Notting Hill and North Kensington is a district located west of the city of London.
To know
This article describes the northern part of the Royal Town Hall of Kensington and Chelsea, from Kensington High Street to the south of the Grand Union Canal and Wormwood Scrubs to the north.
Notting Hill it is a very famous destination thanks to its market in which you pass through very nice streets, with an interesting history and a colorful population. Aided in her success by the film "Notting Hill" with Hugh Grant (who actually lives in this area), from the Portobello Road and from the carnival that closes the main streets of this area every year, flooding them with people.
Here it was open countryside until the 19th century when it was developed to accommodate upper-middle-class suburbs, with rather large houses. At the beginning of the twentieth century, these houses were divided into low-cost public housing, later becoming lower neighborhoods. In the 1950s, many Caribbean immigrants settled in this area. In the 1960s, many musicians and artists took possession of the area, so Portobello Road became the center of English Hippie culture. Even today, this street is home to rather eclectic markets and very particular shops.
Notting Hill Carnival was first put on the street in 1964 to fulfill the demand of the Afro-Caribbean community to celebrate their culture and traditions. After a bad period that went through the 70s and 80s, in which the carnival was associated with social protests, violence and major disputes for political tactics, today it has come back to life and has become the largest carnival event in Europe and a main event in the London calendar. It is organized every August during the weekend with the summer bridge.
In the 1980s, the Notting Hill area was gentrified, although some areas to the north, such as Ladbroke Grove is Westbourne Park they remain deprived and let go. In local mythology, the present-day inhabitants of Notting Hill seem to live on trust accounts which have led to them being jokingly referred to as "Trustafarians".
Further west of Notting Hill is Holland Park, which is a natural buffer between north and south, with the town halls of Kensington and Chelsea. This is the lesser known royal park in the city and the locals would like it to stay that way. A true off-the-beaten-path gem worth seeing.
How to orient yourself
Notting Hill and North Kensington: full screen map.How to get
By subway
The district is served by the following stations:
1 Notting Hill Gate (lines: Central, District and Circle).- 2 Queensway (lines: Central).
- 3 Ladbroke Grove (lines: Hammersmith & City).
- 4 Westbourne Park (lines: Hammersmith & City).
- 5 Bayswater (lines: Circle, District).
| Underground lines passing through Bloomsbury |
| West London ← Hammersmith and Fulham ← | OR  IS | → Paddington and Maida Vale → Bloomsbury - Soho |
| Westminster ← South Kensington and Chelsea ← main ring ← | S.  IS | → main ring → Paddington and Maida Vale → Mayfair and Marylebone |
| Terminus ← Hammersmith and Fulham ← on the Hammersmith side ← | OR IS | → on the Hammersmith side → Paddington and Maida Vale → Bloomsbury - Camden |
| Wimbledon ← South Kensington and Chelsea ← | S.  IS | → Paddington and Maida Vale → Mayfair and Marylebone |
| Terminus ← Hammersmith and Fulham ← | OR  IS | → Paddington and Maida Vale → Bloomsbury - Camden |
How to get around
The best way to explore the area is on foot with long walks.
What see
- 1 Holland Park (A 5 minute walk south from Holland Park tube station and Notting Hill.). Holland Park is made up of a mixture of open spaces, woods and gardens. Inside there is a lawn used as a football and cricket field as well as a tennis court. Originally it was Holland House's private park which has largely been destroyed. Walking around the park you can see some ruins of the building that give an idea of how big it could be. In the summer this is a great place to see outdoor opera concerts. There is an ecological center located near the police station, which provides information about the flora of the park and organizes various activities for children. Nearby is a coffee shop that sells hot food and ice cream. The park is a great way to walk from Notting Hill to Kensington High Street.
- 2 Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High Street (Tube station: Kensington High Street, Earl's Court and Holland Park; Overground: Kensington / Olympia), ☎ 44 20 3862 5900, @[email protected].
free and paid exhibitions. 
