San Diego Old Town Hotels

In 1769, Spanish settlers chose Presidio Hill as the site of the first of California's missions. They soon began to build homes at the foot of the hill, which was dominated in turn by Mexican officials and then by early arrivals from the eastern US. Old Town San Diego , reachable from downtown via the Trolley, is now a state historical park holding a number of original adobe dwellings, plus the inevitable souvenir shops. The stores and restaurants stay open until 10pm or later, but the best time to be around is during the afternoon, to enter the more interesting of the adobes on the daily free walking tour (2pm), which leaves from the Seeley Stable , just off the central plaza, home to many nicely preserved horse-drawn carriages and wagons from the nineteenth century. Details are available from the visitors center , 4002 Wallace St (daily 10am-5pm; tel 858/220-5422).

The Spanish-style building now atop Presidio Hill is only a rough approximation of the original mission - moved in 1774 - but its Serra Museum (Thurs-Sun 10am-4.30pm; $5) is an intriguing examination of Junipero Serra, the padre who led the Spanish colonization and Catholic conversion of California. The Mission San Diego de Alcalá itself was relocated six miles north to 10818 San Diego Mission Rd (daily 9am-5pm; $3 donation), to be near a water source and fertile soils - and to be safer from attack. The present building (on bus #43 from downtown) is still a working parish church, a peaceful complex with a small museum that holds craft objects and historical articles from the mission, including the crucifix held by Serra at his death in 1834.