With colorful Victorian houses, charming mews, vintage markets, and quaint streets, London’s chic neighborhood, Notting Hill, is what Instagram dreams are made of. And it’s a fashionista’s haven.
I’ve been to London twice, and the second time, I stayed in Notting Hill (During my first time with my husband, we stayed in Croydon, a suburb an hour away. Big mistake). I’ve only seen photos of influencers posing in front of the colorful house (and their steps!), and of course, I’ve heard of the movie, Notting Hill.
Notting Hill is one of London’s coolest and most artsy spots, lined with high-end boutiques, antique shops, cafes, pubs, and fantastic restaurants. It’s also a hot spot where celebrities hang out (although I don’t think I’ve passed by any). It’s said that Elton John hangs out here quite a bit!
Save this guide for a list of comprehensive things to do in Notting Hill (and spots to see and eat!).
Disclaimer: This post uses affiliate links, which means I make a commission if you book through this post. If you do decide to book using my links, thank you so much for your support!
Things to Do in Notting Hill
1. Window Shop at Portobello Market
You can’t visit Notting Hill without a stroll through Portobello Road Market! There are no excuses either, since it’s open everyday from 8 am–7 pm!
Hundreds of stall vendors line up down Portobello Road, selling vintage clothes, knick-knacks, vinyl records, and artwork. And food. From street dishes to produce to fresh bread and pastries, Portobello Road Market probably has it!
Aside from the stalls, there are also hundreds of brick-and-mortar shops, cafes, pubs, art galleries, and restaurants open for business.
As crowded and overwhelming as it gets, I do recommend visiting on a Saturday. That’s when the market comes alive, buzzing with thousands of people. It’s pretty fun being among the crowds, even though I have mild claustrophobia!
While the Portobello Road Market is open everyday, it’s better to go during the weekend because there are a lot less stalls during the weekday.
2. Scope out Notting Hill Bookshop
Notting Hill Bookshop is one of the most famous attractions in the neighborhood since a copy of its interior was featured in the movie Notting Hill, starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.
Now, visitors from all over the world flock to the Notting Hill Bookshop and take photos of the exterior.
Inside, it gets pretty packed, especially on a Saturday when I went! It’s also super small and packed. But you can find so many gifts, books, souvenirs, coffee mugs, and other knickknacks. I got my 2-year-old niece a Paddington plush and book here!
3. Find the Blue Door, also featured in the Notting Hill movie
Another iconic attraction in Notting Hill, the Blue Door was featured in Notting Hill as William Thacker’s house (Hugh Grant’s character). In real life, the movie’s director, Richard Curtis, lived in the house of the Blue Door.
The Blue Door is located on Westbourne Park Road and Portobello Road. You can’t miss it, with its sapphire hade and white columns surrounding it, making you feel like the UK took a piece of Santorini, just like what they did to the Parthenon in Athens for the British Museum (I kid, I kid…I swear!! Or am I?).
If you’re trying to get a photo in front of the door, be prepared to wait in line. Especially on Saturdays when the Portobello Road Market gets packed.
4. Pose in front of the colorful houses
Live out your influencer dreams by getting photos and videos of yourself in front of the cute, colorful Victorian houses Notting Hill is famous for. Don’t forget to pose in front of the many murals scattered alongside the houses.
It also makes for a great memory and souvenir abroad!
If you do decide to get some photos, I would not suggest setting up a tripod and doing them yourself. London is notorious for pickpocketing and phone theft (even in an affluent area like Notting Hill).
I’ve heard horror stories of people getting their phone snatched while they were holding it!
Instead, I would ask a friend or family member (whoever you’re traveling with) to take your photos. Or if you’re traveling solo, hire a professional photographer. I hired Alex through Airbnb Experiences and he was fantastic and helped me feel comfortable and confident in my own skin.
Here are some other photoshoots and photo tours you can book:
- Private Notting Hill Photo Tour in London with Colorful Iconic Photo-Ops: This is a photo tour, not a professional photoshoot. But your tour guide will help you pose and take as many photos of you (using your camera or phone) as needed.
