Find Out What’s Happening in Notting Hill for the Rest of the Year

The Notting Hill area of London is famous, above all else, for the annual Notting Hill Carnival. This takes place every August Bank holiday weekend and is the largest street festival in Europe. Millions of people come to enjoy a weekend of partying, delicious food and drink, traditional Calypso and reggae music and a parade with colourful floats made by local people. The truth, however, is that if you book into a hotel such as the London Premier Notting Hill, as detailed at theshaftsbury.co.uk, you’ll find lots to see and do at any time of the year.

The area is well served by transport links, with the Holland Park Tube and the Notting Hill Gate Tube allowing access to the London Underground and with it the chance to explore the rest of London, whilst the nearest mainline station is London Paddington. Even if you don’t actually feel like travelling far and wide, however, there is plenty to do within easy walking distance and the picturesque architecture of the area means that getting around on foot is an interesting and pleasant experience.  Bargain hunters should make it a priority to head to Portobello Road, particularly on a Saturday when the many boutique and independent shops in the area are augmented by a huge antique market. With stalls on the pavement and road stretching out for almost a kilometre, this is the perfect place to pick up a bargain and find a gift or souvenir which is genuinely unique. For shopping of a more traditional kind, head for the Westfield Shopping Centre. 

This architecturally stunning shopping mall contains over 300 stores selling every kind of product imaginable, from high street fashion to electrical goods. For shoppers with more expensive and exclusive tastes the area of the mall known as The Village is where you’ll find upmarket designer brands such as Burberry, Prada and Jimmy Choo. It’s not all about shopping, either, since the centre is also home to 65 eateries selling food from all over the world, and a state of the art 14 screen cinema.

A little bit of perspective on the world of shopping and commerce can be gained from a trip to the Museum of Brands and Packaging, a unique museum containing over 12,000 items chronicling the history of consumer design.  For visitors from around the world this represents a fascinating overview of the way in which tastes and image have changed, whereas, for British people, it presents an irresistible trip down memory lane. 

Notting Hill is renowned as being a vibrant hub for the world of art and culture. Galleries such as Beverley Knowles Fine Art and Salon Contemporary, showcase the best in contemporary art, giving visitors the chance to take a look at the work of artists who might go on to be the superstars of tomorrow.

For a truly unusual night out in Notting Hill, try going along to Supperclub, a unique restaurant cum nightclub at which the guests recline on large white beds whilst eating delicious food and watching cabaret performances.