Little Venice Walk (Self Guided), London

Dine in waterside pubs and cafés and watch barges cruise down a canal when you visit London's Little Venice district. It is one of the city's best kept secrets, that here in the busy concrete jungle is a relaxing place by the water.

There are many reasons to visit Little Venice. They include strolling down tree-lined paths, admiring John Nash-designed Regency mansions with their elegant stucco and looking over colorful houseboats and their window boxes filled with floral arrangements. You can also ride on a gondola. When you are enjoying some refreshments on the outdoor terrace of a waterfront eatery, look out across the canal for some of the birdlife that flocks here, including ducks, geese and heron. Enjoy an unusual theatrical experience in the locale, at the Puppet Theater Barge. This is a 55-seater marionette theater on a converted barge. Then go for a stroll along towpaths to follow the winding waterways.

Another way to travel through Little Venice is by taking a waterbus, which makes numerous stops in the capital, including Camden Town, Regents Park and London Zoo. This is a very attractive part of the city, an idyllic and carefree escape when you want a little peace and quiet among some beautiful scenery.