Tampa City Guide - overview

Multi-ethnic Tampa on the Florida peninsula's west coast is a thriving city where quaint historic neighbourhoods co-exist happily with sleek skyscrapers, and shrimp boats vie with cruise liners for space in the busy port. It was the Cuban immigrant community, led by Vicente Martinez Ybor, who put Tampa on the map when they introduced the cigar industry in the 1880s and developed Ybor City, now fully restored to its Latin Quarter elegance and a favourite neighbourhood for tourists to explore, by day or night.

Most visitors to the Tampa area stay in the resorts of St Petersburg and Clearwater, across Tampa Bay from the city. Most pay at least one visit to Tampa itself, however, for the exciting attractions and excellent museums on offer, particularly families with children in tow. The most popular attraction is the Busch Gardens entertainment park. Tampa is also within easy reach of Orlando, site of the world-famous Walt Disney World's theme and adventure park.

Getting around: Like in most American cities, a hire car is the easiest way to get around Tampa, because public transport is limited. The HARTline provides local and express bus services for the Tampa area, serving all the major malls and attractions and connecting to nearby beaches. Gray Line motor coaches and minibuses also serve the entire area, operating out of Orlando, St Petersburg and Sarasota. The Tampa Tours transport company offers charter trips, tours and hotel and airport shuttles in and around the city. Tampa is served by several taxi and limousine hire companies. The TECO Line streetcar system operates in Tampa's historic district, connecting the downtown area, Channelside, and Ybor City.