Living in Bella Vista means living in a neighborhood that feels like home!
“Bella Vista” means “beautiful sight” in Italian, and once you’ve spent a day walking its streets, it’s easy to see why the name has stuck around all these years. A mix of historic rowhomes, modern townhouses, and a few low-rise apartment buildings. Many properties were built before 1939, giving the neighborhood that classic Philly charm with updated interiors
Bella Vista was the first neighborhood settled by Italian immigrants in the city, and the spirit of that heritage is still very much alive—especially when you stroll through the famous 9th Street Italian Market. It’s the oldest open-air market of its kind in the country, and it’s still buzzing with life nearly every day of the week.
One of the best things about Bella Vista is its residential feel. Despite being so close to Center City, it feels like its own little world. You’ll see families, artists, longtime locals, and young professionals all coexisting on charming blocks filled with rowhomes, stoops, murals, and front gardens.
Living in Bella Vista means living in a neighborhood that feels like home. It’s where culture, history, great food, and strong community ties all come together—just a short walk from Center City. Whether you’re shopping the Italian Market on a Saturday morning, biking to work on a crisp fall day, or enjoying tacos on Washington Ave after dark, it’s a place that offers the best of Philly life, past and present.