Between the Mexican border and the Texan capital Austin,
sits historic San Antonio.
It is the second-most populated city in the Lone Star State
and one of America's top travel destinations.
San Antonio sprung up around 18th-century bell towers
of the Spanish missions.
Today, the city's popular Riverwalk connects these,
and many other, iconic local attractions.
Walk in the footsteps of the heroes of the Texas Revolution,
enjoy a festive atmosphere and experience the Latin culture.
To give your feet a rest, cruise around in a river taxi
or hop on and off vintage buses and trolleys.
Linger on café terraces to try Tex-Mex or European food in between rides.
A must-see is the Alamo,
once a modest Franciscan mission
and now a symbol of patriotism and defiance.
In 1836 it became a fortress manned by a few hundred volunteers
who bravely tried to hold back an invading army of thousands of Mexicans.
They didn't die in vain:
The Texans won independence that same year, shouting: "Remember the Alamo!"
The nearby Institute Of Texan Cultures
takes you even further back in time.
See how America's first peoples lived
and learn why the state has attracted immigrants
from all over the globe ever since.
Step inside the simple dwellings
to catch a glimpse of early life in the Southwest.
Catch the river taxi to the former 19th-century brewery
that is now the San Antonio Museum of Art.
This impressive building houses everything
from the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, and other ancient statues,
to depictions of local history on canvas.
Back in the city center,
there is always something going on in bustling Market Square.
Listen to a heartfelt song, browse the stalls,
or simply soak up the atmosphere.
Take a short detour to the Botanical Gardens
with plants flourishing in the dry Texan desert.
A far more lush experience is a stroll in the nearby Japanese Tea Gardens,
with its amazing stone structures and the Jingu Tea House.
This exotic attraction, just north of downtown in Brackenridge Park,
is an oasis in this otherwise arid corner of the Southwest.
In the same park is the Witte Museum.
Let the children play before browsing the paintings
and relics of San Antonio's past.
Your passport to adventure is the nearby San Antonio Zoo,
good for some exciting wildlife encounters.
Just a half-hour drive from here,
the residents in the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch have it made.
The prairie and savannah animals here get to roam free
within the park's boundaries.
You can even feed some of the animals out of your hand
during a self-drive safari.
On a hot summer's day,
there is nothing cooler than descending into the Natural Bridge Caverns
just down the road.
Follow the guide to a subterranean landscape of dripping stalactites
and cathedral-like rock formations.
Outside, the playground for kids AND adults is something for the truly brave.
Find your way back to the Riverwalk and explore La Villita,
visit the craft markets around the old fountain,
or see a band in a riverside amphitheater.
At the end of the day,
ride the elevator to the top of the Tower Of The Americas,
for a view you'll always remember.
From the observation deck,
San Antonio looks like a sparkling diamond under the night's sky...