Exploring Sonoma: Toscano Hotel

There is so very much to do in California's Wine Country! And surprisingly, not all of it revolves around wine. Head to charming downtown Sonoma, California. Just next door to the old Armory, which is part of the San Francisco Sonoma Mission,  The Toscana Hotel is a fascinating little step back into the "old west."

Historic blurb:

On the north side of the Plaza, next to the Sonoma Barracks, is the Toscano Hotel. Built in the 1850s it was first home to a retail store and rental library. Later the building was used as an inexpensive hotel, dubbed the "Eureka Hotel". Around 1890, many patrons were Italian immigrants, and the name of the hotel changed from "Eureka" to "Toscano." Today, the Toscano is furnished with period furniture and looks much the way it did around the turn of the century. The kitchen and dining room are located in a separate building behind the main hotel.( In the picture above it is the yellow building in the background.) Both are open to the public Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 1pm to 4pm and guided tours are hosted by docents in period costume.

(Blurb and exterior photo from: http://www.bestinsonoma.com/history.html) 

When I stumbled across this charming historic site, I had no clue it existed. It was completely empty except for two adorable volunteer docents, who were all too happy to give me not only my own, personal guided tour of the entire hotel, including the roped-off areas, but they also provided me with all of the great historical tidbits that I could ingest! Don't miss visiting the Toscano when you're in downtown Sonoma.

My photos:

 A great collection of period antiques to show life in the 1850's.

 Doesn't the lobby area look like the set from an old western?

 One of the upstairs bedrooms.

 See that little metal thinger in the corner? Yah, that's a bathtub.