Little Venice is a tranquil oasis in busy London. It can take you back in time, and transport you to the countryside in one easy step.
Situated just to the north of Paddington, Little Venice is only a stone’s throw from Central London. It’s at the junction of the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal and Regent’s Canal.
Built at the start of the 19th-Century, the canal network linked London with the Midlands. This allowed for the transit of all manner of goods including, bricks, steel, coal, wood, and foodstuffs. The advent of trains, however, limited the commercial lifespan of these waterways, and soon they began to fall into neglect.
Thankfully, the last 50 years have been more helpful to the restoration of the canals. Now they form a back-drop to big business, a home to boat dwellers, a green escape to the city, and a bucolic get-away to Londoners. Here you’ll find walkers, joggers, locals and tourists all enjoying the beauty and serenity of the surroundings.
Little Venice itself is a roughly triangular-shaped body of water, forming the junction of the two canals. It’s a great place to enjoy the area. Colourful long-boats moor here, and there’s a steady traffic of watercraft to provide added interest. There’s also a cafe on a narrowboat, the Waterside, offering light refreshments either onboard or on tables on the towpath.
From Little Venice, walking towards Paddington will bring you to more waterside cafes and restaurants – including some on narrowboats. Further on, you’ll pass to the side of Paddington Station, where you’ll find a statue of the eponymously named bear.
Slightly further on, you’ll arrive at Paddington Basin, where this arm of the canal terminates. Despite being surrounded by offices and apartments the basin has been nicely completed. There are places to sit and some nice angles for photos. During the summer, it is also an area beloved at lunchtime by office workers taking a relaxing break.
Conversely, the arm on Regent’s Canal from Little Venice takes you to a more active place. That’s because the tow-path walk will take you to Camden, with its famously buzzing market. This is a lovely stroll, taking you beside picturesque house-boats and some magnificent houses which line the bank.
On route, you’ll pass Cafe Laville, a pretty Italian restaurant with a superb view of the canal. In fact, the restaurant sits astride the canal and has glass windows giving unparalleled views down its length.
If walking sounds too strenuous, then you could take advantage of Jason’s canal boat tours. These run from Little Venice to Camden at a sedate four miles per hour. This gives you plenty of time to take in the sights of this lovely backwater.
All too soon, however, you’ll be in Camden and back into the fast-moving world of the big city!
