http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/travel/finding-oases-of-calm-in-3-european-cities.html 2014-10-15 00:17:10 Finding Oases of Calm in 3 European Cities Siobhan Wall, author of the “Quiet” guidebook series, shares her peaceful places in London, Paris and Amsterdam. === Sometime during your tour of London, perhaps at the center of the dizzyingly crowded Piccadilly Circus, you might find yourself on the hunt for one rather elusive treasure: peace and quiet. Be prepared, and arm yourself with Siobhan Wall’s “Quiet” guidebook series. Beautifully photographed, these books cover London, as well as Paris and Amsterdam, and feature parks, restaurants, shops and museums that are peaceful. “And beautiful,” Ms. Wall added. “Because there are peaceful places that are pretty boring, but I wanted the beautiful ones so you feel enlightened, uplifted, inspired.” Below are edited excerpts from a conversation with Ms. Wall about her favorite quiet places in London, Paris and Amsterdam. Q. Where can you find tranquillity in London? A. One really peaceful place to sit is behind What about places to eat? ­The places I include in the books do not play background music, and it’s interesting how that changes the atmosphere. Two nice, inexpensive cafes I like are Suzzle on Brick Lane and And in Paris? ­I like the That’s in the Marais, which has quite a few galleries, so if you ever feel overwhelmed by the crowds, just walk into a gallery and spend 20 minutes quietly looking at artwork. And unlike the Centre Pompidou, where you have to pay to go in, these independent galleries are free, and you have time and space to appreciate art and the ideas that you see on the walls. One that is exceptionally quiet is What about in your home city, Amsterdam? ­I live about five minutes away from Hortus Botanicus, the botanic garden. It’s like a living jewel in the middle of the city. The most amazing rain forest in a glass house. It’s always peaceful. I think once people are surrounded by trees and plants, they slow down.