San Francisco

The most beautiful bridge in the world — the great burnt-orange Art Deco span soaring 1.7 miles across the strait, often draped dramatically in fog. Walk or cycle across it, or admire it from Battery Spencer, Crissy Field or Baker Beach; iconic from every angle, and best when the fog rolls through its towers. Unmissable.

The notorious island prison in the bay — a ferry from the wharf to 'the Rock', where an outstanding audio tour (narrated by former guards and inmates) walks you through the cell blocks that held Al Capone, with the city glittering tantalisingly across the water. Atmospheric and gripping; book weeks ahead, as it sells out.

The last manually operated cable cars in the world clank up and down the impossible hills, hand-braked by the gripman, with riders hanging off the running boards — a National Historic Landmark and pure San Francisco. Ride the Powell-Hyde line for the plunging views down to the bay; queue at the turntable, or hop on mid-route.

The classic tourist waterfront — Pier 39's boardwalk of shops and stalls, the barking colony of sea lions basking on the docks, street performers, and views to Alcatraz and the bridge. Touristy and kitsch, but fun; come for the sea lions, a bread-bowl of chowder, and the ferries and bike routes that set off along the bay.

A vast green rectangle stretching to the ocean — bigger than New York's Central Park — with the de Young art museum, the California Academy of Sciences, a Japanese Tea Garden, botanical gardens, lakes, bison and windmills. A glorious day of museums and gardens; rent a bike, and it's car-free on Sundays.

The 'Postcard Row' of pastel Victorian houses at Alamo Square, framed against the modern downtown skyline — the classic San Francisco photo (and the Full House opening credits). Lounge on the grassy square with the city laid out beyond, and admire the ornate 'Painted Ladies'; lovely at golden hour.

The oldest and one of the largest Chinatowns in North America — a dense, atmospheric warren of dragon-gate streets, temples, herbalists, dim sum houses and a fortune-cookie factory, just up from Union Square. Wander Grant Avenue and the quieter back lanes, and stop for dumplings; a vivid world within the city.

'The crookedest street in the world' — a steep block of Russian Hill that switchbacks down eight sharp hairpin bends through banked flowerbeds, with a fine view of Coit Tower and the bay from the top. Touristy and always busy, but a fun quick stop; walk down the steps beside it, and combine it with North Beach.

The sunny, Latino-rooted Mission is the city's most vibrant quarter — hundreds of vivid murals splashed across the walls (Balmy and Clarion Alleys are the highlights), and the birthplace of the mighty 'Mission burrito', best from a busy no-frills taqueria. Wander the murals, then queue for a burrito the size of your forearm.

A romantic, monumental faux-Roman rotunda and colonnade reflected in a swan-filled lagoon in the Marina — the sole survivor of the 1915 world's fair, and one of the most beautiful, photogenic spots in the city. A serene, free stroll, lovely at sunset; combine it with a walk along Crissy Field to the Golden Gate Bridge.

A slender Art Deco tower atop Telegraph Hill — climb it (or the flower-lined Filbert Steps, past the wild parrots) for a 360° view over the city and bay, and admire the 1930s WPA murals inside. At its foot lies North Beach, the old Italian and Beat quarter of espresso bars and the storied City Lights bookstore; a lovely half-day.

The grand old ferry terminal on the Embarcadero, reborn as a gourmet food hall — artisan bakers, cheesemongers, oyster bars and coffee roasters, with a superb farmers' market outside on Saturdays and the bay and Bay Bridge alongside. The best of the city's food scene under one roof; come hungry for a graze with a view.

The corner where the Summer of Love bloomed in 1967 — still colourful and countercultural, with tie-dye and vintage stores, record shops, murals and old Victorians (including the Grateful Dead's house). A fun, nostalgic wander through hippie history; browse the shops, and it leads straight into Golden Gate Park.

San Francisco's best night out is in the Mission — dive bars, craft-cocktail dens and buzzing patios along Valencia Street — and the neighbouring Castro, the historic heart of the city's LGBTQ+ scene, lively and welcoming. Bar-hop the Mission, or join the party in the Castro; the city goes out with warmth and no pretension.

The classic San Francisco bite — creamy clam chowder served in a hollowed-out loaf of the city's famous tangy sourdough, best on the wharf with the sea lions barking nearby. Beyond it, the city eats brilliantly: Dungeness crab, cioppino seafood stew, and world-class dim sum, Mexican and farm-to-table. Grab a bread bowl, then explore.