- Professional Photoshoot in Notting Hill: If you want drop-dead gorgeous, sharp, clean photos from your trip, you’ve got to book this photoshoot! And you’ll get your photos within 24 hours and you can download them immediately.
5. Go on a Walking Tour
One of the best things to do in Notting Hill when you’re pressed for time is to go on a walking tour, where a local guide can take you to the most iconic spots and hidden gems you wouldn’t have gone on your own otherwise. The tours are also popular for movie buffs since Notting Hill has been featured in various films!
You can go on a quick, affordable walking tour alongside other travelers, or go on a private one for more personalization and one-on-one attention. Here are some of the popular Notting Hill walking tours to book:
- Highlights of London Private Tour with Notting Hill: This tour guides you through London’s most popular attractions for the first half, which includes Covent Garden, Chinatown, Trafalgar Square, and Big Ben. The second half of the tour is completely dedicated to Notting Hill. You’ll pass by the late author George Orwell’s house, antique shops featured in Paddington Bear, bakeries, the Blue Door, and Portobello Road Market. Underground ticket, tea and pastries are included in this tour.
- Notting Hill Walking Tour with Cream Tea: For this fun tour, you’ll get to walk through Notting Hill’s most iconic spots, including the Blue Door and Portobello Market. You’ll learn about the Notting Hill Carnival and the area’s rich Caribbean culture. You’ll then head to Kensington Gardens, with the tour ending at Royal Albert Hall for cream tea.
- Notting Hill Self-Guided Food Tour: There’s no meeting time, since your “guide” is an app and this “tour” is completely self-guided, leading you to the best foodie spots in Notting Hill. For this tour, you need to download the TUCK Food Tours app. You’ll start the tour in Portobello Road Market, where the app leads you to 10 recommended spots. Then, the app walks you through the best eateries throughout Notting Hill.
6. Attend Notting Hill Carnival (August Only)
Experience the rich history of the British Caribbean community by attending the annual Notting Hill Carnival, a longstanding event since 1966.
While it’s now one of the most celebrated festivals in the UK, it didn’t always start that way. Just like how the US had severe racial tension and segregation in the 1950s and 1960s, white Brits were also hostile to brown and Black migrants.
Before the festival came to be, there was an unofficial Caribbean carnival in 1958, which caused a large race riot in Notting Hill.
Today, the Notting Hill Carnival attracts around 1 million visitors a year, and is the 2nd biggest Caribbean carnival in the world (right after the Rio Carnival in Brazil).
It’s a 3-day event, taking place on the August bank holiday. There’s live music and performers on every corner, with attendees dressed to the nines in colorful (and barely there) bodysuits and feathers.
Let’s not forget the food: the tantalizing smells of Caribbean dishes like Jamaican jerk chicken, Trinidadian roti, and Guyanese pepper pot are enough to make your mouth water. There is also a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan options for non-meat eaters!
7. Visit the Museum of Brands
Looking for more quirky things to do in Notting Hill? Look no further than the Museum of Brands, a collection of vintage consumer goods from the late 1800s to today.
This includes packaging and product designs for things like cereal, soup cans, vinegar bottles, snacks, toys, games, and cosmetics.
As a former graphic design major, I would’ve been ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the packaging and designs, studying the colors, typography, and composition. I would’ve also been fascinated to see how the designs changed over the century.
Admission to the Museum of Brands is £11.50 for adults and £6.50 for children.
8. Stroll through the mews
At first glance, the mews are these charming, boxy houses lined throughout the streets of Notting Hill. And while that is true, the ground floor of the mews used to be horse stables and barns from the 19th century.
The St. Luke’s Mews are the most famous ones, featured in the popular Christmas movie, Love Actually.
These days, the mews are some of the most luxurious and expensive properties in Notting Hill, often selling for millions of dollars. So it’s no surprise that some celebrities live in them, like Madonna.
9. Catch a movie at the Electric Cinema
The Electric Cinema is not just any old movie theater. It’s one of the oldest ones in the UK, built in 1910. It was also one of the first buildings to be supplied with electricity.
The cinema also survived TWO world wars (a mob during World War I at that!), a fire, and a bombing.
