Earlier, Notting Hill was located in the county of Middlesex which was a very small village that constituted a part of rural land. The amount of mud that was dug in the area gave rise to Pottery activities. This was followed by a series of developments in the area which were named after the people who contributed the most towards them financially. Then, what was witnessed was this area being converted into a racecourse for horses which did not turn out to be fruitful as the mud there was loose and couldn’t support this.
A lot of developments took place in the area and it was developed into a very Porsche suburb to invite the elite groups to stay. Notting Hill in London seemed very inviting to people from the Mediterranean, Portuguese, Spanish as well as Moroccan descents to come and settle. The residential buildings consist of open spaces, avant-garde architecture, grand terraces and gardens on the porches making this area extremely desirable. This was a turning point for Notting Hill London where traditional shops were replaced by international chain stores like Starbucks and it took its turn of being called a Metropolitan area.
This area of Notting Hill London is actually a road on the west side which goes up to the Kensal Green area. During the annual Notting Hill Carnival, it serves as the main route with crowds gathered to celebrate the festival in harmony. It is named after James Well Ladbroke who developed the estate with the same name. It was originally a rural area and has even featured in one of Charles Dickens works.
Notting Hill Gate used to earlier serve as a tolling place and till date serve as a great example of the architecture of the post-Victorian era. Today, however, the area around the gate has made a name for itself. There is a posh atmosphere with antique stores lined up on either side with extremely well look-after gardens that seem manicured to their last bits. Two of the city’s most well renowned cinemas; the Coronet and the Gate are also situated here.
Notting Hill London is covered with roads from North to South. Located parallel to Ladbroke market; it has the best known market in all of London. The Portobello Film Festival has been organized at various locations on this road since 1996 and several cinephiles and movie buffs come from all over to discuss and enjoy this world of cinema.
This is a road that is lined up with retail shops and is considered a haven for shopaholics. Several celebrities also head here for shopping at exquisite boutiques or from the creme de la creme of florists. It is considered a major center of Greater London and has been called names like ‘fashionable’ and ‘up-and-coming’ by several magazines too. Ever since Notting Hill London got featured, several designers and retailers set up their stores in this area.
This is a residential area and is named so because of a small stream present there; called a bourne. It used to be a very small building and has been developed a lot in recent years due to the major developments around it like the Canals and the Railways. This residential area has two major drinking places that are very much famous among the millennials. These are ‘The Cow’ and ‘The Westbourne’ where you must head out for a drink or two when in Notting Hill in London.
It is considered one of the most prominent areas of Notting Hill London and its shot to fame was getting featured in the film ‘Notting Hill’. Once infamous for slum housing, this area now has several people living under social rental housing. It is also considered the most cosmopolitan area of the world due to the variety of people from different backgrounds and ethnicities who come and decide to live here.
Location: Notting Hill, London, W11, UK
Timings: Open 24 hours
Best Time To Visit: The best time to visit the Notting Hill area of London are the months from May to October with a very pleasant weather without humidity and precipitation making it ideal for traveling.