In the 1960s, the Notting Hill area was described as a slum, full of run down tenements, rubbish, and rats, but what a difference the years can make. A concerted gentrification effort has been going on for the past 30 years, resulting in Notting Hill being currently one of the most expensive and exclusive places to live in London.

Notting Hill experienced an influx of African and Caribbean immigrants in the 1950s that changed the face of the neighbourhood and led to some tensions and rioting, but by 1965, the community had unified and rallied to put on the Notting Hill Carnival, a celebration of the neighbourhood’s diversity.

This carnival has since grown in popularity to become arguably the largest street festival outside of Rio de Janeiro. Nearly a million people take to the streets in August for a weekend street fair of food, music, and dancing.

The other rather famous fixture in Notting Hill is the Portobello Market which is open every day except Sunday. You will find a wide variety of items at the market, with a different selection of goods being sold each day.

Weekdays you will find a great array of fruits and vegetables being sold, and on Fridays and Saturdays clothing stalls open and second hand goods are sold. Saturdays are also when the famed antiques market is open; you will find a dizzying array of antiques for sale along with large crowds of people looking for a bargain.

The 1999 film “Notting Hill” brought the area to the notice of the world, and people still flock to the area to catch a glimpse of some of the buildings and locations used in filming this classic starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.

For main attractions in London, the Notting Hill area certainly holds its own.

Visiting Notting Hill

Notting Hill, W11 3AG

Photo courtesy: Olivier Bruchez

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