Next time you’re shopping at Oxford Street in London, take the 94 bus and get off at Notting Hill to experience retail therapy of a very different kind. Portobello Market, originally an antiques market, is one of the world’s most eclectic bazaars, where you’ll never know what to expect next.
The location was the setting for the movies ‘Mary Poppins‘ and ‘Notting Hill’ – the candy colored buildings flanking the streets, the crowded arcades and the stalls with knickknacks from all over the world are part of its charm, but its the ambience of the place that’ll make you want to come back again and again.
Though it’s a hot tourist spot and an annual carnival venue, Portobello Market is still frequented by a species you might miss anywhere else in London – actual Londoners, who still come here, especially on Saturdays to stock up on organic, fresh farm produce sold at very reasonable prices.
From antique maps, silverware, crockery and jewelry, to clocks and mirrors, model airplanes and cars, there’s a whole cornucopia of exciting stuff to look for, to haggle over (bargaining is the order of the day) and to actually take home. You’re sure to find a prize you’ll look at fondly years after your visit, long after all the ‘branded purchases’ have worn out their welcome.