7. The Simple Walking guide in Portobello Market and Notting hill

I have worked in Portobello Market for 3 years, and I have found walking to be the best way to unlock the secrets of Portobello Market and Notting hill. It is not about what you will see when you walk, but who you will meet.

I agree as well with the words of the protagonist in G.K. Chesterton’s locally set novel “The Napoleon of Notting Hill: There has never been anything in the world absolutely like Notting hill. There will never be anything quite like it to the crack of doom. I cannot believe anything but that God loved it as He must surely love anything that is itself and irreplaceable.” — the text of the book “Notting Hill a Walking guide” – Julian Mash.

Notting Hill is ideally suited to be enjoyed on foot and this simple walking guide is designed to give you a feel for its rich and diverse history.

These walks start South to North:

Notting Hill Gate Station

Notting Hill is ideally suited to be enjoyed on foot and this simple walking guide is designed to give you a feel for its rich and diverse history.

George Orwell House

The novelist and political essayist George Orwell is best remembered for his dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

This brightly coloured house at number 22 Portobello Road was the first London home where George Orwell lodged with Mrs Craig during the winter of 1927 after resigning as Assistant Superintendent of the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. This top row of houses has kept their individual rural appearance in this busy part of Notting Hill.

Alice's antiques

Alice’s Antiques at 86 Portobello Road, Is one of the oldest antique shops in Notting hill.
Alice’s Antique shop was used as a film location for Mr Gruber’s antique shop in the movie Paddington Bear 2.

Antique Stalls

There are around a dozen antique arcades in Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove between Chepstow Villas and Elgin Crescent. Inside you will find individual dealer booths which are only open on Saturdays.

The Travel Book Shop

This spot at 142 Portobello Road was used as the location for William Thacker’s (Hugh Grant’s) Travel Book Shop in the movie, but there has never been a bookshop there. It was formerly the Nicholls Antique Arcade, then a furniture store called Gong, and it currently serves as a gift shop.

The noting hill bookshop at number 13 Blenheim Crescent – Director Richard Curtis used as the inspiration for the fictional travel book company in the film. The bookshop still has the same interior and shop fittings you can step inside and have your own Hugh or Julia moment.

Portobello Market

Portobello Market To be honest I don’t have words to describe the magic of this market. There is nothing more enjoyable than spending a day navigating the market stalls on the street that appear, as if by magic. (If you want to find new merchants as “Casual Trader” you need to walk after 112 stalls starting at 240 Portobello road).

If you walk through the market you will find our products in our stall “we are always in different places on Portobello Market”.

The Electric Cinema

The electric Cinema at 191 Portobello Road, one of the oldest working cinemas in the country “on 27 February 1911”.

Fruit and Veg

There are still a handful of families who have stalls here for several generations.

The Blue Door

The blue door is at 280 Westbourne Park Road. This front door is by far the most iconic and famous in the neighbourhood for it was here that William Thacker bookseller played by Hugh Grant lived.

Bansky's Graffiti

A man walks past a graffiti mural by British artist Banksy, spraypainted on a wall on Portobello Road in London, January 14, 2008. The wall has been put up for bid on the internet auction site Ebay and the successful bidder must cover the cost of the wall’s removal and delivery. The wall has reached a price of 1 million pounds.

Colourful Houses

Notting Hill’s painted buildings are just one of the reasons it’s one of London’s most photographed neighbourhoods.
Elgin Crescent
Colville Terrace
Lancaster Road
St luke’s road

When is the notting Hill Carnaval?

Every August Bank Holiday millions of people celebrate Europe’s biggest street festival, the Notting Hill Carnival.

The carnival has a Caribbean festival theme, bringing a welcome splash of colour to west London. A huge parade of floats and performers run along the Notting Hill Carnival route, filling the streets with intricate costumes, steel bands, marching bands, Calypso music and a variety of mouthwatering food.

If you like a Notting hill walking tour, we recommend these companies:

Walks
Get our guide
Scalens Studio
Viator
Brit Movie Tours

You can put on your boots and tread the pavements, as you follow in the footsteps of Notting hill’s iconic, tag us in the photos you take at @Intiquilla_uk. and don’t forget to visit us at Portobello Market.