Fantastic weather, famously steep streets, a breathtaking bayside location on America’s west coast and the magnificence of the Golden Gate Bridge …what’s not to love about an exciting San Francisco city break?

Check out Union Square’s designer boutiques, Fisherman’s Wharfs seafood eateries or stroll around word-famous Chinatown, home to the largest Chinese community outside China. Take the cable car to Nob Hill or catch the ferry to the prison island of Alcatraz, now a museum.

San Francisco grew up in the wake of the post-1848 gold rush, and today it still pulls in more than its fair share of outsiders. Drive over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge or take a sightseeing ferry to absorb the full splendour of the city’s best known landmark.

Fisherman’s Wharf is a great place to stroll, take in street life or watch hundreds of resident sea lions as they sunbathe on the quayside pontoons. Pier 39 is particularly popular, and houses plenty of attractions, including the Aquarium of the Bay.