City Guide: San Jose

     San Jose is San Francisco's younger sister.

     The city used to sit in the shadow of San Francisco, but in a few decades San Jose exploded with striking blend of world-class restaurants, extensive shopping and high-tech novelties meaning it soon rivaled and outgrew the bay city of San Francisco.

     You can experience all the changes San Jose has undergone in recent years on your trip there. From cheap offers to luxury San Jose hotels all available at Booked.net. You can check them out with maps, photos and secure forms at our website.

     San Jose transformed into the largest city in Northern California under the influence of the Silicon Valley's success. It reshaped the once small town thriving on agriculture into bustling metropolis with top-notch entertainments and attractions.

- San José City Hall, designed by architects Richard Meier & Partners in 2005

- The Tech Museum offers exhibits on the internet, the human body, and exploration

- San Jose Municipal Rose Garden with more than 4,000 roses

- Alum Rock Park, a beautiful park at the Eastern foothills of Silicon Valley

- San José Museum of Art, famous for its contemporary art collection of national and international pieces

     San Jose dates back to 1777 when Spaniards took over the area and replaced Indians. They established the Mission Santa Clara that now can be found at the University of Santa Clara. At that time San Jose was a small farming settlement that thrived on food processing for the military forces in San Francisco. In 1849 people voted for California to become a new state with San Jose as its capital. But San Jose was too young with very poor facilities to be bestowed with the honor of hosting state government therefore the capital credentials moved to Monterey.

     The city's population of 894,943 people was shaped during the gold rush when people infected with ''gold fever'' relocated there, but instead found a fertile land covered with apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and other crops.

     Today San Jose is no more a sleepy town, but a brainstorming center in Silicon Valley with a focus on high-tech industries. San Jose has become not only industrial center, but politically and culturally significant city. San Jose is excellent for dining and shopping, but after sunset it is far cry from the day-to-day grind of work throwing dynamic parties with live music in pubs and more modern sounds in the clubs.

     From clubbers to relaxed holidaymakers, there is a hotel in San Jose for everyone at Booked.net.