The downtown area is small but highly variegated, including some of the city’s oldest and newest landmarks, as well as some of its most exotic and eccentric neighborhoods. Colorful Chinatown, exuberant North Beach, posh Nob and Russian Hills, run-down Polk Street, the bustling Financial District, the graceful Ferry Building, and the noble architecture and cultural venues of the Civic Center – all these and more are packed into San Francisco’s heart. This is where you can ride the legendary cable cars on their most scenic routes, and don’t forget to climb up Telegraph Hill, where Coit Tower stands as one of the city’s most loved landmarks, competing successfully with the Transamerica Pyramid not far away.
There are walking tours of the Financial District run by Hobnob Tours; call (650) 851-1123 or visit www.hobnobtours.com-
Morning
Start at the top of North Beach, on Telegraph Hill , admire the famous views, and visit Coit Tower , making sure to take in the murals. Next, walk down to Filbert Street (see Filbert Street Steps) and go right a couple of blocks until you get to lovely Washington Square , where, at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Marilyn Monroe and local baseball great Joe DiMaggio had their wedding pictures taken. Continue on along Columbus Avenue to the left and pay a visit at colorful Caffè Roma , where you can indulge in a bit of sidewalk ogling. Or, across the street, pay homage to the time-honored US Restaurant which serves some of the best pasta in town.
Afternoon
After lunch, take a left on Green Street and go over one block to Upper Grant , with its funky shops and bars, a regular hangout since the 1950s. Turn right on to Vallejo Street, where a visit to the famous Caffè Trieste for a coffee and the authentic Bohemian atmosphere is a must. Continue on down Columbus to William Saroyan Place and at No. 12 you’ll find Specs’, an exuberant bar filled with Beat memorabilia. Finally, just across Columbus at No. 261 is the immortal City Lights Bookstore , where you can browse the Beat poetry written by owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti and friends.
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This hideaway, loaded with collectibles of all sorts, never fails to delight. You’re likely to discover anything from an old Buddha to an Art Deco lamp.
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This popular and trendy restaurant and nightclub is the place to visit for fabulous cocktails and hip beats. There is a heated patio.
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Made famous in the 1960s for its various adult entertainments, the offerings haven’t changed much. Enrico’s, at No. 504, is a great place for dinner.
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A champagne bar with room after room of subdued lighting and cozy corners.
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You’re as likely to hear Italian here as you are English, not only from the staff but from the patrons. A friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy an espresso and eye passers-by.
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If you’re in the quarter on a Saturday afternoon, don’t miss the impromptu opera that takes place here. But any time is right for this artists’ and writers’ gathering place.
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One of the most authentic cafés in town, rich with arty nonchalance.
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Serves one of the most authentic minestrones outside of Italy.
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Since its beginnings in the 1850s, this densely populated neighborhood has held its own powerful cultural identity despite every threat and cajolery. To walk along its cluttered, clattering streets and alleys is to be transported to another continent and into another way of life – a “city” within the city.
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Restaurant price categories
For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
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