This post covers things to do in the charming Little Venice area of London.
Little Venice is one of London's hidden gems - but it likely won't be for long!
It's one of my favourite areas to explore so I have put together a guide to visiting this charming area below.
Little Venice is tucked away in the residential neighbourhood of Maida Vale just north of Paddington Station and Paddington Basin.
Here the Regent’s Canal and the Grand Union Canal meet and form a small intersection of waterways, hence the name Little Venice.
There is debate as to who first coined the name of the area - either Lord Byron or Browning, both once-time residents of the area.
My bet lies with Byron but I have no proof!
The canal is filled with narrowboats and pubs line the leafy streets.
It's a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of London and spend a few hours in tranquility.
It really is a beautiful oasis full of restaurants and theatres and bars all along the canal.
It was relatively unscathed during the bombings in World War Two, which means the area retains its original attractive and grand Georgian buildings.
Join me on a walk through Little Venice as I show you the highlights, the places to eat and drink, and also how to get there.
For those of you who would prefer to travel from your sofa, in the video below I will take you on a virtual walk through London's Little Venice!
HOW TO GET HERE
When I visit Little Venice, I prefer to travel to Warwick Avenue Underground Station and walk to the canal from there.
As you can see below, it's very close by the waterway.
Also, I like to look at the gorgeous houses in this area and this is a good vantage point to see some amazing property.
If I had money, this is where I would live!
Tube Stations:
- Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo line)
- Edgeware Road (Circle, District, and Hammersmith lines)
- Paddington Station
Bus Lines:
- 6, 16, 18, 46, 98, 187, 332, 414
On Foot:
- You can also reach Little Venice from Camden Town by walking along the Regents Canal, although I recommend the walk in the direction I will take you.
TIP: I have more information for you on navigating the London Underground here.
LITTLE VENICE WALK
If you are looking for help to plan your visit to Little Venice, or you are travelling with me virtually, check out my journey below which includes all the things to see and do as we walk.
My favourite route starts at Warwick Avenue and follows the canal as it travels up through Regent's Park and I like to finish at Camden Market and this is the route I will take you through in this post.
See a Historic Cab Shelter
Right as I come out of the station, I pass a cabman shelter. This is one of 13 of them left in London.
If you've watched some of my videos, you will have seen me visit them before.
They're protected buildings and are used for refreshments for cab drivers.
Originally they were used by horse-drawn carriages and were places to park a horse and give it water.
Before these were constructed, riders would go to pubs to ask for water for their horses.
But, most pubs would insist on buying a drink first so we ended up with a number of intoxicated horse-drawn carriage drivers careening through the city!
These were built to solve that problem and today are used by cab drivers (and tour guides!) as a place to have a drink or grab a bite.
Visit St. Saviour's Church
This building inspires a lot of debate. Some people love the design and others don't.
I won't let you know my opinion as I'd like you to make your own!
The church here is St. Saviours Church of Warwick Avenue, which was consecrated in 1856.
Note that much of what we see today, however, dates from the 1970's.
See Alan Turing's Birthplace
Sometimes I take a small detour here because on the other side of Warwick Avenue station there is a blue plaque that marks Alan Turing's birthplace on a building at 2 Warrington Crescent.
He lived here from 1912 - 1954 and was a mathematician, computer scientist, and codebreaker during World War II.
He is famous for pioneering computer science and helping the Allies decipher the Enigma machine.
It is estimated that he helped save 14 million lives.
Enjoy Al Fresco Dining
There is an amazing selection of restaurants and bars along the water.
Two of my favourite places to relax on the canal are The Bridge House Pub (they're of one of my favourite pies in London) and The Warwick Castle (I say this is the favourite of most area locals).
I also like The Summerhouse for something a bit more upmarket and you really can't beat the views from there.
See the Houses - and Houseboats
Like I said, if I had the money, this is the neighbourhood I would want to live in.
It's safe, quiet and just a 15-20 minute tube ride from the centre of town at Piccadilly Circus.
There's about 111,400 people who live here and some of them live in the grand multi-million pound houses that you see.
But, some of them literally live on the water.
The canal boats here can go anywhere from £100,000 - £300,000.
As I walk the canal, I am always mindful that there are some areas I am not permitted to walk along and that's because they're protected areas for the people who moor their boats here.
Those areas are essentially their back gardens. Not too shabby!
There are quite a few notable people who lived in Little Venice at one time or another like Alan Turing, who I mentioned above, as well as the poet Robert Browning and Sigmund Freud.
Take a Boat Ride
I enjoy walking, but some people prefer riding! T
here are a few companies that operate canal boat rides here and most of them run a 45 minute journey between Warwick Avenue and Camden Town.
For a few pounds, you can try the London Waterbus Company, which has regular services of longboats traveling up and down the canal.
But my favourite, and the one that is honestly the most popular, is Jason's Trip.
If you have a London Pass, a boat ride with this company is included for free.
For information on the London Pass and other tourist passes, see our post Which London Tourist Pass is Best?
