The glamorous suburb in west London may once have been a quiet and peaceful place, but the worldwide fame gained from the highest-grossing British production ever, made Notting Hill a tourist attraction. The market on the main street of Portobello and the colorful facades of the buildings that have become emblematic of Notting Hill add to the color of the neighborhood, where you can easily spend a whole day in wandering… In the following lines, I will introduce you to some of the more interesting places so that you can easily arrange your visit plan!
Where is located and how to get there
Close to Kensington and Chelsea, Notting Hill is among the most expensive western districts of the English capital. Getting to it from the central parts is easy and fast, the best option being the London Underground. The Notting Hill Gate station is the most frequently chosen by visitors, and it is served by three lines – Circle, Central and District. If you use the Hammersmith & City line you can get off at Ladbroke Grove, at the other end of the borough.
💡 I advise you to start your tour of Notting Hill in the morning, while there are still no large crowds of people and you can walk leisurely.
Exploring the colorful houses around Hillgate Village
If you decide to take my advice and arrive in Notting Hill in the morning, you’ll probably need a boost of caffeine. Right next to the metro station is Caffè Nero and Pret A Manager, where you can grab a coffee on the go and start exploring this charming neighborhood!
Magnetic houses in all possible pastel colors are one of the main reasons why thousands of tourists flock to the streets of Notting Hill with the idea of taking the most creative and interesting photo possible. In search of perfect shots, we head in the opposite direction of the main crowd – to Hillgate Village, just behind the subway stop.
Honestly, this is my favorite part of the neighborhood! The area is rectangular in shape and has several lovely streets lined with colorful houses. Walk along Farmer street and Callcott street, making sure to take a close look at Hillgate place. Due to the popularity of the other attractions in Notting Hill, here is quiet and peaceful almost all day, giving you the perfect opportunity to take perfect photos and enjoy it to the fullest!
💡 Note that most of the buildings in the neighborhood are residential and people live inside! Be discreet, respectful and considerate in taking photos. Keep some distance from the homes and don’t violate the privacy of local…
Along Kensington Park Road to Chepstow Villas
Of course, the main focus of a visit to the neighborhood is Portobello Road, but you can take a detour to it by crossing Kensington Park Road and turning right onto Chepstow Villas. Today we see Notting Hill as one of London’s most prestigious boroughs, with property prices reaching seven-figure sums… And it was once a slum suburb popular with brick making and pig farming, where garbage and crawling rats were everywhere. Things only started to change in the 19th century, when the Ladbroke family began to change the infrastructure of the area and it became a suburb for the rich…
We’re going to Portobello Road
Here she is… Portobello Road, where the magic of Notting Hill comes alive in all its glory! It’s a perfect jumble of cafes, bookstores, fashion boutiques, jewelry and of course… antique shops! There are so many unique items that it can make you dizzy…
You shouldn’t miss perhaps the most popular shop of all – Alice’s. Notting Hill’s movie fame doesn’t end with the film of the same name, with this shop appearing in the Paddington Bear films. And the antique porcelain seems to have been brought to the shop from Lewis Carroll’s “Wonderland”…
💡 Keep in mind that the sellers here are very well aware of the real values of the items they are offering and if you think you are going to find “gems” for no money, this is not the place…
We turn to Denbigh Terrace
Undeniably photogenic, brightly painted homes have made Notting Hill the most popular London backdrop for perfect Instagram shots. And if you are busy with antiques, you can easily miss one of the impressive colorful streets – Denbigh Terrace. There are pinks, blues, yellows and what not, so you can choose the one that best matches your outfit…
On Portobello Road again
We are returning to the heart of this cosmopolitan and multicultural place! In the absence of the stalls of the popular Portobello Road Market, the independent shops on the ground floors of the colorful houses are the main attraction. There are so many things you can find in them… Fashion collections resembling costumes from “Harry Potter” or “Fantastic Beasts”, collectible brands, jewelry, souvenirs from all over the world, even furniture…
My favorite is the vintage maps at The Portobello print & map shop, where I can easily spend a few hours… Feel free to browse the various display cases and go inside to discover something new. At Whittard, for example, they gave us to try a very interesting Indian hot chocolate! And if you’re a gin lover, don’t miss The Ginstitute distillery, the birthplace of the famous Portobello Road Gin.
💡 In 1948, a British Caribbean community settled in the neighborhood, leading to the famous 1959 Notting Hill race riots. In response to these events, one of the world’s most popular carnivals of Caribbean heritage (Notting Hill Carnival) was born, which continues to this day and is an impressive show!
