Santa Clara is a small city of big contrasts. If any city can claim to be "the center of Silicon Valley," it is this town of just over 100,000. Intel, AMD, WebEx, NVIDIA, and National Semiconductor all have headquarters here. At the same time, Santa Clara is one of the oldest settlements (by Europeans) in Northern California. The Mission Santa Clara de Asís was established in 1777, and the Jesuit-run Santa Clara University, founded in 1851, is the oldest university in California. Dozens of 19th century homes are well-maintained by their 21st century owners in the "old quad," the earliest residential area, adjacent to the university.Yet another contrast is the diversity of the local population, driven by the tech boom of the 1970s-1990s. Visitors from Asia and Europe frequently overhear strangers speaking their native languages. Specialty markets offer native ingredients from around the world, and the Indian and East Asian restaurants are some of the best in the Bay Area. But many of the best places in Santa Clara are not visible at first glance. You could drive right through this town and see nothing of any interest, or you could take the time to learn where to look, explore, and enjoy.