• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Culture / The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in Notting Hill

The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in Notting Hill

Apr 26, 2016 By John Rabon

Colourful houses in Notting Hill district of London, UK

Notting Hill’s name is so old that there is apparently no exact source for it.  Found within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, what was once a largely working-class part of London has given way to the upper middle-class.  In the modern day, the area has become synonymous with the film written by Richard Curtis and starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts that uses Notting Hill as both its title and location.  If you find yourself in the neighbourhood, you may discover that there is more to do than just searching for that famous blue door.

The Notting Hill Carnival

Depositphotos_52137581_l-2015

The Notting Hill Carnival is a two-day celebration of West Indian and Asian cultures.  Hosted in August rather than the traditional carnival season before Lent, you can still find everything you’d expect to see in Brazil or New Orleans as the streets fill with food, music, and a costumed parade.  This year will celebrate the Carnival’s 50th anniversary.  Be sure to plan your trip in advance as the logistics of such a large festival can have a big impact on the area, shutting down certain stations and putting others on an odd schedule.

The Museum of Brands

1960stoys_222718c

Unless you’ve been living on a homestead somewhere making your own everything, chances are that you’ve purchased a brand-name product in your lifetime.  The Museum of Brands, Packaging, and Advertising is dedicated to what it says on the tin, having been founded with the private collection of consumer historian Robert Opie in 1984.  The museum offers tours, workshops, exhibits, and fun craft sessions that are appealing to children and adults.  What’s more, when you get done going through the museum, you can spend money on the museum’s own brands in the gift shop or volunteer to help others learn more about consumer marketing.

Electric Cinema

portobello_5

One of the city’s oldest cinemas, the Electric Cinema has lost none of its charm since it opened in 1910.  Today, it sports a smaller screen that was common of the time (though wider screens can be set up for more modern films), leather chairs, sofas, and a bar for thirsty filmgoers.  The interior architecture and design has been greatly preserved as befitting its nature as a Grade II listed building.  The building also plays host to Electric House, a private members club and restaurant.  Memberships are very easy to acquire, so don’t be afraid to try.

The Bankrobber Gallery

ION-bankrobber-gallery

If you walk down the streets of London or take one of the street art tours available, you might have the opportunity to see a modern classic by Banksy, Eine, Herakut, and more.  If you want to visit a place where you’ll be guaranteed to catch some of their works, the Bankrobber Gallery is the place for you.  The gallery exhibits street art as well as edgier pieces, such as Pete Dohrety’s blood paintings in 2007.  In addition to presenting street art, gallery owners Robin Barton and Michael Woodhead sell original art and prints as well as attempting to preserve other works before irate building owners can wipe them away.

Portobello Market

DSC00849

Perhaps the biggest draw to Notting Hill on a regular basis is the Portobello Market, which takes place on Portobello Road on Friday and Saturday, though smaller markets take place occasionally throughout the week.  You can find just about anything and everything in the market stalls or the shops that line the road.  Be sure to walk the entire kilometer to find some of the best deals, which can be at stalls further up and away from the crowds.  Speaking of crowds, insiders say the best time to go is in the morning when the market opens at 10 to avoid the worst of it and give yourself time and space to wander.  Also be sure to arrive with plenty of cash as the one cashpoint is guaranteed to have quite a long queue.

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Culture, Featured, Guides, Shopping, Tips, Travel

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maggie says

    Apr 29, 2016 at 12:52 am

    Great things to do in Notting hill…. Thanks for sharing such a useful content

  2. Valeria Prado says

    Mar 18, 2017 at 8:07 am

    Love notting hill, so the article was interesting for me, next time there, I’ll visit the gallery, thanks!

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • V&A set to open first major UK exhibition on Renaissance sculptor Donatello
  • Ten National Trust Properties in London
  • What’s On in London Events for February 2023
  • Only Fools And Horses musical to close in West End after four years
  • Artist Ai Weiwei to launch first design-focused exhibition at London’s Design Museum
  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in