San Francisco: A Traveller's Guide

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Diverse and dynamic
San Francisco's geography makes it one of the United States' most unique cities. The city lies between the ocean, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the redwood forests and the California desert. Sitting atop the San Andreas Fault, San Francisco has been shaped by earthquakes - in particular the legendary 1906 quake and subsequent fires, which destroyed 80 percent of its structures.
San Francisco has more than 50 hills within city limits and some neighborhoods are named after the hill on which they are situated, including Nob Hill, Pacific Heights, and Russian Hill.
San Francisco is a bustling city rich in ethnic diversity, with an eclectic bohemian subculture and a myriad of languages, customs, shops and restaurants packed into its compact 49 square miles.