Sip espresso at an authentic Italian coffeehouse, enjoy a delicious meal at a trattoria or head to Washington Square to people watch or admire lovely Saint Peters and Paul Church. These are just a few of the pleasures of living in North Beach, also known as Little Italy, due to its strong Italian American heritage. This laidback neighborhood’s colorful past includes being the center of the Beat Generation literary movement in the fifties. During that era, San Francisco’s famous independent bookstore, City Lights, also opened its doors in North Beach. Coit Tower, with its mesmerizing vistas and murals, is also a short but steep walk from the heart of North Beach.

Tidy residential streets lined with Victorians and Edwardians add to the neighborhood’s appealing old-fashioned character. After dark, North Beach’s taverns and nearby clubs serve up some of San Francisco’s liveliest nightlife.