City lights booksellers

City Lights Booksellers, in San Francisco

City Lights is a mythical bookstore of San Francisco, the cradle of the Beat Generation. The San Francisco audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this high place of literature and counterculture, in North Beach.

The cradle of the Beat Generation

City Lights is one of the most famous bookstores in the world. Founded in the middle of the twentieth century by the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, it became the headquarters and the cradle of the Beat Generation, this literary and protest movement that marked American culture with authors like Kerouac and Ginsberg. A publishing house as much as a bookstore, it published works then judged scandalous and defended freedom of expression. Still in activity in North Beach, in its historic building, City Lights remains a lively place of literature, poetry and independent spirit, a true institution of San Francisco.

What to see

Here you discover the mythical bookstore founded by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the cradle of the Beat Generation, which defended freedom of expression and remains a lively place of literature and poetry, in North Beach. City Lights is an institution of San Francisco. It is a stop for lovers of literature, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

City Lights lies in North Beach, in San Francisco, reachable on foot. The bookstore follows its own opening hours, which vary. It is best to check them before coming and to enjoy the unique atmosphere of this literary place.

Why is City Lights bookstore famous?

Founded by the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, it was the cradle of the Beat Generation, published works judged scandalous and defended freedom of expression; it is a literary institution of San Francisco.

Where is City Lights bookstore?

In North Beach, in San Francisco, in the United States.