Today, the Electric Cinema is the place to watch for the ultimate luxurious movie experience, with spacious, plush, red seats (and couches on the front row) and Baroque-inspired interiors. It almost looks and feels like you’re going to the opera instead of catching one of the newest releases.
Where to Eat and Drink in Notting Hill
10. Sunday in Brooklyn
I don’t usually don’t travel all the way abroad just to eat at an American restaurant, but my good friend, James (who lives in the Battersea area in London), recommended Sunday in Brooklyn for their gigantic pancakes during brunch.
I recommend making reservations for brunch because it gets crowded. I booked a reservation for 11 am, and I’m so glad I did so I wouldn’t have to wait! Even if I had to sit at the bar.
One thing you need to know is that the pancakes are MASSIVE and covered in maple praline sauce. Like, they fill a standard plate and are 1–2 inches thick.
I almost ordered a double stack, until the waiter asked me, “Are you sure? Just a single pancake is massive.” And he showed me how big the pancake was, pointing to someone eating it. I was floored by how huge it was and ended up ordering a single stack.
I will say it was fantastic, even if I didn’t end up finishing it!
11. Knoops
You’ve never heard of a custom gourmet hot chocolate bar, but that is exactly what Knoops is.
Knoops is a chain, located all across the UK (including Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland).
You start off ordering by picking what percentage of cocoa you want as your base. Anything with 35% or below is white chocolate. Between 35%–50% is a milk chocolate base, and when you order above anything 50%, you get dark milk chocolate.
While dairy milk is the standard, you can choose a variety of plant-based milks like oat, almond, soy, coconut, and hazelnut.
You can also add spices herbs, and fruits like sea salt, star anise, cinnamon, pepper, chilli, nutmeg, turmeric, rosemary, mint, lime, lavender, orange, ginger, and matcha. The options are endless!
And don’t forget to top off your drink with the large marshmallow!
The line at Knoops can get long since it’s around the corner from the Portobello Road Market, especially on Saturdays. But there’s a reason why it’s popular, because the drinks are delicious without being sickenly sweet, made with cacao beans from all over the world.
Each Knoops location also serves pastries; I got a cannoli to go along with my drink.
12. Badiani Gelato
If you’re craving a creamy, thick, frozen treat, you’ve got to make a stop at Badiani.
Badiani is an award-winning gelateria with locations all over the UK. But it actually originated in Florence in 1932, founded by Idilio Badiani, its namesake.
A few decades later, Oriazo Pomposi, an aspiring gelato master, moved to Florence to start his own business, which he eventually did. He became the gold standard for other aspiring gelato makers in Italy. In 1993, Idilio Badiani handed over Badiani Gelato to Oriazo and his sons Patrizio and Paolo.
Paolo leveled up Badiani to what it is today, producing high-quality, artisanal gelato. Eventually, Badiani started opening up locations in London in 2015.
13. Farina Pizzeria Napoletana
If you’re looking for mouthwatering Neapolitan pizza, look no further than Farina Pizzeria Napoletana, located right next to the Notting Hill Gate station.
They offer a variety of pizzas, including your classic Neapolitan (anchovies, olives, capers, mozzarella cheese, oregano, and olive oil), Margherita, calzone, quattro formaggi (four cheese), and many more.
Unfortunately, they only serve the whole pizza, and not by the slice. If you’re traveling solo, that’s a problem because most people can’t finish a whole pizza pie.
They do have other things though, like pasta and appetizers! I ordered the Tonnarelli alla carbonara, and it had a creamy, umami taste, especially with the guanciale (Italian pork made from pig’s cheek, which is usually in carbonara…NOT bacon). It paired well with my white wine!
14. The Churchill Arms
The Churchill Arms is known as London’s most decorated pub, often adorned with flowers, greenery, and festive lights and decorations around Christmas time.
The pub was renamed after Winston Churchill after World War II, and after it was discovered his grandparents frequented the pub in the 1800s. The walls have memorabilia dedicated to him all over.
This is not your average British pub; yes, they serve the typical drinks, yadda yadda. But don’t expect traditional British dishes like fish and chips or bangers and mash. The Churchill Arms exclusively serves Thai cuisine, and is the first pub in London to do so.
