San Antonio and Austin

San Antonio and Austin are in central Texas, about 130 km from each other, on the edge of the Hill Country hills. San Antonio was founded by the Spanish in 1718, next to a Franciscan mission that later became known as the Alamo, the site of the 1836 battle that became a symbol of Texas independence. The Alamo and four other missions south of the city, with 18th-century stone churches, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Downtown San Antonio is organized around the River Walk, a pedestrian promenade a few meters below street level along the San Antonio River, with stone bridges, restaurants, and tour boats. The city has a strong Mexican heritage, visible in Market Square, in Tex‑Mex food, and in its festivals. On the outskirts, the Six Flags Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld San Antonio parks attract families.

Austin, the state capital, grew around the pink granite capitol and the University of Texas. It is known for live music, with bars and stages on Sixth Street and in other neighborhoods, and for the colony of bats that emerges at dusk from under the Congress Avenue Bridge from spring through fall. The Barton Springs natural pool, fed by a spring, is in Zilker Park.

Summer is long and very hot, and spring, from March to May, brings wildflowers along the Hill Country roads.

This destination brings together 2 cities: San Antonio, Austin.