From Wikitravel

Made famous by the film with Hugh Grant, Notting Hill is a very fashionable area of west London to live in.

[edit] Get in

The nearest Underground stations are

• Notting Hill Gate
• Westbourne Park
• Queensway
• Holland Park
• Bayswater
• Ladbroke Grove

[edit][add listing] See

• Portobello Market

[edit][add listing] Do

Visiting Portobello Road is one of the most popular attractions of Notting Hill. The market is open Monday to Saturday, but focuses on food on days except Saturday. Saturday is as a concequence very busy with the area between Notting Hill Gate tube station and the south end of Portobello being very crowded. If you do visit it's best to follow the crowd - everyone is going there - groups of people wandering with maps looking lost are very common in the surrounding area!

Notting Hill Gate itself is an unremarkable, busy road. The area north south of it is an enjoyable one to walk around, but has no terribly exciting features. For smart boutiques, food shops and outdoor cafes there's Westbourne Grove, leading to Queensway, and for a nice stroll in the park there's Holland Park - a 10-15 minute walk down Holland Park Avenue from the tube station. Holland Park is a mixture of open spaces, woodland and formal gardens. It includes a large field dedicated to Football (Soccer) and Cricket (in the summer) and tennis courts. It was originally the private garden of Holland House, much of which was destroyed. As you walk around the park, you can see bits of the building dotted around the place which give you some idea of how grand it used to be. In the summer this is a great place to catch outdoor opera. An ecology center is located near the police station that provides information about the ecology of the park and arranges various activities for children. A cafe is located nearby that provides ice creams and hot food. The park is an ideal way to walk from Notting Hill Gate to Kensington High Street.

• Take part in the Notting Hill Carnival, a two day carnival which takes place every year on the August Bank Holiday weekend. It is said to be the largest carnival of its type in the world, and attracts over a million people. What really gives it its flavor is the large local Caribbean and Trinidadian population. This occurs in an almost circular route north of Notting Hill Gate. The closest part to Notting Hill Gate is Westbourne Grove. If intending to visit, see Transport For London's website in advance as many tube stations are closed for it and bus routes diverted. Driving into the area is highly discouraged - many streets are closed.

• See a movie at the Electric Cinema [1], recently restored and boasting all leather armchairs (most with footstools) and a bar in the theatre - this is definitely a Notting Hill experience. The Electric shows a wide range of films from cinema classics, cult and independent films, to regular Hollywood blockbusters. They also have the Electric Scream session, specifically for parents with screaming babies! Ticket prices vary depending on how fancy your seat is. More expensive than a normal cinema but a fun experience. 191 Portobello Rd, W11 2ED, ph 020 7908 9696

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Central to Notting Hill is Portobello Market [2], During the week this is the place to go to buy your fruit and veg but at the weekend there are hundreds of stalls selling clothes, antiques, jewellery and lots more.

The main market day is Saturday, however the full opening times are-

8.00am until 6.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Thursday is a half day closing at 1.00pm. Saturday it is open from 8.00am to 6.30 pm.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Food-wise there is so much to choose from, and something to suit all budgets. If you're budgeting then there's great Malay food, bangers & mash, falafel and German sausages. For those with a bit more money to burn there's some seriously swanky bars and restaurants including E&O and 192.

Some of the most popular dishes sold along the route of the carnival are jerk chicken and goat curry.

• Fresco's 25 Westbourne Grove W2 4YN (Nearest tubes Bayswater & Queensway, or buses 7, 23, 27), 020 7221 2355. M-Sa 11AM-11:30PM, Su 11AM-10:30PM. It may not look it at first but this is the best Lebanese food in Notting Hill, and certainly the cheapest. Delicious food with a huge variety of fresh juices make this place a must. Eat in or take away. £3-£10.

• Geales, 2 Farmer Street W8 7SN, 020 7727 7528. M-Sa 12-3PM & 6-11PM, Su 6-10:30PM. Main courses £7.25-£11.50. a fantastic, old-style fish and chip restaurant, much favoured by local and out-of-town celebs. Great value. Cover 50p. Has recently been redeveloped and may not be quite so good value anymore.

• Standard Indian Restaurant, 23 Westbourne Grove W2 4UA (Nearest tubes Bayswater & Queensway, or buses 7, 23, 27), 020 7727 4818 M-Su 12-3 & 6PM-12AM. Just what it says on the label: consistently good Indian food. Currently closed, possibly permanently: Next door is 'Kahn's' another very popular (and larger) Indian restaurant, probably not as good as the Standard though.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Populated by the young, hip and rich it's unsurprising that Notting Hill has so many trendy bars. Expect to pay prices that match the location though.

• The Lonsdale, 48 Lonsdale Rd, W11 3JZ, 020 7727 4080. Like a cocktail bar from the future, the decor in this place is too good to miss. Relatively strict door policy; turn up earlier rather than later if you're not a famous celebrity.

• Beach Blanket Babylon, 45 Ledbury Rd, W11 2AA, 020 7229 2907. A beautiful bar with fantastical decor. Quality and service at the restaurant seem to vary wildly, but the bar is usually a safe bet.

• E&O, 14 Blenheim Crescent, W11 1NN, 020 7229 5454. Japanese influenced restaurant with a stylish bar attached. Great cocktails.

• Elbow Room, 103 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UW, 020 7221 5211. A bar with pool tables too, rather than the other way around. Relaxed and friendly.

• The Cow, 89 Westbourne Park Road, 020 7221 0021. A small and trendy pub/bar with a focus on Guinness.

• The Electric Brasserie, 191 Portobello Rd, W11 2ED. Attached to the Electric Cinema this trendy brasserie is a good place for a drink before or after your movie. Very busy Fr/Sa evenings especially.

• Trailer Happiness, 177 Portobello Rd, W11 2DY, 020 7727 2700. Intimate lounge bar, den and kitchen with the feel of a low rent, mid-60s California valley bachelor pad.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• The Gate Hotel, 6 Portobello Rd, W11 3DJ, +44 (0) 20 7221 0707. The Gate Hotel is conveniently located near Notting Hill Gate tube at the pembridge Road end of Portobello Road, only a few steps away from the world famous Portobello market.

[edit] Contact

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