Located in downtown San Francisco, Union Square is a shopper’s paradise. With everything from department stores to jewellery and antique shops and up-market boutiques, the area is buzzing year-round with locals and visitors alike. Gump’s is the city’s famous upmarket home décor store, where high-end labels like Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Burberry all jostle for space. This is a popular place with celebrities looking to deck out their lavish homes.

Referring to the park that is bordered by Geary, Post, Powell and Stockton streets, Union Square was originally built as a green space and plaza for San Francisco residents. It was given its name in 1850 by the city’s first mayor John Geary in reference to the pro-union Civil War rallies that were held there.

The area had evolved into an elegant residential district by the 1880s, but was mostly destroyed by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. Union Square then underwent massive renovation and is now the city’s top shopping and dining venue, with a unique and historic atmosphere.

The Dewey Monument sits at the centre of the plaza. A bronze statue of the goddess Victory sits atop a Corinthian column, and marks the win at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish American War and commemorates the winning decisions of Admiral George Dewey. Pull up a seat at any one of the cafés and just relax and watch the world go by.

You can get to Union Square by street car – the antique vehicles run up and down the area at regular intervals. Alternatively, you can park your car in the world’s first underground parking structure, built in 1934 and located directly underneath the square.