In San Francisco: Angel Island and Fort Point

From the quay at the Port of San Francisco, you set sail on the ferry bound for Tiburon, before disembarking easily at Angel Island. The latter is universally recognised as the Ellis Island of the West. Here, in fact, between 1910 and 1940, some 500,000 immigrants who had crossed the Pacific Ocean in the hope of a new life in America were forced to spend varying lengths of time at the immigration station in the heart of San Francisco Bay. You will be able to clearly read the poems they left written on the interior walls, learn about the content of the discriminatory laws, and hear stories of strength, hope and resilience. You can hire a bicycle to cycle around the perimeter of the island, or walk along the path which involves climbing 140 steps to reach the highest point. You can then visit the Detention Barracks Museum and the Second World War Canteen, and take a guided tour to discover the local flora. Back in the San Francisco celebrated by the poets of the Beat Generation (the Vesuvio Café in North Beach and City Lights Bookstore are unmissable), you must definitely spend a few hours at Fort Point: thanks to its prime location overlooking the spectacular Golden Gate, this barracks played a key role in defending San Francisco Bay for many years, from the California Gold Rush right up to the Second World War. It features distinctive arched casemates, with brickwork architecture that blends harmoniously with the iron silhouette of the world’s most iconic bridge.