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The story
The famous block of Lombard Street sits between Hyde and Leavenworth on Russian Hill. Its eight switchbacks were laid out in the 1920s to make the grade easier for cars. Brick paving and dense planting later turned that practical solution into one of the city's most photographed streets.
The road is only one part of the composition. Pedestrian stairs descend at the edges, houses hold the slope and views open toward Coit Tower and the bay. The changing elevation lets the same curves look different from the top and bottom.
Pause first at the lower view, where the whole pattern is visible. If the steps suit you, climb slowly and turn around more than once. The street is residential, so beauty here depends on sharing space carefully. The next route heads downhill and south to the Cable Car Museum.