Portobello

Portobello is a road in Notting Hill in London which is widely popular for being a market area. London's Portobello Road houses the largest antiques market of the world. Portobello in London is also famous as it hosts the annual Portobello Film Festival. The Portobello Market is a popular tourist destination of London too.

Initially Portobello used to be a farm named after Puerto Bello. Gradually shops, street markets and houses started coming up. Many pubs and arcades selling antiques also opened at Portobello. The place today has become so popular that it was also pictured in one of the movies named Notting Hill.

The Portobello road in London was built in the era of Queen Victoria and was previously a lane that used to connect the Portobello farm with the Kensal Green and the Notting Hill. There are various sections of the Portobello market which make it easier for the tourists and visitors to search for their desired goods. The market has been divided into:

• Antiques Section
• New Goods
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Second Hand Goods
• Fashion Market

The best way to reach Portobello Market is by tube. Notting Hill Gate Station is the nearest tube station and from there it would take about five minutes to reach the market place of Portobello. The tourists can also avail buses to reach the destination. Buses to Portobello can be accessed from Hyde Park

Corner, Oxford Street, Victoria, and Kensington High Street. The buses 7, 12,23,27,28,31,52,70 and 328 would take the passengers to Portobello. The visitors can also reach the place by either cars or taxis.

Saturday is the major trading day at Portobello Market and there are some shops that are open in the weekdays too. A wide range of antiques are at sale in the market. The antique stalls at Portobello market starts from Chepstow Villas and after crossing Portobello Road these continue to stretch till the crossing of Portobello Road and Elgin Crescent.

Apart from shops and stalls there are several food joints in the Portobello road. Some of the pubs and restaurants at Portobello Street are:

• Earl of Lonsdale
• Portobello Gold
• Market Bar
• Electric Cinema

There are some hotels near Portobello Road market where the tourists can put up during their visit. Some of the hotels are:

• Comfort Inn Notting Hill
• Abbey Court Hotel
• Hyde Park West Hotel
• Travel House
• Blue Bells
• Bayswater Inn