Notting Hill attracts thousands of visitors each year; it is home to Portobello Market, one of the most renowned markets in the world. Famous for appearing in films such as Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Paddington Bear and most famously, Hugh Grant’s Notting Hill featuring Julia Roberts. Visitors come to Portobello Road to see this colourful market as well as explore the streets in search of the famous blue door. 

The world famous Notting Hill blue door is the second door on Westbourne Park Road, number 280. As you stroll through Portobello Road, you will reach what is now a Starbucks on the corner of Westbourne park road and Portobello Road. The second door, a large blue door with tall white columns on each side is the famous door from the film. You will surely find other visitors congregating on the corner, map in hand, looking for it so that they can snap that signature shot standing in front of the door. Once you have seen it and recalled that scene from the film, you can head around the corner to find the film’s other popular landmarks.

Well, the bookshop is another matter. Many people take photos outside the blue travel bookshop on Blenheim Crescent. However, this is not the book shop from the film. It’s an easy mistake to make as it fits the description and is a very pretty little bookshop which has a traditional and quaint feel. The book shop from the film no longer exists, if ever it was a bookshop, this is why so many people pass it by. The location of the shop featured in the film is number 142 Portobello Road. It has a sign above the name of the shop, and one on the side wall with the title: ‘The Travel Bookshop.’ From the front, it is now a souvenir shop and resembles little from the décor in the actual film. It’s just a nice little fact to know, so grab a photo with the sign and head down the road to the Notting Hill bookshop for a real book shop selfie. And if in doubt, ask a local, a market trader or a Notting Hill estate agent to point you in the right direction!

As I stand on Portobello road, waiting for my 2.30 appointment to arrive, I observe the steady flow of excited faces as they finally find the right door. As local estate agents, we spend a fair amount of time walking to and from properties, and it seems to be a frequent question asked in many different accents:

“Where is the blue door from the film Notting Hill?”

“Do you know where to find the book shop from the film Notting Hill? “

Pointing them in the right direction, they hurry excitedly in the direction of the Notting Hill Film landmarks. Thoughts trail off to city breaks where that has been me, running eagerly towards a sight of my interests. I smile as I fumble around in my bag for the keys to the next property, a smart two-bedroom flat for rent, in a prime Notting Hill location.

Once you have had your photo fill, Portobello has a wide range of foods, depending on the day you choose to visit, Friday and Saturday markets offer a colourful choice of street foods. Portobello caters to all tastes, from Italian to Caribbean, and Spanish tapas. If you have a sweet tooth, you can enjoy a gorgeous cupcake from Hummingbird, famous for its amazing red velvet cupcake. Notting Hill has a vast range of cafes to choose from, where you can watch the world go by and soak up some the atmosphere that is portrayed in so many movies. You can find a selection of great places to eat in Notting Hill here