10: 00-18: 00 (last admission at 17:00) (except 25-26 Dec). A place not to be missed if you are interested in modern and contemporary design. The permanent exhibitions follow the change of English houses from the beginning of the 20th century to the present, and is constantly updated. There are also temporary exhibitions that last for 3-4 months. Recent exhibits have been on Saul Bass, Peter Saville and Archigram. The museum also organizes the Designer of the Year, an annual award that celebrates the person or organization who excelled in producing a great design product (one of the previous winners was Jonathan Ive, who designed the iMac and the iPod). There is also a small shop well stocked with art books on design as well as gifts. - 3 Leighton House, 12 Holland Park Road, W14 8LZ (Tube station: Kensington Olympia; goes well with a visit to Holland Park.), ☎ 44 20 7602 3316, @[email protected]. £12. Wed-Mon 10 am-5:30pm. One of the houses of the artist Frederic (Lord) Leighton. Considered to be one of the best examples of Victorian residential architecture, it is not your usual neo-Gothic place. The rooms at the entrance, especially the Arabic Hall, look like a mixture of Alhambra is Topkapi Palace strangely very convincing. The rest of the building is decorated in less colors although it is designed rather well and admirers of pre-Raphaelite art can find here some works by the former owner Lord Leighton and his colleagues, as well as some work by Delacroix, Corot and a collection of tableware. There are often small exhibits within the extension of the house. Unfortunately the museum does not allow free publication of his photos, so if you don't go there you have to imagine it.
- 4 18 Stafford Terrace (Linley Sambourne House), 18 Stafford Terrace (Entrance on the semi-closed floor). £ 7; Guided tours: £ 10. Wed, Sat, Sun 14: 00-17: 30; Guided tours: Wed, Sat, Sun 11: 00-12: 15. Victorian house opened as a museum. The 1899 décor is almost intact with original art and decorative patterns maintained by those who lived there, namely Linley Sambourne and her attendant.
- 5 The house of Maharajah Duleep Singh, 53 Holland Park, W11 3RS (Tube station: Holland Park). A blue plaque marks the house in which the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire lived in the 1880s.
- 6 Museum of brands, packaging and advertising (MOBPA - Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising), 111-117 Lancaster Road, W11 1QT (Tube station: Ladbroke Grove), ☎ 44 20 7908 0880. £ 7.50 adults, £ 3 children, £ 5 concessions. History of the culture of consumerism organized for decades. Over 12,000 objects on display.
free and paid exhibitions. 
10: 00-18: 00 (last admission at 17:00) (except 25-26 Dec). A place not to be missed if you are interested in modern and contemporary design. The permanent exhibitions follow the change of English houses from the beginning of the 20th century to the present, and is constantly updated. There are also temporary exhibitions that last for 3-4 months. Recent exhibits have been on Saul Bass, Peter Saville and Archigram. The museum also organizes the Designer of the Year, an annual award that celebrates the person or organization who excelled in producing a great design product (one of the previous winners was Jonathan Ive, who designed the iMac and the iPod). There is also a small shop well stocked with art books on design as well as gifts.What to do
Cinema
- 1 Electric Cinema, 191 Portobello Road, W11 2EB (Tube station: Notting Hill Gate or Ladbroke Grove), ☎ 44 020 7908 9696. Recently refurbished cinema in which there are only armchairs with footstools, front row beds, and a bar. Definitely an experience to try. The cinema shows a wide range of films ranging from classics to cult, from independent films to major Hollywood productions. They also have a special session called Electric Scream for parents with screaming children. The price of tickets varies depending on the location of the place and is generally more expensive than average cinemas.
- Cinematic walk (Film Walk). Notting Hill has been used as a film set in many films and Time Out magazine has put together the walking map that passes through many of these.
- 2 The Gate Cinema, Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JZ (Tube station: Notting Hill Gate), ☎ 44 20 7727 4043. Cinema d'essay with a very varied program.
Various
- 3 Notting Hill Carnival (Notting Hill Carnival), @[email protected]. The two-day carnival takes place every year during the August weekend bridge. It is said to be the largest carnival of its kind in the world and attracts over a million people and is a great celebration of London's multiculturalism. Its characteristic is detailed by the Caribbean community. It takes place on an almost circular route north of Notting Hill, in the areas of Westbourne Park and Ladbroke Grove. If you decide to go it is advisable to consult the London transport website as many tube stations will be closed and many bus lines will change the route. It is strongly not recommended to use the car, both for the bottled traffic and for the high number of closed roads.
Shopping
- 1 Portobello Road Market (Portobello Road Market), Portobello Road, W11 1LL. Mon-Wed 09: 00-18: 00; Thu 09: 00-13: 00; Fri-Sat 09: 00-19: 00. During the week, people go to buy fruit and vegetables here, while at the weekend there are hundreds of stalls selling clothes, antiques, jewelry and more.
- 2 Westbourne Grove. Small independent shops and cafes.
- 3 The Travel Bookshop Ltd, 13 Blenheim Crescent, W11 2EE, ☎ 44 20 7229 5260. Great place to browse, as well as being the inspiration for Hugh Grant's book shop in the film "Notting Hill".
