City Guide: Napa

Napa profits from being situated on the water.

Sprawling along the banks of the Napa River, Napa moved away from its early shipping background, which shifted to nearby San Francisco and became a striking water playground dealing with a package of aquatic activities like sunbathing, boating, swimming and so on.

Napa is a perfect base to kick back if you book your stay there in advance. Be it a room in cheap hotel in Napa to something luxury we have collected them all at Booked.net. You can check out all hotel offers listed with maps, photos and secure forms.

Napa's waterside location offers more than fun, but also business after Charles Krug recognized the area of the modern city to be attractive for wine processing. Due to nearby waters he invested money in drainage systems and established Napa’s first winery in 1861. Seven years later this idea caught on and soon more than 140 vineyards were established in the area.

The city long sustained itself through trading with bottled wine, but this business declined with Prohibition in 1920. With time, the region's famous wine is again bottled in Napa since a group of vintners are credited with the recovery of the wine industry in Napa.

In Napa you are always caught between the choice of spending a day on wine tasting or taking time for sightseeing. As you are in Napa, indulge in a tour to the wineries. In fact, touring wineries is synonymous to sightseeing in Napa. For instance, the Beringer Winery is constructed in Gothic style and was built in 1879, while the Neibaum Coppola Winery is an example of the Bordeaux architecture.

Other attractions include;

• Labyrinth at the Methodist Church, a unique in architecture cathedral where you can complete a sacral act through touring its labyrinth

• Quent Cordair Fine Art features exhibits on paintings and sculptures

• Westwood Hills Park offers beautiful views of the valley

• Napa Valley Symphony features classical and pop performances

• Napa Valley Opera House, a place to indulge in classical live performances

What makes Napa a really exceptional experience is its scenic vistas that are nothing-like else in the state of California. If you want to see true Napa then rent a car there and drive the velvet-like green hills in the Carneros neighborhood. In fact, the valley is very compact, stretching only 35 miles long, so you can travel from one end to the other in about half an hour.

There is nothing easier than touring Napa as the biggest part of its cultural vibe revolves around Highway 29. Stretching from the very outset of the Napa River and on to San Francisco Bay, this path is dotted with shops, restaurants and hotels. Whatever hotel in Napa you prefer, Booked.net can place you there with a few clicks.