The best of London 8 - small art galleries

London has some of the world's greatest treasurehouses (the British Museum, National Gallery and Victoria & Albert collection come to mind), but at some point during your visit you might prefer a smaller and more manageable gallery.

One of these I can recommend is the Wallace Collection. One of the finest small art collections in the country, the Wallace resides in the palatial Hertford House on Manchester Square behind Selfridges.

The focus is on French painting (Poussin, Delacroix and 19 Bouchers!) though there are also superb Dutch genre canvasses, portraits by Gainsborough and Reynolds, plus an exotic mix of armour, porcelain and extravagant clocks. Amongst the Old Masters represented here are Rembrandt, Reubens, Velazquez and Van Dyck. Probably their best-loved painting is The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals.

The gallery is a joy to wander around and you could pop in for only an hour but still see everything. Best of all, it's free to visit.

INFO The nearest Tube stop is Bond Street (Jubilee and Central lines). The museum is open daily 10am-5pm, but is shut over Christmas. Ongoing renovations mean a few select rooms will be shut or have more difficult access for certain visitors, their website has full details.

A more grand but still compact affair can be found at Somerset House. This is an old royal palace and former government offices which is now home to a clutch of galleries collectively administered by the Courtauld Institute of Art.

Their art gallery is a treat with some of the finest of the French Impressionists on view: oils by Seurat and Cezanne, exquisite bronzes of ballet dancers by Degas, plus Monet, Gauguin and every other major name of the movement. One of the masterpieces of the collection is A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Manet.

The collection is not given over completely to Impressionists, though. There is one room nearly full of works by Reubens and another dedicated almost entirely to Kadinsky. A chamber on the ground floor is devoted to gilded Italian altarpieces. The rooms are small and intimate, often with extravagant ceilings and furniture.

INFO Admission to the gallery is £5 per adult (but free for National Art Fund members). There is a combo ticket if you are interested in visiting other parts of the complex, which include items from the St Petersburg's Hermitage and a decorative arts collection (a bit frou-frou for our tastes, though). The nearest Tube stop is Embankment (Bakerloo, Northern, District and Circle lines).

Finally, how about Leighton House? Tucked away in the genteel back streets of Kensington you'll find the home and studio of Lord Leighton, a famous painter and one-time president of the Royal Academy. For fans of the pre-Raphaelites, a visit is a must as not only is his sumptuous house filled with his own works, but there is a collection of art by his contemporaries such as Burne-Jones, Watts and Millais.

The highlight of the house is the fantastical Arab Hall with its bubbling fountain, intricate mosaics and exotic blue tiles. The sumptuous space has been featured in several films, including Bright Young Things, and music videos starring the likes of Spandau Ballet and The Stranglers.

INFO Leighton House is at 12 Holland Park Road, north of Kensington High Street (a 10-minute walk from the Tube there - District and Circle lines). THE HOUSE IS CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS UNTIL THE END OF 2009 - CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS.

The best of London 7 - coffee

I gave up on caffeine a couple years ago after one too many migraines. I reached the point I could not skip my daily dosage without having withdrawal symptoms, even after switching from coffee to tea.

Here are a couple of my choice picks though for an excellent cuppa joe in London (after my next trip to the Big Smoke I'll report on the decaff situation).

First up, the Festival Square Cafe Bar Deli. Sat amongst the concrete monstrosities of the South Bank cultural complex you'll find this large but nice cafe with comfy booths, classy tables and spacious outdoor seating area.

It is convenient for the Hayward Gallery, London Eye, National Theatre, IMAX, NFT, etc. I recall it made excellent coffee plus your usual pastries, sandwiches and other light bites.

INFO On the ground floor of the Royal Festival Hall, on the side facing away from the Thames. Nearest Tube is Waterloo (Jubilee, Northern and Bakerloo lines).

Next, the Algerian Coffee Stores. Soho has changed immensely over the past few years and many of the bohemian establishments for which it was famous in the 'swinging 60s' have been replaced by gay pubs and Chinese buffetts.

One of the hangers-on at 52 Old Compton Street is this fine coffee emporium, a cramped shop selling all manner of coffee and tea, loose or bagged. The expert staff will be happy to give their opinion on whether you might prefer a rich Sumatran, a medium-roasted Colombian, or (what the heck) a half kilo of Huehuetenango. In 2007 they celebrated their 120th anniversary and proudly retain many of the original features of the premises.

From the counter they sell what is possibly London's cheapest yet freshest ground coffee to drink, including a latte for £1.10. Takeaway only, as there is no room for seats. Check their website for their mail order service.

