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I am a bonafide Londoner which sometimes means I detest places that tourists flock to in my city. Maps and cameras in hand they tend to be irritatingly a pace or two behind the average walking speed of the slowest Londoner. They tend to clog up pavements and seem to wear permanent smiles which us, dreadfully harassed and depressed Londoners could barely manage. Perhaps the drip drip rain and dark days have finally managed to alter our DNA into a fine collective of moaners and whingers.
It was, therefore, with much trepidation that I allowed myself to be seduced by a hot summer’s day to step out into the world of non-Londoners in my city. The original plan was to head into central London, Oxford street, to indulge in my hobby – street photography. However, about half an hour after the bus 31 headed off from Camden town, I noticed a throng of what looked like holiday makers as I got into Notting Hill, West London. I knew Portobello road market was close by even though I had never been there.
I took a deep breath, got off the bus at the next stop, bought a bottle of coke which cost a fortune and started to tail the crowd. I was certain they’d lead me to Portobello road and they did.
As I walked onto the road I whipped out my camera and slowly began to be distracted by the architecture and multi coloured facades of Notting Hill leading into Portobello road proper.
I was in Notting Hill after all, a tiny corner of London made famous by Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in the film Notting Hill. I did eventually catch sight of that famous bookshop.
My first snap on Portobello Road was of the vintage car (below) parked in front of a resident’s house. For a moment or two Cuba, the home of functioning vintage cars, did cross my mind. Portobello road of course is not nearly as old as Cuba, if you believe Cuba was “discovered” by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Portobello road came into existence in 1740. Up until then the road was called Green street.
There is an apparent structure to this famous road market that is noteworthy.
Portobello Road Market opening times
09:00 AM – 6:00 PM Mondays To Wednesdays 09:00 AM – 1:00 PM Thursdays 09:00 AM – 7:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays.
Fridays – second busiest market day
Southern part of the Portobello road – Antiques market Mid way through Portobello road – Food and Fashion markets Northern part of the Portobello road – vintage clothing & bric-a-brac markets Golborne Road – bric-a-brac, furniture and food markets
Saturdays – Busiest market day
Full street market on Portobello green, Westbourne grove and Goldborne road. Antiques, bric-à-brac, food, clothing, furniture, home furnishings and many more can be found from the southern tip to the northern tip of Portobello road.
Sundays
Some vintage clothing and bric-a-brac can be found but generally quieter.
Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Fruit and veg, food and on a smaller scale the stalls that open on Fridays should keep the punters busy.
Thursday
Portobello market closes by 1pm on Thursdays.
London street markets are my playground. From Camden street food market to Brick Lane street food market and a whole lot in between, the food and things to see are simply what gets tourists flying into London. Portobello road market, however, I soon discovered, is in a league of its own. The sheer scale of the market (especially) on a Saturday was overwhelming.
10 memorable experiences of this road market has probably been permanently etched on my memory.
List of my 10 Portobello road market experiences (click on the links for an in depth coverage)
[…] hours, all of it on my feet, was a long time to spend at the Portobello road market. Even though every minute was worth it, it came a point when I had to be fed and watered. With a […]
[…] style and fashion were everywhere on this famous street. Never mind perusing any of the markets, you could make a day out of just admiring fashionistas as they waltzed and sauntered on their […]
[…] fruit and veg section at Portobello road market is right after the antiques and bric-a-brac section as you go down hill. It is an iconic market […]
[…] Portobello road market attracts people from all corners of the globe and one of the most iconic sections of the market is the food section as well as the fruit and veg section. These two sections are the focal points of the Lone Bicycle photo essay project, a photo essay that curates lone bicycles near eateries. This series focuses on the Portobello road, Elgin crescent, All Saints road and Kensignton park road. All these roads are usually filled with folks enjoying the delights that the world famous Portobello road market has to offer. […]
[…] Westway to Golborne Road at the Portobello road market is where the second hand goods and car boot sales section is located. This is also the section that […]
[…] street performers ranging from musicians to others entertaining the crowd for a few pounds. At the Portobello road market, I was amused by one who just played rock songs on his stereo as he mimed and played air guitar. He […]
[…] I have to warn you the trip up in the escalators is not for the feint hearted. Perhaps coming down needed even more courage as the escalator moved at what seemed like breakneck speed from the 40th floor to ground zero. Given, this was a sunny day we headed to London’s famous Portobello Road…….. […]
[…] London. Below is a selection of some of them from a selection of places including the South Bank, Portobello Road market, London’s Spitalfields market and at the Nottinghill […]
[…] Antiques section of Portobello road market begins from Chepstow villas to Elgin. This section must also pass as perhaps the biggest collection […]
[…] hours, all of it on my feet, was a long time to spend at the Portobello road market. Even though every minute was worth it, it came a point when I had to be fed and watered. With a […]
[…] style and fashion were everywhere on this famous street. Never mind perusing any of the markets, you could make a day out of just admiring fashionistas as they waltzed and sauntered on their […]
[…] fruit and veg section at Portobello road market is right after the antiques and bric-a-brac section as you go down hill. It is an iconic market […]
[…] Portobello road market attracts people from all corners of the globe and one of the most iconic sections of the market is the food section as well as the fruit and veg section. These two sections are the focal points of the Lone Bicycle photo essay project, a photo essay that curates lone bicycles near eateries. This series focuses on the Portobello road, Elgin crescent, All Saints road and Kensignton park road. All these roads are usually filled with folks enjoying the delights that the world famous Portobello road market has to offer. […]
[…] Westway to Golborne Road at the Portobello road market is where the second hand goods and car boot sales section is located. This is also the section that […]
[…] street performers ranging from musicians to others entertaining the crowd for a few pounds. At the Portobello road market, I was amused by one who just played rock songs on his stereo as he mimed and played air guitar. He […]
[…] Seen in Notting Hill, London whilst touring the Portobello road market […]
[…] I have to warn you the trip up in the escalators is not for the feint hearted. Perhaps coming down needed even more courage as the escalator moved at what seemed like breakneck speed from the 40th floor to ground zero. Given, this was a sunny day we headed to London’s famous Portobello Road…….. […]
[…] London. Below is a selection of some of them from a selection of places including the South Bank, Portobello Road market, London’s Spitalfields market and at the Nottinghill […]
[…] Seen at the Portobello Road MarketSeen at the Portobello Road Market […]