15. The Old Swan
If you’re looking for a cozy, but lively, traditional British pub (with a tiny bit of an American dive bar vibe), check out The Old Swan. It can get rowdy, especially when a game is on!
The Old Swan was right next to the apartment I stayed in, making it an easy location for dining and drinking. It’s also across the street from the Notting Hill Gate Station!
Food-wise, they serve your classic British fare like fish and chips (of course), steak and ale pie, Sunday roasts, sticky toffee pudding, and toasties. There are also a lot of American dishes like burgers, BLT sandwiches, BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, and wings.
Whatever you do, don’t get their nachos. I’m a nacho fiend, and coming from California where Mexican food abounds, I’m pretty picky about my nachos. So imagine my disappointment and underwhelming reaction to their nachos and “salsa” with all tang and no spice, and liquidy guacamole.
Order a British dish or at least a burger!
How to Get to Notting Hill
By Underground
If you’re taking London Underground, getting to Notting Hill is pretty easy. Depending on what line you’re on, you can exit on the Notting Hill Gate or the Ladbroke Grove Stations.
Ladbroke Grove Station is closer to Portobello Road Market, otherwise, it’s a 20-minute walk from Notting Hill Gate Station.
By Bus
There are a handful of bus stations by Notting Hill Gate Station:
| Bus Stops | Bus Numbers |
| G | 27, 28, 52, 328, 452, N27, N28, N31 |
| C | 27, 28, 52, 328, 452, N27, N28, N31 |
| H | 94, 148, N207 |
| B | 27, 28, 328, N27, N28, N31 |
| F | 70 |
| K | 27, 28, 52, 70, 328, 452, N27, N28, N31 |
| D | 31, 94, 148, N207 |
| E | 31, 94, 148, N207 |
For a list of the rest of the bus stops all over Notting Hill, visit Transport for London (or download the app on your phone!)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Notting Hill known for?
Notting Hill is the creative hub of London, and one of its wealthiest neighborhoods. Numerous celebrities live there, and you might be able to spot them. And Notting Hill has been featured in different movies like Notting Hill and Love Actually.
One of Notting Hill’s biggest attractions is the Portobello Road Market, where hundreds of stalls line up Portobello Road selling food, art, and antiques. The brick-and-mortar vintage shops are also buzzing when the market is on, especially during the weekend.
How much time do you need in Notting Hill?
I recommend spending at least half a day in Notting Hill, starting your morning on Sunday in Brooklyn (there’s also a Caffè Nero across the street for yummy lattes). Then walk or take a bus to Portobello Road Market, where you can window shop and get more food.
It’s a little bit of a walk (like a 25-minute walk), but Kensington Gardens is a few blocks away from Notting Hill. You can stroll around there and further into Hyde Park (which is also within walking distance to Harrod’s!).
Wrapping up the Best Things to do in Notting Hill
No matter how many times you’ve been to London, you’ve got to carve out time for Notting Hill. Or you can be like me and stay there, especially if you’re near the Notting Hill Gate or Ladbroke Grove Stations.
You’ll get a sense of London’s vibrant art scene in Notting Hill with filming locations from different movies, thriving art galleries, and rainbow-colored houses alongside murals from local artists.
While Portobello Road Market is not necessarily “off the beaten path”, it is less touristy than Camden and Borough Markets. You’ll find so many vintage goods and unique souvenirs to bring home.
Don’t forget to come hungry so you can indulge during your self-guided walking food tour!
Visiting London? Check out these posts to help plan your trip!
- A first-timer’s Guide to London
- How to visit Stonehenge and Bath from London
- How to visit the White Cliffs of Dover from London
- 5 Mistakes we made planning our trip to London and Paris
- Your Jolly Guide to London’s Covent Garden Christmas Market
- 9 Best London Christmas Lights Tours
Did you find this post helpful? Share it on Pinterest!
Hannah is a travel writer, graphic designer, and the founder/editor of Hannah on Horizon. She is based in Sacramento, California, living with her husband and two adorable dogs. She shares tips on how to experience luxury travel on any budget, and how to maximize time at each trip or destination, no matter what your budget or amount of vacation time at work. She enjoys making you feel like you have visited each destination with her through her storytelling and informative writing style.