The coastal city of San Diego is located on the southwestern edge of California, near the border with Mexico. The neighboring city is Mexican Tijuana. It is the second largest city in California and the eighth largest in the United States. About 1.4 million people live here. San Diego attracts tourists from all over the world – mainly due to the pleasant weather that prevails throughout the year. The average annual temperature here is around 18 ° C.
The first Europeans visited these parts as early as 1542. In 1602, the Spanish conquistador Sebastian Viscaino, who named the place San Diego, landed here with his ships. The first Spanish mission station was established here in the 18th century. In 1869, gold was found in the area, which started a gold rush. A large number of immigrants were recorded who came to the region with the vision of simple enrichment. The railway was subsequently introduced into the city.
During the construction of Panama-California in 1915-1916, there was an effort to modernize the city, yet San Diego remained only a provincial city. After the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, the US Pacific Fleet was transferred to San Diego, and the local economic boom began. A prehistoric settlement in the Salton Sea area was found near San Diego, which is one of the oldest on the American continent. In pre-Columbian times, this area was inhabited mainly by people who spoke Hokan.
According to existingcountries, today, San Diego is home to the US Navy, has a maritime climate and many beautiful beaches. The city’s main sources of income are tourism, trade, shipbuilding, the military, biotechnology, computer science and electronics. San Diego is a kind of California spa town that boasts beautiful Mediterranean architecture, a wealth of shops and ideal conditions for surfers and divers. You will also find countless fun attractions that you will enjoy not only during the day but also at night. There are also more than 1,200 tennis courts and 86 golf courses, cycling routes, attractive restaurants, quality shopping centers and boutiques, art galleries, museums and theaters.
The main tourist attractions include Gaslamp Quarter – Gas Lamp Quarter. It is the only part of the city dating from the 19th century, which has been preserved to this day. Although the district was already in short supply in the 1980s because it was decided to destroy it and reconstruct the site, it was eventually saved thanks to the reluctance of the locals. The historic Gaslamp Quarter has been preserved and its unique character now attracts tourists. Today we find mainly bars, clubs and hostels.
Another interesting place is Balboa Park, which was established in the 19th century and in the years 1915 – 1916 became the venue of the Panama-California Exhibition and in 1935 the Pacific-California Exhibition. During these exhibitions, many romantic buildings were built here in pseudo-colonial Spanish style and various exotic styles. The park was named after the Spanish conquistador Vasco de Balboa. The houses in the park are now home to various museums, such as the San Diego Museum of Arts, the Museum of Man, the Timken Museum of Arts, the Natural History Museum and many more.
Children will be curious in the city especially about the local Zoo, which is one of the most interesting in the world. They take care of many unique species (eg the giant panda) and its management tries very sensitively to create enclosures and interiors. It is also a pleasant walk along the promenade lining the port of Embarcadero, which dates from the 19th century. There is a maritime museum and a state-of-the-art conference center. The place called Little Italy was created in the 19th century, when it was inhabited by Italian fishermen. He has managed to preserve his Mediterranean character to this day. Today, however, there are many restaurants, pizzerias and bars, beautifully combining old and modern architecture. Less than an hour from the city, you can admire the alpine environment of the Laguna Mountains or visit neighboring Mexico.
