The best of London 3 - Guildhall Art Gallery

Stood next to the medieval Guildhall, this is the art collection owned by the City of London itself which specialises in depictions of official processions, city panoramas and portraits of local worthies.

There are some decent pre-Raphaelites by the likes of Millais, Leighton and Rossetti. Plus there's the infamous statue of Margaret Thatcher which was beheaded. It has now been repaired and sits inside a protective glass case, safe from lunatics wielding crowbars or anyone else who is not "an avid fan" of the former Prime Minister.

Then there's Britain's single largest canvas, depicting a naval battle at Gibraltar, which is two storeys tall and best viewed from the mezzanine.

Underneath the galleries are the exposed foundations of the Roman ampitheatre which played host to gladitorial contests watched by 6000 spectators almost 2000 years ago.

It is always quiet during our visits and at times we have had entire rooms to ourselves. It's worth seeking out for an hour of quiet contemplation amid some rarely-seen artworks.

Next door to the gallery is the medieval London Guildhall, the civic heart of old London. It survived the Great Fire of 1666 and is the oldest stone building in the City which is not a church.

Its great hall was the scene of many historic events, including the trial of Lady Jane Grey. Today it plays hosts to official functions but members of the public are admitted to the great hall when possible. If you're already in the area and have been to the art gallery, it's worth popping over for a few minutes looking inside at the stained glass and monuments.

INFO Follow street signs for the Guildhall and/or Guildhall Art Gallery from Bank, Mansion House, Moorgate or St Paul's tube stations. Admission is free to all on a Friday, otherwise in 2009 adult admission costs £2.50 and a concessionary ticket is £1. No admission is charged on any day after 3.30pm. The gallery is open daily, 10-5 Mon-Sat and 12-4 Sun.