Bright and Charming NorthBeach Flat

At the center of any description of San Francisco you'll find North Beach. Beginning at the juncture of Broadway and Columbus, North Beach spreads north to the bay, and down to Telegraph Hill. This most authentic San Francisco district is home to a vibrant Italian-American community. It also has the distinction of being the spiritual home of the beat poets who rose to fame in the 50s and 60s.

This exciting stretch of city brings a devil-may-care attitude to city life. While tourists thumbing their guidebooks mix with frat house style revelers each weekend, the real North Beach, and those who call it home, exists in the delightful hillside streets surrounding. Those lucky enough to live here, enjoy evening's awe-inspiring views from hilltop patios in the rows of exquisite family homes that line the elevated blocks.

It's in the dimly lit old-fashioned neighborhood haunts where one can still find the authentic life of North Beach. City Lights, the infamous rebel poet bookstore, is where Alan Ginsgerg's HOWL was first published. Some of the most extraordinary shopping in the city can be done along Grant Street in the upscale boutiques. And above all, don't miss your chance to have some of the best Italian food this side of the Amalfi Coast. A remarkable dining opportunity at your fingertips thanks to a history of immigrants who made this area home in the 1920's and 30s.

The ""beach"" in North Beach is no longer there. There was a time where the tides of the bay lapped up against Taylor and Francisco Street. Today that waterfront has long since been replaced by 19th century landfill, known now as the Barbary Coast.