INFO The nearest tube stop is Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines). Open daily 9am till 7pm (till 8 on Sunday and till 9 on Thursday & Friday).

The best of London 6 - breakfast

A real find in Regents Park is this farmhouse-style rustic cafe which dishes up free range eggs and bacon plus fresh muffins and traditional fayre like Chelsea buns and bread pudding.

The Honest Sausage take pride in sourcing local ingredients, so the apples are English and the ice cream is made from Jersey cream. Plus there's a lovely choice of organic teas and their rich Fairtrade coffee is quite cheap for London.

It's the perfect spot for a cuppa if you're visiting London Zoo or admiring the Regency terraces, though it's a bit of a trail to walk to. They have a branch near the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, see their website for details.

INFO The nearest Tube stop is Baker Street (Bakerloo, Jubilee, Hammersmith & City, Central and Metropolitan lines). Head into Regent's Park and follow signs for its Inner Circle. You'll find the cafe right in the middle of the park.

The best of London 5 - breakfast

Imagine a cold Sunday morning. Though the sun is shining, the streets are empty as Londoners sleep off their nights out or, who knows, go to church. Anyway, everything is shut.

But what's this wonderful aroma wafting across the pavement? And are those awnings really open? Do you see a light on? If the address is 28 Greek Street in Soho then you've found one of the city's finest French patisseries, Maison Bertaux.

We stepped in to find most of the tables covered with trays of fresh baked pastries cooling off from the oven. Can you imagine the smell and sight of that greeting you when you've yet to have your first cup of coffee? Heaven!

A tray was whisked off a table so we could sit (what, those aren't all ours?). We each ordered a coffee. The classic plain croissant was crisp, chewy and hot from the oven, while the pain au chocolat was enormous. They also do croissants with sliced ham and cheese baked in for a French-style all-in-one breakfast.

Table for two, croissants for one

The interior is a divine pink fantasy of kitsch bits and shabby chic. As we sat there numerous expats came through the door for their morning pastry bagged up to take away. The staff were friendly and seemed to know everyone who came through the door.

One of each, please!

Now the bad news...the coffee was only okay and the prices are scandalous, even for London. For two coffees and two pastries we paid £8, way back in 2005, so it’s likely to be even more dear now. That's about 13 American dollars, sheesh.

The patisserie is just as welcoming in the evening. On our last trip back we had an evening sojourn with some moist fruit tart (oooh, er) in the upstairs lounge which, judging by the light fixtures, they haven't decorated since the 1960s. Apparently you are allowed to smoke up there but luckily during our visit no one filled the room with their cancer fumes. But you still need to save your shillings to treat yourself here, each slice of cake was £3.50.

INFO The nearest tube stop is Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines). The patisserie is near the east end of Old Compton Street where it intersects with Charing Cross Road .Greek Street runs parallel to Charing Cross Road - head to the lower end and you'll find Maison Bertaux between the Three Greyhounds and Coach & Horses pubs. Open 8.30am-8pm daily.

The best of Venice 1 - It rang my bell!

Al Campaniel ('The Belltower') guesthouse in Venice was exceedingly nice for the price!

The place was kitted out with classy furnishings and tiled floors, with everything clean and tastefully decorated to the point it felt at first we were intruding in someone's luxurious home. We were a few steps away from vaporetto route number 1 on the Grand Canal, yet the room was quiet.

This isn't a hotel though and there are no facilities, not even a breakfast room. Peace and quiet were the main attractions, plus the satisfaction of finding affordable accommodation in such a central location.

The room had air conditioning and a ceiling fan to provide ventilation. The window faced a neighbouring wall, so no views and not much light. The nearby church bells provided some background noise, not an excessive din. Our standard room had a shower and toilet straight across the hall for our private use, though you can pay extra for an en-suite.

The English speaking hosts, Gloria and Marco, served a simple Continental breakfast included in the price. We were served pastries on a tray brought to the door and had a kettle in our room to make tea and coffee.

It was a good idea to avoid staying on the Grand Canal itself. The loud water boats run all night and can be disruptive, trundling up and down the waterway and crashing into the docks as they do.

The San Polo neighbourhood of Venice has a lived-in buzz with bars, pizzerias, cafes and gelati carts to satisfy any cravings. In the evening the nearby squares fill with promenaders as children play football.

Take a tip and you too can enjoy a champagne lifestyle on a Babycham budget!

INFO Alight at the San Toma water bus stop and it's only a few yards down, to the left. Their website has good directions. You can make a booking request and see more photos on their website. I remember paying about 60 euros for the room, which was fantastic value for such a lovely room.