- Monterey: Founded in 1770 by Gaspar de Portolá as the first capital of Alta California. It was the first permanent European settlement in California.
- San Francisco: Founded in 1776 as a mission by Francisco de Asís, it later became the commercial center of Alta California and is today one of the most populous cities in the United States.
- Los Angeles: Founded in 1781 by Felipe de Neve as the "Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles". Today it is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the United States.
