Desirable London neighborhoods, and West London neighborhoods in particular, are known for their Victorian houses with attractive terraces, high-end shopping and restaurants.

West London is home to 1.6 million people, and has a contemporary reputation as a fashionable area. Notting Hill neighborhoods include Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill Gate, Portobello Road, Westbourne Grove, and North Kensington.

Ladbroke Grove is a road in the northern part of Notting Hill, stretching up to Kensal Green. Ladbroke Grove tube station is the area’s main transport, called Notting Hill from its opening in 1864 until 1919. The name was changed to avoid confusion with the new Notting Hill Gate station.

Notting Hill Gate is named after a turnpike gate that was constructed at the foot of the hill on the main road from London to Uxbridge. The gate was there to prevent people from passing along the road without paying. The proceeds were used to maintain this important road, and the gate was removed in the 19th century.

Portobello Road runs almost the entire length of Notting Hill from north to south and is parallel to Ladbroke Grove. It is home of the Portobello Road Market, known as one of the world’s largest antiques markets.

Westbourne Grove is a road running across Notting Hill from Kensington Park Road in the west to Queensway in the east, crossing over Portobello Road. It is home to both independent and chain retail stores, and by some is considered fashionable and up-and-coming. The central part of Westbourne Grove is used during the Notting Hill Carnival.

North Kensington is the premier neighborhood of Notting Hill. It is where the Notting Hill Carnival started, where most of the scenes in the film, Notting Hill were shot, and where most of the violence of the race riots occurred in the 1950s. North Kensington was once well-known for its slum housing, but property prices have soared in recent years.