Bayswater is perfect in terms of its location and close proximity to Hyde Park, but Notting Hill is definitely somewhere you have to go at least once during your visit in London if you want to feel what the city truly is like.

We have put together a short guide to the hidden and not-so-hidden cool things to do there.

The Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising

2 Colville Mews, Lonsdale Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 2AR

The Brands Museum is small, cozy and more of a time machine than anything museum-like. It traces the evolution of hundreds (if not thousands) of the global brands that we all know over a long period of time (from Victorian times until the present day!). Those of you who are sensitive and nostalgia prone may find themselves walking down the memory lane, because your minds will be heavily stimulated by colours and images which will certainly take you back in time. This place is also highly recommendable for anyone who works in the field of branding, marketing or graphic design. Either way, it is a fun place to visit before heading to one of the bars nearby for an evening cocktail or dinner.

Street Art by Banksy

Corner of Acklam Road and Portobello Road, Notting Hill

In case you have not heard his name so far, Banksy is an England – based graffiti artist, whose satirical street art is now changing hands for impressive amounts of money. His work often tries to convey strong messages of social and political character and it is mostly done in the signature stenciling technique. Banksy does not sell photos of street graffiti directly himself; but art dealers have been known to attempt to sell his street art on location and leave the problem of its removal in the hands of the winning bidder.
Hurry up and snap yourself next to this one until it is not too late!

The London West Bank Gallery

118 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RR

The other thing that the area is evidently rich of, apart of the brightly coloured houses, is art galleries. Money and creativity, a signature fusion for Notting Hill, have fostered a flourishing colony of art dealers. There is almost always something going on in the West Bank Gallery and the walls outside of it are covered in art works that change every now than then.

Portobello Road Market

Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London

There is so much that can be said for Portobello Road Market, that we will have to devote an entire post to the topic in an attempt to cover it all – from the posh boutiques and grand houses of Westbourne Grove, all the way to the more gritty Golborne Road, with a dizzying fall through many strata of London life on the way. There is a little piece of London  there for everyone. Mind you, it does get very crowded on sunny weekend days, but this is also when one can truly feel the vibe of the market.

• Kensington Church Street

Kensington Church Street, Notting Hill, London

The street that ‘formally’ connects Notting Hill and Kensington has a lot to offer. Littered with antique shops, The Kensington Wine Rooms (yes, the same we already wrote for in our Wine Bars post), The Churchill Arms pub and a number of nice restaurants, it is a truly good blend of finest London scents. Not to mention that it is minutes away from the Kensington Palace and Hyde Park.

• Holland Park

Ilchester Place Notting Hill London W8

The park used to be the grounds of the Jacobean-era Cope Castle, a large mansion hidden in the woods which has now become Holland House. There are 22 hectares of gardens and open woodland here, along with a café, sports areas and children’s play areas, and in the summer there are various activities, including Opera in the Park. There is even more – the park contains an orangery, a giant chess set, a cricket pitch, tennis courts, a Japanese garden, and (impressively for a London park) peacocks.