Little Venice: A September Walk Through London’s Quiet Canalside Secret

Little Venice is a canalside district in London where I took a London Walks tour in September. The Times Best Places to Live 2024 singled out Little Venice as a “calm canalside neighborhood” of white stucco mansions and brightly painted narrowboats—one of the best places to live.  

Little Venice is located around the junction of the Regent’s Canal and the Paddington Arm (Browning’s Pool). The neighborhood picked up the nickname “Little Venice” in the 20th century, but the origin is debated.

Some link the name to the poet Robert Browning, who lived at 19 Warwick Crescent, but others credit Lord Byron, who is said to have compared the canals to those of Venice. Regardless, the name is now formalized in a City of Westminster electoral ward.  

London Walks Tour

At 9:30 a.m., there’s a chill in the early autumn air as I step off the tube and wait to meet my London Walks guide (Claire) for my Little Venice walking tour.

“A unique combination of white stucco, greenery, and water, it boasts the finest early Victorian domestic architecture in London; a Who’s Who of famous residents (Freud, Browning, Edward Fox, David Ben-Gurion, Ruth Rendell, Mark Bolan, Joan Collins, and Annie Lennox to name but a few); and a jewel of a “village” street. And that’s not to mention its canals.”—London Walks

There are no cafes near the Warwick Avenue underground station, so I can’t stop to buy a coffee. So I wander up the avenue to look at the impressive mansions hiding behind gated fences.

(Tip: You can buy a coffee across the street at the Warwick Avenue Cabmen’s Shelter; it is also known as a green hut. While traditionally a private space for drivers, it has been restored and reopened to the public as a public cafe that now serves both the public and cabbies. I learned this from my London Walks guide!)

It is very clear to me that Little Venice is a “coveted — though quiet — London enclave” (Financial Times). Buyers pay record sums to live here.

In September, London feels permissive: the heat has eased, leaves begin their faint gold, and the tourists’ rush is receding. It’s the perfect time for a walking tour of Little Venice — a canalside enclave where water, houseboats, stucco terraces, and poetry mingle.

Over the next two hours, I wander north and east from Warwick Crescent, circle Browning’s Pool, pose with Paddington Bear, slip past narrowboat moorings, pause by churches, cross a footbridge, and look out for hidden plaques and artistic ghosts. Let me lead you (in spirit) to seven standout places you won’t want to miss.

Stop 1: St. Mary Magdalene Church

Begin at the gentle spire of St. Mary Magdalene, just off Maida Vale. This is the Anglican parish church for many in Little Venice and Maida Vale.

Its white clock tower and green surroundings feel intimate rather than grand. Take a moment inside to feel the hush and imagine parishioners in years past crossing canals or arriving by narrowboat.

As you stand by the churchyard, you might think of how London’s sanctuaries always feel like refuge. They are places to close your eyes and meditate.

Stop 2: Paddington Old Cemetery

A short stroll north will bring you to the Paddington Old Cemetery (sometimes called St Mary’s Cemetery). This Victorian burial ground is quiet, with mossy headstones, overhanging trees, and no people in sight. It’s a contemplative contrast to the canal. Walk the paths, read a few names, and imagine the lives behind them —railway workers, canal laborers, and families that once lived here.

Cemeteries like this are the soul of old London. They are places where you realize beneath the city’s bustle lie stories, centuries deep.

Stop 3: Browning’s Pool and the Junction of Canals

Now descend toward Browning’s Pool, the junction where the Regent’s Canal meets the Paddington Arm. This is the core of what people call Little Venice. 

This watery “pool” is the heart of the district: barges, houseboats, narrow lanes, moored craft, and ducks. Pause here: let your eyes drift down the canal, watch the waterbus glide by, and listen to lapping water.

It’s also where you’ll see many of the residential narrowboats moored — real people’s homes afloat. Imagine living there: windows opening to water, footpaths on towpaths, dinner lit by canal lights. 

We even had a person on our walking tour who was staying on an Airbnb narrowboat. Only residents are allowed on the docks near the boats’ moorings. She said it was fantastical to drink her cup of tea and watch the sun rise on the deck. 

For many, it is surreal that poets, architects, and urban planners created a Venice lookalike in a North London neighborhood.

Stop 4: The Former Houseboat (Duende) of Richard Branson

From Browning’s Pool, walk down Blomfield Road along the canal and look for the narrowboat Duende. Richard Branson’s long-famous barge, which for years served as an office, was a floating home and creative studio. 

“It was on this houseboat that my cousin Simon Draper and I decided to start a record company—Virgin Records—along with my childhood friend Nik Powell.”—Richard Branson 

Branson took financial advantage of his combined home/office on a houseboat to incubate early Virgin projects. 

Our guide said that Branson’s narrowboat disappeared for a while while undergoing renovations. The Branson family still owns the boat, however. Interested parties can rent it for £5,200 per month (£1,200 per week).

I loved to walk past a houseboat once inhabited by one of Britain’s most daring entrepreneurs. Imagine that his kids grew up on the houseboat as he held meetings with famous musicians, like Mick Jagger.

Stop 5: Famous People’s Residences 

Now let’s wander deeper into the lanes of Warwick Crescent, Maida Avenue, and Randolph Avenue. We can spot the mansions or plaques of famous personalities — or at least their echoes.

• Lucian Freud’s flat/studio: While not always clearly marked, Freud lived on Delamere Terrace in the 1940s.

• Sarah Siddons: Though she predated the name Little Venice, this renowned actress lived in Paddington in the 18th century. She is buried in Paddington Green.

• Lillie Langtry: Nicknamed the “Jersey Lily,” this famous actress starred in London theatrical productions. She was notorious as the mistress of Edward, Prince of Wales, and son of Queen Victoria.

• Lily James: Known for her role as Lady Rose MacClare in Downton Abbey, James lived in Little Venice. 

Stop 6: Warrington Crescent 

A London Walk tour always includes a segment on architecture. I wanted to learn more about Warrington Crescent. We passed this posh neighborhood on our way to see the narrow boats.

Our guide pointed to their façades: Regency stucco fronts and tall sash windows. The ornate details include wrought-iron balconies, grand porticos, and pilasters.

The general street layout of Warrington Crescent dates to the 1820s. Architect George Gutch drew up street layouts (similar in spirit to the adjacent Tyburnia development near Hyde Park).  

Construction of homes in Warrington Crescent did not begin until the Victorian era. The core terrace houses in Warrington Crescent date from roughly 1860 to 1880. 

Blue plaques along the street mark notable former residents, such as David Ben-Gurion. He once lived at No. 75 Warrington Crescent. Alan Turing was born in the house that later became part of the Colonnade Hotel. 

Stop 7: Modern Architecture 

If you extend your walk eastward into Paddington Basin/Merchant Square, you can see the Rolling Bridge. I also loved the Fan Bridge. Both kinetic, sculptural, playful footbridges bring modern flair to the canal environment. 

Other modem architecture:

• The Point office building (Terry Farrell & Partners) curves in alongside North Wharf Road. It’s a striking foil to the white terraces.

• If you’re lucky and have special access, there is a Verizon London Hub building.

Walking Tours

I always schedule a walking tour on the first day when I arrive in a city. It is the best way to meet a local, learn about places to eat, and discover new places to see. I highly recommend London Walks; I am a huge fan. This is my favorite walking company in the world! “London Walks is the oldest urban walking tour on the planet” (London Walks). If you hate “the banality of typical London tourist fare,” book a tour with London Walks.

Tip: Click this link to read my “Old Mayfair” London Walks tour. You can also read about my recent walking tours in Marais and Montmartre in Paris.