Add a review about Portobello Road Market

This name is known to many, and it's not surprising: Portobello Road Market - one of the largest antiques markets in Europe and the largest in Britain, this one fact alone would have been enough for fame. But, in addition, there is also the film "Notting Hill" with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in the lead roles, after which the rental of Notting Hill was revealed to everyone.

Portobello Road Market - the main event in Notting Hill, although it takes place only once a week, on Saturdays. This is, accordingly, the antiques market in Portobello Road.

How it works

The market is organized very simply. Portobello Road - a narrow, long, crooked street, on both sides entirely built up with antique shops. Most often these are not normal stores, namely shops - close, dusty and full of junk alleys. Some shops are divided into counters: that is, one large hall, partitioned into sections as necessary, in each small compartment - its owner. Some shops are specialized - only antique books, only antique clocks, only antique cards, etc.

In addition to shops, tables appear on Saturdays and right on the street. On such improvised counters everything is usually stacked, that the seller managed to find: books, toys, dishes, ornaments - in short, everything.

The most frequent tourist question with reference to this part of the market: "And this antiques - is it real? "We answer: basically - yes.

This system works very simply. An antiques dealer is looking for antiques, buying, cleaning, restoring (if necessary), and once a week selling what he could find on the market.

The place is very busy, the trade is extremely active, and the existence of this market did not undermine even the appearance of the Ebay site, on which also sell old and antique things - it's bad to buy antiques without looking.

The market is divided into parts. The main part, the one closest to the Notting Hill metro station, is occupied by antiques, in the middle part they sell cheap and not the most high-quality clothes of Chinese or Indian production, and the furthest part is given to a magnificent fruit and vegetable market.

Parts of the market

So, the first part, antique. Sell ​​here antique or just old items (in the sense, old enough to become interesting), very different - from buttons to books. There are also dishes, bags, glass, porcelain, magazines, cutlery, ornaments, copper, brass and tin items - kettles, pots, etc., in general, you can find almost any object of use, everyday or not.

Here they also sell new products - jewelry, every little thing (scarves, gloves, bags, something else), but in general, there is nothing serious about the new.

The most frequent tourist question with reference to this part of the market: "Is this antiques real? "Answer: basically yes.

Britain was bombed a lot during the last war, but fighting on the island itself has not been for several centuries. Therefore, forging antiques here is a thankless task: the present is complete in almost any English home - such a high level of safety.

New subjects usually immediately show that they are new, and if in doubt - ask the seller what year the thing, they usually answer the truth .

The second part - with clothes and weight of every difference: cosmetics, household chemicals and other nonsense. Prices are usually low, goods from Asia, good quality does not have to wait, but it is much better than what is on the markets in Russia. There are exceptions - if you have enough patience, you can find something nice.

The third part is the fruit and vegetable market. Very high quality, but with fairly cheap goods. It is here that famous chefs and movie stars go shopping - in this movie "Notting Hill" did not lie. The quality is high, the choice is excellent, the prices are low. Quite a lot of good English agricultural products from farms, and almost all Britons work here.

By the way, about quality. The market, in addition to the general standard administration, has its own, which checks the quality and which, in fact, allows (or does not allow) people to trade here. Therefore, fruits and vegetables, and other products (even perishable), and street food can be bought peacefully: usually all fresh, hygienically safe and well cooked. There are a lot of street food, all of it, as a rule, is not bad, the choice is huge, you can try a lot of national cuisines.

It should be noted that many traders accept only cash, that there are customs restrictions on the export and import of antiques, and the main problem of the market - on Saturdays there is always very, very crowded: the flow of people is dense, it is impossible to walk comfortably. The place is definitely not suitable for visiting with the child - punch both him and you, just from the crowdedness.

How to get here

To get here, you need to get on the metro to the station "Notting Hill", get outside from the metro and turn off at Pembridge road - she is at the station right away. Portobello Road moves away from it slightly to the side, but you can not go wrong - just follow the flow of people, they all go there.

What to buy

What to buy? The choice is huge. You can buy something interesting - antique, which will decorate the house, you can do something pleasant for yourself, or you can - a very good, interesting and original gift. The only thing - do not forget about customs restrictions.

In terms of antiques - this place is among those where serious collectors also go.

There are several almost unbeatable options.

The first option is an antique book. Just old books cost from 3 GBP, antiques on average 20-30 GBP.

The second option is a tea pair (a cup and a saucer). Very English thing. You can have a new one, you can have an antique, a Victorian, for example. The cost is from 10 GBP.

The third option is a small antique object: a small copper kettle, a candlestick or something else.

The fourth option is an inexpensive funny costume jewelry. The choice is big, you can buy by kilograms.

The fifth option is some music that is hard to find. There are all formats - starting with phonograph records, the price is from 5 GBP.

Also at the end of the walk you can buy fruits, homemade olive oil, rare spices - or something else. Some of the counters sell tourist souvenirs, but not much - they are not allowed to enter the large quantities of the market administration already mentioned.

Saturday at Portobello Road

Around the Market

Notting Hill as a whole - beautiful, quiet, green and a very prosperous region, populated mainly by a wealthy artistic people. The main specialization of the area is antiques, there are many offices of the most serious antique dealers - those who work through Sotheby's and Christie auctions, selling furniture of the era of Queen Elizabeth and Monet's painting for many, many millions. It's nice to just walk around, a lot of good cafes and restaurants (more expensive than the average in the city), small "author's" stores (also quite expensive) and squares.


All prices are for summer 2014