
Area of London, England
Photo: Chris Whippet, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Notting Hill-North Kensington is a district in west London. Notting Hill is a popular destination for its lively market, gorgeous streetscapes, interesting history and diverse population. It has achieved a level of fame from the eponymously named Hugh Grant film (he actually does live here!), the world-famous Portobello Road market, and of course from the annual carnival.
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Originally the private garden of Holland House, much of which was destroyed in the London Blitz, Holland Park is a mixture of woodland, European and Japanese-style formal gardens and leisure facilities. It includes a large field dedicated to football and cricket, as well as tennis courts. As you walk around the park, you can see bits of the house 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 centre near the police station provides information about the ecology of the park and arranges various activities for children. There is a café in the park that sells ice creams and hot food. The park is a popular way to walk from Notting Hill to Kensington High Street.
A must for anyone with an interest in modern and contemporary design. The permanent exhibition follows the change in British homes from the early 20th century until present day, which is constantly updated to include new design classics. There are temporary exhibits which run for 3-4 months. The museum also runs Designer of the Year which awards a prize to a person or organisation that has produced an impressive piece of design. There is a small shop that has plenty of art and design books as well as designer goods to take home with you.
The former Victorian home of an artist Frederic (Lord) Leighton. While regarded as one of the finest examples of Victorian residential architecture, it's not the usual Neo-Gothic venue. The entrance rooms, especially the so-called Arabic Hall, look like an eclectic cross-breed between the Alhambra and Topkapı Palace. This may sound quite terrible, but surprisingly it works. While the rest of the building is less vividly decorated it's still designed rather well and displays some works by Lord Leighton himself and his fellow Pre-Raphaelites, but also a handful of works by Delacroix and Corot as well as a collection of some colourful pottery. Regular small exhibitions are held in the house's extension.
The Victorian residence of satirical cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne and his household, which is now open as a museum. The "aesthetic" interior design, preserved close to how the Sambournes would have kept it in 1899, features much Chinese and Middle Eastern-style furniture, art, and decorative schemes, along with a selection of Edward's cartoons, which typically ribbed the British establishment and its colonial-driven international relations.
A private residence which can only be seen from the street. Designed and built in a French neo-Gothic style by William Burges, it features a handsome cone-roofed tower. Legendary guitarist Jimmy Page has been the house's proud owner since he bought it from actor Richard Harris in 1972.
A blue plaque marks the house in which the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire lived in the 1880s.
A history of British consumer culture told through over 12,000 food packages, toys, advertisements, and consumer products. The centrepiece of the museum is the "time tunnel" that takes you through the decades from the Victorian era to the present day. Other exhibits cover innovations in packaging, personalised labels, the future of eco-friendly packaging, and how individual brands have changed over time, among other topics. The time tunnel takes about an hour or two, depending on how much time you spend looking at the details of all the items on display, and the other exhibits are much smaller. The gift shop has a mix of nostalgia-themed products and reusable items to reduce your use of plastic (which may be very welcome after seeing so much packaging!).
Although there has been a parish church on the site since the 13th century, the present building dates only from 1872. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott (perhaps most famous for St Pancras station and hotel), who was a parishioner, and it has the tallest church spire in London. Imposing and formidable, without necessarily being beautiful, it is nonetheless Grade II* listed.
A restored cinema 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.
Repertory/art-house cinema with a very varied programme.
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, attracts over a million people and is a great celebration of London's modern multicultural identity. What really gives it flavour is the large local Caribbean and Trinidadian population. This occurs in an almost circular route north of the Notting Hill, Westbourne Park and Ladbroke Grove areas. See Transport For London's website before you go as many tube stations are closed for the duration and bus routes diverted. Driving into the area is strongly discouraged - many streets are closed.
For a cheap lunch and to encounter traditional London food, this is a good place. For £4 you get a hot mince pie with mashed potatoes and liquor (a parsley sauce). It's good value and a place to be with the locals.
A Turkish restaurant
Buffet
Vegetarian/Vegan. Opened in 1971 - Still using the same Original Recipe.
Malaysian
Seafood
Japanese
Chinese
A branch of Endo in Shepherd's Bush, opened in 2021, serving Japanese standards.
Pan Asian food. Japanese-influenced restaurant with a stylish bar attached. Great cocktails.
A 2* Michelin restaurant, with exquisite dishes rustled up by talented Aussie chef Brett Graham. Features highly-by food critics, so don't expect cheap bites! Easy to drop £100 in here!.
Attached to the Electric Cinema this trendy brasserie is a good place for a drink before or after your movie. Very busy F Sa evenings especially.
Intimate and kitsch lounge bar, den and kitchen with the feel of a low rent, mid-1960s Los Angeles valley bachelor pad.
In a converted early Victorian building. 30 rooms on four storeys but no lift. Five minutes' walk to Notting Hill Gate and Portobello Rd.
Old converted Victorian building in a quiet square only 5 minutes from Notting Hill Gate. Single, double and family rooms.
Boutique hotel in a converted Victorian house and decorated in that period style. 22 rooms, no lift.
Buzzing hotel in Victorian knock-through, great comfort, style and service.
Stylish offbeat hotel in knock-through of two mansions. Some rooms are very small.
During the week this is the place to go to buy your fruit and veg but on Fridays and Saturdays there are hundreds of stalls selling clothes, antiques, jewellery and lots more.
Smart boutiques, food shops and outdoor cafes.
Great place to browse. Its other point of interest is that it was the inspiration for Hugh Grant's shop in the movie Notting Hill.
By bus
By train
Shepherd's Bush and Kensington Olympia are on the London Overground Mildmay line from Clapham Junction to Stratford and Richmond via Willesden Junction.
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