Citron Hill

At the center of Fern River, just up from the Celandine Hotel, rises iconic Citron Hill. As boats come up the river, it is the distinct profile of the hill they first see.

Among citrus groves blanketing the slopes, houses and small apartment buildings poke up through the canopy of trees. A maze-like network of public stairways zigzags between buildings and gardens, connecting the narrow lanes. All of this gives the hill the feel of a mountain village within the city. At the peak, there is a lawn surrounding the sparkling dolomite remains of a ruined tower, which, along with the gilded Venus atop the museum, is visible from all over town.

Houses and apartments on Citron Hill are all owned and maintained cooperatively by the residents, who meet regularly to manage the neighborhood’s affairs. On the slope facing the college, there is a student housing co-op called the Ondine Hostel, where Janie & Em share a room. The hostel is playfully referred to as the Nympho by students on account of its reputation for neighborly hook-ups. Elsewhere on the hill, residents offer rooms for the young and the elderly as needed, contributing to the area’s lively intergenerational culture.

On the slope facing the river, Margot & Asami live in neighboring apartments overlooking downtown.