Saints Peter and Paul Church

The Basics

Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Church is offered throughout the week. Inside, you can admire the church altar, carved from 40 tons of marble, as well as several small altars, shrines, statues, and the painted interior of the dome.

North Beach is often included on San Francisco city tours, including hop-on hop-off tours, ideal for independent travelers. A Segway tour, urban hike, or pub crawl offer entertaining ways to explore the neighborhood and pass the church with a guide.

Things to Know Before You Go

Saints Peter and Paul Church is ideal for movie buffs (the church has featured inDirty Harry andSan Andreas) and those interested in Italian-American culture.
Mass is offered in English, Italian, and Chinese on Sundays, in Latin on some Sundays, and in English during the week.
If you drive, pay attention to posted signs about prohibited parking.

How to Get There

Conveniently located among Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, and the Embarcadero, Saints Peter and Paul Church is easy to reach by cab, shared-ride vehicle, and public transportation. Take the Powell-Mason cable car or MUNI buses 41 or 45. Metered and street parking is available throughout the neighborhood for those who drive.

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When to Get There

Mass services take place daily; schedules are posted on the church website. If you want to admire the church from the outside while discovering North Beach, go in the evening or on weekend afternoons, when sidewalk cafes and restaurants are full and locals are out strolling. The North Beach Festival, which takes place every June, features a variety of food stands and merchants selling art and jewelry.

Coit Tower

Head two blocks down Filbert Street and uphill to Coit Tower, where views of downtown San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, and the Golden Gate Bridge can be found from the top of Telegraph Hill. The 210-foot-high (64-meter-high) tower, built in 1933, offers some of the best panoramic photo ops in the city.