Note that it's also possible to hire your own boat! For birthdays, I have done this with friends and family.
We pack a picnic and some champagne and cruise along the canals.
The boat hire always comes with a driver, which is fantastic as by the end of the journey I'm not in any shape to be operating machinery!
See the Animals at London Zoo
If you are a big animal lover, you might find a visit to the zoo a nice addition to your journey through Little Venice.
Opened in London in 1828, it's the oldest scientific zoo in the world.
However, a few of the exhibits and habitats are right on the water's edge so my tip is to head out early as sometimes you get some great views of the animals from the canal.
I've noticed when the weather isn't great, the animals may be inside their enclosures but on days with good weather I have seen camels, zebras and even giraffes!
Find out more about the London Zoo and how to find concessionary tickets here.
See the Only Island in London
Right at the location where the three main canals meet is a small spot of land called Browning Island - the only Island in London!
I love to share that fact with my guests.
Built throughout the 19th century, the canal ways made trade throughout the country possible at a grand scale.
Huge quantities of timber, coal, materials and foodstuffs came in a and out of London through the waterways and it was here, at Browning Island, that these routes converged.
After the Industrial Revolution and the explosion of the railways, water traffic dwindled and by the 1940's had largely become recreational, as it still is today.
Enjoy a Carnival
Given the beauty of this area, it's not hard to see why it's a popular locations for a number of events throughout the year.
My favourite yearly event is the Canalway Cavalcade.
Taking place since 1983, it includes a boat rally with a trade show as well as activities and entertainments.
There's also pop-up stalls with delicious food - and gin! - which is always the highlight for me.
You can also attend the floating classroom with lessons for young visitors, puppetry performances, and circus workshops!
Find out more from our list of things to do in London in May.
Catch a Theatre Show
You wouldn't necessarily associate a waterway with the theatre but Little Venice is always surprising.
The lovely Canal Cafe Theatre features plays as well as comedy and cabaret shows.
It's one of several independent theatres in Little Venice that has performances regularly and is far cheaper than theatres in the West End.
There is the Puppet Theatre Barge with regularly scheduled puppet shows, which are a favourite of my nieces and nephews!
Stand at the Site of an Explosion
As I walk past Macclesfield Bridge, I am always reminded of a disaster that happened here in 1874.
A boat that was transporting nuts, sugar, petroleum and explosives (what a combination!) exploded here, and destroyed the original bridge.
Part of the boat was found embedded in a house 300 metres away and dead fish rained down on the West End.
Explore More
If I really wanted to, I could forego finishing my walk here and continue travelling either out to the coast or up through the rest of the country.
The canals here eventually go through Camden and Islington off toward Limehouse and Wapping where it meets the River Thames.
Or, I could go north along Britain's canal systems that run throughout the length of the entire country, taking me as far up north as Scotland.
For today, though, I think I'll just make my way to a local pub!
ATTRACTIONS NEAR LITTLE VENICE
If you'd like to spend an entire day in Little Venice and the surrounding areas, you absolutely can!
Here are some nearby things to do that I would recommend combining with your visit to this beautiful neighbourhood.
Camden Lock Market
Finish your walk at Camden Market, which is a must-see destination for all visitors to London.
There are many stalls selling food, clothing, bric-a-brac, and interesting crafts.
I like to visit Little Venice in the morning and then have my lunch at Camden Market - there is so much food to choose from.
However, my favourite thing in Camden Market is the live music in the nearby pubs so it's also a good place to finish your walk.
My favourites are The Dublin Castle and The Black Heart.
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill is a bit of a detour from the canal walk but, I think it is worth the extra effort.
This unassuming little park offers some of the best views of London.
When I do this walk as a private tour, I always include a little visit to Primrose Hill (it's also good for celebrity spotting!).
Read a post from a fellow tour guide on things to see and do here.
Abbey Road Crossing
If you have come here via my YouTube channel you will know that I am a huge fan of rock n' roll, and near the canal is one of the great meccas for those who love music history: Abbey Road Studios.
If you veer off the canal path shortly before reaching Regent's Park, you can find Abbey Road Studios and the famous zebra crossing from the Beatles album cover.
It is still a publicly-used road, so you can visit at any time.
But, I suggest avoiding the rush hours in the morning (7:00am-9:00am) and the evening (5:00pm-7:00pm).
I have seen many a tourist and motorist nearly come to blows while people were trying to get the iconic photograph while walking across the street!
Learn more about the crossing, the live cam, and what to expect in our full Abbey Road Crossing post.
TIP: If you want to see all the Beatles sights, you can take my self-guided tour of The Beatles' London.
Regent's Park
On my canal walk above, I skirted the edge of Regent's Park but there is an entire park full of beauty and nature for you to enjoy!
Regent's Park is worth exploring if you have the time. There are a merry-go-round and other fun playground toys for children.
There's an open-air theatre where I like to go during the summer, as well as a place to rent paddle boats, and stunning water features throughout.
You can also circumnavigate the entirety of the park to end up back along the canal.
