Also called 'little Italy',
North Beach is centrally located between Chinatown, Telegraph
Hill, Russian Hill and Fisherman's Wharf. It is home to some
of the city's best restaurants and stays busy day and night
with its numerous coffee shops and bars. Originally it was the
Italian quarter with 60,000 Italians living here in the 1940's.
In the 1950's many of the figures of the Beat movement gathered
in the area in places such as Vesuvios and City Lights Bookstore
owned by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Today it is a favored area for
local young professionals. The Church of St Peter and Paul is
located next to Washington Square - the location of Marilyn
Munroe and Joe DiMaggio's wedding photographs. Two blocks away
is St Francis of Assisi Church. Visit daily 11am - 5pm to view
historic murals.
