Portobello Road Notting Hill West London

Portobello Road, Notting Hill, West London

Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district of London. Every Saturday, it is home to the Portobello Road Market, one of London’s most famous street markets.

Portobello Road Market is known for its second-hand clothing and antique dealers. There are also fruit and vegetable stalls in the market (see below), and these stalls are open throughout the week.

Fruit and veg stall at Portobello Market

History

Portobello Road was built in the Victorian era. Before around 1850, Portobello Road was just a country lane connecting Portobello Farm with what is today Notting Hill. The Portobello Road Market began as a fresh-food market in the 19th century. Dealers of antiques began selling their wares there in the late 1940s and 50s. In addition to the market and every August since 1996, the Portobello Film Festival has been held in locations around Portobello Road.

Portobello Market, London

Notting Hill – a Diverse Community

Apart from the market’s influence, Portobello Road’s unique atmosphere stems from the diverse communities inhabiting the nearby area as well as the many restaurants and pubs in the area. The role of architecture cannot be understated as the street curves gracefully along most of its length. Victorian-era terraced houses and shops squeezed tightly together make for an intimate and attractive streetscape.

The Portobello Road, Notting Hill, West London

Visitors to Portobello Road may also want to visit the nearby Travel Bookshop or one of the many other London attractions such as the London Eye or Buckingham Palace.

Access – Getting There

Ladbroke Grove (Circle and Hammersmith & City lines) and Notting Hill (Central, Circle & District lines) are the nearest tube stations to Portobello Road. Holland Park is also convenient. Numerous London buses run close to the market. These include the numbers 27, 28, 52, 238, 452 as well as the night buses N27, N28, and N31 at Notting Hill Gate Station. The 52 and 452 go along Portobello Road itself. At Ladbroke Grove Station the following buses also stop, 7, 23, 52, 70, 228, 452, and N7.