How to have fun
Populated by the rampant and wealthy young people, it is no surprise that this area has many trendy bars and one should expect to pay prices that reflect the area we are in.
- 1 Beach Blanket Babylon, 45 Ledbury Road, W11 2AA, ☎ 44 20 7229 2907. Mon-Fri 12: 00-00: 00; Sat-Sun 10: 00-00: 00. Great bar with nice decor. The quality and service of the restaurant seems to vary a lot although the bar is more consistent.
- 2 The Cow, 89 Westbourne Park Road, W2 5QH, ☎ 44 20 7221 0021, @[email protected]. Small pub and trendy bar specializing in Guinness beers.
- 3 Happiness Trailer, 177 Portobello Road, W11 2DY, ☎ 44 20 7041 9833. Sun-Wed 17: 00-00: 00; Thu 05: 00-00: 30; Fri-Sat 17: 00-01: 00. Very intimate and tacky bar that feels like a place for American college students from the 60s.
Where to eat
To eat here there is a wide choice that satisfies all budgets. If you are on a budget there are many Malaysian restaurants, English worker food, "bangers & mash" (mashed potatoes and peas), German falafel and sausages. For those with more money there are bars and restaurants that are right for you. During the carnival the main dishes served on the street are "jerk chicken" and mutton curry.
Moderate prices
- 1 Nando's, 58-60 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3HT (Tube station: Notting Hill Gate), ☎ 44 20 7243 1647. Mon-Sun 11: 30-23: 00. Popular Afro-Portuguese restaurant with locations throughout England. The grilled peri-peri chicken is succulent with a large choice of side dishes to choose from. You can eat inside or take out.
Average prices
- 2 Electric Diner, 191 Portobello Roead, W11 2ED, ☎ 44 20 7908 9696. Mon-Wed 08: 00-00: 00; Thu 08: 00-01: 00; Fri-Sat 08: 00-02: 00. Attached to the Electric Cinema, this French restaurant is a great place to have a drink before or after the movie. Very popular on Fridays and Saturdays.
- 3 E&O, 14 Blenheim Crescent, W11 1NN, ☎ 44 20 7229 5454, @[email protected]. £ 30-40 each. Asian inspired food.
- 4 Fresh, 25 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UA (Tube station: Bayswater or Queensway, or bus 7, 23, 27), ☎ 44 20 7221 2355. £3-10. Mon-Sat 11: 00-23: 30, Sun 11: 00-22: 30. It may not seem like it at a glance, but this is Notting Hill's best Lebanese food that also serves up a good variety of fresh juices. Absolutely to try.
- 5 Geales, 2 Farmer Street, W8 7SN, ☎ 44 20 7727 7528, @[email protected]. Main courses £ 10-15, cover charge 50p. Mon-Sat 12: 00-15: 00, 18: 00-23: 00, Sun 18: 00-22: 30. Fantastic fish and chip restaurant, loved by the locals.
- 6 Kahn's, 13-15 Westbourne Grove W2 (Tube station: Bayswater or Royal Oak), ☎ 44 20 7727 5420. Sun-Thu 12: 00-23: 00; Fri-Sat 12: 00-23: 30. Very famous Indian restaurant.
High prices
- 7 The Ledbury, 127 Ledbury Road, W11 2AQ, ☎ 44 20 7792 9090. 2 Michelin star restaurant with excellent dishes prepared by Austrian chef Brett Graham. Critically acclaimed, so you shouldn't expect an income statement.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 Blue Bells hotel, 14 Pembridge Square, W2 4EH (Tube station: Notting Hill Gate), ☎ 44 20 7727 6666, @[email protected]. From £ 60. Housed in a Victorian building with 30 rooms on four floors with no elevator. Five minutes walk from Notting Hill and Portobello Road.
- 2 [link not working]Notting Hill Hotel, 2 Pembridge Square, W2 4EW (Tube station: Notting Hill Gate), ☎ 44 20 7727 1316. From £ 60. Old Victorian building located in a quiet square just five minutes from Notting Hill Gate. Double and family rooms.
Average prices
- 3 Abbey Court, 20 Pembridge Gardens, W2 4FE, ☎ 44 20 7221 7518. From £ 90. Small luxury hotel in a Victorian house and decorated in the style of the time. 22 rooms without lift.
- 4 Fraser Suites Queensgate, 39B Queens Gate Gardens, SW7 5RR (Tube station: Gloucester Road), ☎ 44 20 7969 3555, fax: 44 20 7769 3501, @[email protected].
How to keep in touch
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