Santa Barbara: the American Riviera

Rebuilt in Spanish colonial style after a 1925 earthquake, Santa Barbara is nicknamed the 'American Riviera' for its Mediterranean climate and uniform architecture.

The centre, in Spanish colonial style, is easily explored on foot between the pier and the mission.

The Mission of Santa Barbara, founded by Franciscans in 1786, remains the only one of California's twenty-one missions to have stayed under continuous religious control since its founding.

Just steps away, the Courthouse, rebuilt after the earthquake in Spanish Colonial Revival style, offers views of the entire city and ocean from its own tower.

Heading down to the sea, one walks onto Stearns Wharf, a nineteenth-century pier among the oldest still in use on the Western coast of the United States, with restaurants over the water.

As evening falls, State Street, the city's main artery, comes alive with restaurants and venues with views of the Santa Ynez Mountains in the background.

After the 1925 earthquake, the city mandated a uniform architectural style in Spanish colonial design, explaining why Santa Barbara looks so cohesive compared to other California cities.

The Santa Barbara Mission still maintains an active religious community—a rare case among California's Spanish missions, which have often been converted to simple museum sites.