The little bookstore – The Notting Hill Book Shop
The most famous bookstore in London – The Notting Hill Book Shop! Around the neighborhood you will find many copies trying to attract the attention of tourists, fooling them with a similar exterior, blue doors or by putting up posters of Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant… But the original is only one and it is located at 13 Blenheim Cres, a few meters to the left of The Ginstitute. Apart from the line of people waiting for a photo on the bench in front of the window, you’ll also know it by the round sign that tells you you’re in the right place.
The bookstore began its existence in 1979, initially specializing only in travel books. Subsequently, they expanded the assortment and currently includes famous and more unknown titles. With the release of the movie in 1999, it gained worldwide fame, which brought a huge influx of people and thousands of fans of the film flocked from all over the world… Although the footage was shot in a purpose-built set, she became the location that inspired the romantic comedy “Notting Hill”!
If you want to sin with something sweet, there are great donuts on the right. And around the corner is one of Notting Hill’s most popular boutique cafe/bakeries, Biscuiteers Notting Hill, offering handmade biscuits, chocolates, cupcakes and other treats…
The dead end Colville Houses
We were literally obsessed with seeing as many of Notting Hill’s colorful houses as possible! We cut through the crowds of Portobello again to see what is hidden on the other side of the road… On one side of the small dead end Colville Houses stands an impressive row of four-storey buildings towering over the rest of the landscape…
Colorful elements and classic bricks along Westbourne Park
We return for a short time to the high street to be able to deviate again around The Castle pub, opposite the famous blue door, which had a long queue of people wanting a photo. Although Portobello continues, somewhere here we decide to sneak through the side streets, in search of more interesting places. Precisely such is Westbourne Park Street, whose buildings are a perfect combination of colorful elements and classic bricks…
An extravaganza of bright colors on Lancaster Road
Just a few meters away is Lancaster Road, which should definitely get the award for the brightest colors! While in other places simple pastel shades prevail, here the three-story houses are decorated in bold colors that contrast with each other in an amazing way. Undoubtedly the most colorful photo location in Notting Hill!
The former stables St Lukes Mews
Hardly when you hear ‘stables’ do you imagine the charm you might find at St Lukes Mews! The so-called ‘Mews’ are side streets with houses whose ground floor was used as stables. Today completely converted into residential buildings, they are some of the most desirable properties on the market. And this secret spot is actually among the most popular in London! Strange for me, but there were hardly any people and we could walk in peace. In fact, it too has a deep connection with the film industry, being the scene of the most iconic moment of another popular British film – Love Actually…
We continue along Powis Gardens, Colville Terrace, Colville Road and Lonsdale Road
We were aware that we had seen perhaps the most beautiful of the neighborhood, but there were still a few more secluded streets that we wanted to explore… There was an aristocratic calm about Powis Gardens, and Colville Terrace and Colville Road added a a splash of color to our already multi-hued day Don’t miss the little pink house at #55 Lonsdale Road, which is kind of squashed between the brownish bricks of the big buildings around it. From here we headed to Westbourne Grove, which is an alternative version of Portobello, with neat shops and charming restaurants…
The beginning of Portobello
We decided to go back to Portobello again for the part we missed in the beginning. And this is a great decision, because here the environment is much different… The houses are colorful again, but low and covered with greenery. Take a look at #22, where the writer George Orwell lived at one point in his life.
A pint of beer at the Churchill Arms
After such a walk, the most perfect ending would be a cold pint of beer… Although it falls within the boundaries of Kensington, I’m including The Churchill Arms here because it’s only a 4 minute walk from Notting Hill Gate and well worth a visit! And with its strangeness and color, it’s a perfect addition to everything seen so far…
Arguably Britain’s most famous pub! The entire facade is so beautifully decorated with flowers that it even won the local Chelsea Flower Show. It opened its doors way back in 1750, of course under a different name, due to the fact that Churchill was not yet born… After the Second World War it was renamed in his honour, and it is said that before that his grandparents were regulars at the pub…
Today it houses a Thai restaurant that failed to attract us as customers… But the interior is no less impressive. In one part it is like a tropical jungle, and in the other there are pots, pans and all kinds of other objects hanging from the ceiling… It’s worth sitting at the bar and having a beer!
For a final
There’s no room for boredom in Notting Hill… Whether you’re here for just a few hours or a whole day, there are plenty of options to make the most of your time! The huge number of visitors hasn’t succeed to take away the feeling of coziness and the bohemian look. And despite the endless photo opportunities, try at some point to put the camera away and just soak in the overall atmosphere…
