Perramont Hotel. Offering free Wi-Fi, each room offers a desk, a flat-screen satellite TV and … More: photo, rates and booking

Days Inn Civic Center

Located in 1 km from San Francisco
Route on the map:

Rooms: 40

A cable TV is featured in each air-conditioned guest room at Days Inn Civic Center. Guest rooms include a microwave, a refrigerator, a coffee maker … More: photo, rates and booking

Hotel Zetta San Francisco

Located in 2 km from San Francisco
Route on the map:

Rooms: 116

Free Wi-Fi, an iPod docking station, and double-paned windows for quiet and privacy are included in all guest rooms at Hotel Zetta San Francisco. A … More: photo, rates and booking

Hotel Union Square - A Personality Hotel

Located in 3 km from San Francisco
Route on the map:

Rooms: 131

A flat-screen cable TV and an iPod docking station are featured in each air-conditioned guest room at Hotel Union Square – A Personality Hotel. All … More: photo, rates and booking

Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit

3 km - Contemporary Jewish Museum

From the series 'Famous buildings of Postmodern architecture'

Contemporary Jewish Museum is located in San Francisco. It also has an unofficial name – "L'Chaim“(“to life!”). A large Jewish diaspora has lived in the city for many years. Outstanding writers, artists, and other artists are its representatives. The popular …

4 km - Millennium Tower

From the series 'Falling towers and buildings'

The Millennium Tower is a modern skyscraper. The collapse threatens it at the present. It is located in San Francisco. The building has sunk significantly in recent years. It gradually tilts. According to experts, it can collapse at any time. Any natural anomaly, …

6 km - Prison on Alcatraz

From the series 'Famous prisons of the world'

Alcatraz is considered the most famous prison in the United States. The island of the same name is the place of its location. It is located just off the coast of San Francisco. The building in which the prison is located was originally built as a military fort. It has …

19 km - San Quentin State Prison

From the series 'Famous prisons of the world'

San Quentin is one of the most notorious and controversial prisons in the United States. Prisoners sentenced to death make up a significant proportion of the criminals held in it. The gas chamber was located in the prison a few years ago. The death sentence was set in …

22 km - Bunker Devil

From the series 'Famous Abandoned Military Bases and Forts'

On the coast of San Mateo County in California is a bunker with a cruel name Devil's Slide. The bunker was named in honour of the rock of the same name. The secret object was built on the coast in 1930. Originally, it served as a center of military technology …

43 km - SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

From the series 'Incredible Labs for Space and Physics Research'

The world-famous SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is located in the USA. It is known to many people for its outstanding features. The purpose of this laboratory is diverse research in the field of elementary particle physics. In particular, research on solid-state …

Top destination around San Francisco - San Francisco

The food festival engages the most famous cooks and chefs. Each year the event attracts dozens of thousands of tourists from all over the world. It should be noted that the festival does not resemble any other restaurant fests held in other cities of the country. Food stalls offering various treats to meet every taste and fancy are installed right in the streets and city parks. City guests have a chance to enjoy various ethnic foods as traditional hamburgers and cheeseburgers, traditional Italian pizza and Japanese cuisine treats. The festival offers a really great choice of treats and dishes.

At the beginning of July the city of San Francisco attracts music fans from all over the world holding the grand show being the San Francisco Jazz Festival. Many popular musicians and jazz amateurs are engaged in this scale jazz event. The city holds several concerts within a few days. Most of the concerts and events of the festival are free to visit. The Taste of Russia festival is another unique and original event being devoted to Russian culture. The matter is that the city of San Francisco is densely populated by immigrants from Russia. A major part of the events of the festival is held in the Holy Virgin Cathedral.
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