Your Guide to San Francisco

“Every man should be allowed to love two cities - his own and San Francisco” said author Gene Fowler and as you sail into the port, under the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s not difficult to see why. Located in Northern California, San Francisco’s hilly streets offer striking glimpses of its famous bay below. Discover fantastic food, local wines and glorious views in this vibrant metropolis where springtime lasts year-round. From Fisherman’s Wharf to Alcatraz Island and the 1000-acre Golden Gate Park, San Francisco is a destination with something for everyone, where many hearts have been captured and lost.

Exploring

Fisherman’s Wharf is where you’ll find the Wax Museum and harbour tours passing around Alcatraz. Don’t forget to stop at K-dock to see the sea-lions lazing off pier 39. San Francisco’s cable cars offer fantastic city views while walking the Golden Gate Bridge takes around an hour. Famously curvy Lombard Street descends Russian Hill and Coit Tower features a history museum. Chinatown and Japantown offer picturesque pagodas and sacred temples, while the impressive gold-dome of City Hall is modelled on St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Montgomery Street, the “Wall Street of the West” provides insight into California’s Gold Rush era, complete with stagecoaches and gold nuggets at the Wells Fargo Museum.

Eating and drinking

San Francisco is a haven of restaurants with every kind of cuisine on offer. At Fisherman’s Wharf seafood fans will find a variety of stalls preparing fresh fish dishes. Pier 39, further along the waterfront, also offers two levels of restaurants, with views of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge. The passages between Union Street lead to delightful courtyards and mews full of restaurants and delicatessens, while North Beach is home to the city’s Italian community where you can find freshly prepared pasta. For Asian cuisine, including dumplings and noodle dishes, seek out Chinatown or Japantown, the latter of which offers excellent sushi bars.

Shopping

San Francisco has several major retail centres (often called Marketplaces) which will delight those who want to indulge an afternoon shopping. In Union Square, the heart of San Francisco’s downtown district, you’ll encounter America’s top department stores, boutiques and flower stalls gracing the sidewalks with colourful displays. Union Street’s restored Victorian buildings now house fashionable boutiques, speciality shops, antique shops and art galleries. Pacific Heights is one of the City’s most upmarket areas, while the former hippie hangout and flower power haven of Haight-Ashbury is now a collection of stores selling second-hand clothes, antiques and books, just a few blocks from Golden Gate Park.

Beyond San Francisco

Alcatraz Island, once a federal prison with convicts like Al Capone, is a mile from shore and boats depart from Fisherman’s Wharf throughout the day. Once there, an audio tour narrated by former inmates guides you through the cells. Eight miles north of San Francisco is Sausalito, a picturesque Mediterranean-style community, full of boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Golden Gate Park is home to the Strybing Arboretum, Botanical Gardens and the Japanese Tea Garden, while a trip through Napa Valley’s wineries is a must for wine lovers. Finally, California’ Berkeley University campus offers guided tours which include the Greek Theatre and Memorial Stadium.

Aloha Honolulu. Synonymous with lilting music and magnificent beaches, like world-famous Waikiki, it’s also awash with shops, restaurants, and a multitude of historic, cultural and scenic attractions.

In a nation where stunning scenery is a given, Auckland doesn’t fail to deliver. A watery wonderland on New Zealand’s North Island, with yachts meandering through its harbours and adjoining Hauraki Gulf, it’s little wonder Auckland is known as the ‘City of Sails’.

It’s also surrounded by more than 48 extinct volcanoes, set against a backdrop of wild and mountainous scenery, the likes of which New Zealand is famed for. If you’re hoping to snap the perfect holiday photographs here, you’ll find no shortage of inspiring vistas vying for a space in your camera roll.

Tauranga is the largest and most populated port in the Bay of Plenty region. This is an appropriate name due to the abundant beaches, rolling white waters, hot mineral springs and even kiwi orchards.

The stunning harbour city, Sydney, is Australia’s oldest and largest urban centre. Gold mining and sheep breeding propelled Sydney’s development, and today it’s the largest port in the entire South Pacific. Mark Twain called it “the wonder of the world”.

The capital of Queensland is a wonder. The Brisbane River meanders through the heart of the city, past the elegant Georgian buildings of native sandstone and their neighbouring towers of sleek glass.

Contradiction is part of Hong Kong’s attraction. While the city buzzes with modern commerce, soaring skyscrapers and sophistication, it remains a place of ancient beliefs and intriguing local customs.

A stretch of coastline quite unlike any other in the South China Sea. Passing coastal sand dunes, beautiful green hills and paddy fields, you sail to the historic Vietnamese cities of Hue and Da Nang.

Among the one of the world’s busiest ports and prosperous cities, Singapore is full of culture, history and excitement, where you are welcome to enjoy a tropical climate and multicultural population.

Port Kelang is the port for Malaysia’s modern and bustling Kuala Lumpur, a city fusing Malayan, Chinese and Indian cultures. Fans of retail therapy are in luck, the shopping is some of Asia's finest.

The beating heart of Mauritius is Port Louis, its capital city. Combining a rich array of cultures, languages and influences, Port Louis is a truly fascinating place to sit and watch the world go by.

Durban is an attractive city, whose long beach front and glass buildings look out onto the Indian Ocean. Inland, spectacular landscapes and Africa’s unique wildlife are waiting to captivate you.

Cape Town isn’t just one of the most beautiful cities in the world – it’s also circled by magnificent beaches, rugged mountains and idyllic vineyards, all located on the stunning shores of Table Bay.

Welcome to Walvis Bay, Namibia – a coastal paradise where desert landscapes meet the Atlantic Ocean. This unique destination offers a blend of natural beauty, cultural diversity, and exciting adventures, making it a memorable stop on your cruise itinerary.

From vibrant street markets and colourful streets to peaceful golden beaches, the Senegalese capital of Dakar makes for a captivating stop on any Cunard cruise to Africa.

Nestled in a natural harbour on the northeast coast of the island, Santa Cruz de Tenerife cruise port sits less than a kilometre from the main town square, Plaza de Espana. Its location makes it easy for you to branch off and experience the wonders that the island of Tenerife has to offer, but the port has an enchanting presence in itself too. It’s full of brightly painted buildings and rich, historical architecture, as well as plentiful shops, restaurants, and cafes.

Le Havre, seaport and city, is located at the mouth of the River Seine in the Normandy region of northern France.

Boasting beaches, bars, restaurants, museums, and a thriving arts scene, Le Havre is a maritime metropolis.

Whether you know it as the ‘Big Apple’ or the ‘City That Never Sleeps’, New York City is a paradise that blends rich history with modern attractions. Crammed full of exceptional sights, iconic landmarks, and diverse neighbourhoods, New York is pulsing with palpable energy and offers an unforgettable experience.