Notting Hill is a vibrant, trendy area with casual cafes lining bohemian Portobello Road, famed for its busy market selling antiques and vintage fashion. High-end restaurants and upscale boutiques cluster around Westbourne Grove, while the Electric Cinema welcomes filmgoers with posh armchairs.
Notting Hill also hosts the annual Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s biggest street fiesta. It’s an enviable combination of markets, food, nightlife and parks, making it an excellent place to spend a weekend in London.
Portobello Road Market is a buzzy tourist destination, famous for its antiques and bric-a-brac stalls. The market is also home to second hand fashion, street food and a number of cafes.
The street is located in west London, and it’s a short Tube ride from Notting Hill Gate and Ladbroke Grove stations on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines. The main street runs for a mile and there are many shops to choose from on the surrounding streets.
When visiting, it’s recommended to arrive early to beat the crowds and enjoy some of the best shopping. Saturdays can be manic, but Fridays and Sundays are less busy.
To visit the market, exit the Tube at Notting Hill Gate and follow the signs to Portobello Road. It’s an easy walk and will take you a couple of hours.
Once at the market, you’ll want to visit the Antiques and Bric-a-Brac area first, where the vendors know their stuff. There’s a thriving community of specialists in a range of areas including ceramics, jewellery and bespoke silverware.
Next, head to the area around Elgin Crescent and Talbot Road for fruit and vegetable stalls and household goods. It’s also worth visiting the area between Westway and Golborne Road for vintage clothing.
While you’re in the area, don’t forget to try some of the authentic cuisine on offer. You’ll find plenty of fresh French fries with British aged cheddar cheese and creamy pepper sauces, as well as some incredibly tasty looking desserts.
The food stalls can get very busy so if you’re hungry, it’s wise to skip the market and have lunch or dinner somewhere nearby. You can find some fantastic restaurants in the area, such as Ottolenghi, which offers Mediterranean and Middle Eastern inspired cuisine.
Another great place to eat is Hummingbird Bakery, which has an array of tempting treats that’ll leave you wanting more. If you’re in the mood for something more traditional, visit the cafes and restaurants that line Ledbury Road, which are less crowded than those in the center of the market.
The markets are open Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu and Fri and close at 6pm on Saturdays. However, they are open on select Sundays during the Christmas period.
If you're looking for a great way to experience Notting Hill, you should visit the Museum of Brands. It's a fun little museum that focuses on consumer culture and product packaging, so it's perfect for anyone with an interest in advertising or packaging history.
It's easy to miss this little place, as it's hidden down a cobbled mews. But once you're there, it's all worth it.
This is a museum that's dedicated to brands, and it has thousands of items from different times in history. The whole place is chronologically arranged so that you can see how product designs have evolved throughout the years, and there's a time tunnel which shows products in their development from Victorian times through to the present day.
The display cases are brilliantly laid out and the products are grouped in decades, which is a great idea as it makes it easier to identify them. For example, there are lots of food tins that have been designed to look like they've come from the war, with allied flags and a military theme.
There's also plenty of children's toys on display, which reflects how young people spend their time these days. There are jigsaws, a toy train set and a wonderful miniature cooking range with brass saucepans.
As you walk through the exhibits, you'll notice how products change and develop, with more and more emphasis on colour and design, as well as a move away from tin to paper packaging. This is interesting to see, as it's a sign of how modern society is becoming more eco-friendly.
Another thing that stands out is the changing role of women in advertising. In older ads, rosy cheeked and bonnet wearing ladies are still the norm, but in the 1960s they're more often seen as having bunny ears and wearing make up.
These are the changes that have happened in the past 150 years, and it's very interesting to see how they've shaped consumer culture. The museum's displays also make it easy to learn about the history of these products, so it's a great place to visit if you have an interest in this topic.
The Coronet Theatre, located in the Notting Hill Gate area of London, was opened as a theatre in 1898. It later became a cinema and remains in use as a theatre today.
The building is a former Grade II listed building and has a main auditorium of 195 seats and a studio of 90 seats, which is called The Print Room. It presents a programme of theatre, film, dance, music and poetry.
After a short period of closure in 2014 the Coronet was brought back to life by Anda Winters and now hosts a diverse programme including contemporary drama, classic authors, new writing and experimental work. The Coronet also runs workshops and seminars.
Away from the stage the Theatre houses a number of other performance spaces. There are a couple of rehearsal halls, a ballet studio and the studio that was once used by Betty Grable for her dancing.
Among the stars who have trod its boards are John Gielgud and Ellen Terry. Sarah Bernhardt was also a regular visitor to the Coronet.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Coronet Theatre is its architecture. The building was designed by architect William George Robert Sprague and is in the style of a Louis XVI palace, which means that it combines grand architecture with an intimate and warm setting. The theatre's Art Deco faade is bathed in klieg lights, the perfect backdrop for the actors who arrive wearing limos to perform their latest shows.
Another aspect of the theatre is its interior decor, which reflects its location in Notting Hill. The interior has a warm and cosy atmosphere and is decorated with antique furnishings.
The Coronet is a very popular venue for concerts and festivals. It was the first theatre to host a punk rock concert and has held several other big events.
It is also home to the Theatre Lab, an arts Company that produces a varied programme of theatre, dance and music. In its tenth anniversary year the Lab is holding a three-day residency at the Coronet Theatre, with graduates sharing their latest work and ideas for future projects.
As the name suggests, this opulent gallery is located in one of London’s most famous neighborhoods. Besides offering an impressive selection of art, it’s also got the best view in town. You can watch Notting Hill go by as you sip on a glass of wine or two, while taking in some of the city’s most iconic architecture.
A plethora of restaurants, bars and clubs make it easy to get in the grove, while shops sell everything from souvenirs to antiques to homewares. Notting Hill is also home to several major attractions including the aforementioned Portobello Road Market and the Museum of Brands. Getting around isn’t too difficult thanks to excellent public transportation.
The Graffik Gallery has some really cool stuff, and they have a definite fan base. This venerable establishment features the best selection of graffiti in town, a high-end exhibition space and a range of other interactive offerings like interactive graffiti tours, workshops and special events. Among the gallery’s more impressive displays are their newest and largest installation: a bespoke exhibition of works from the Banksy empire.