Notting Hill…where the pubs are bright, the Aussie service fantastic and every street’s ready for a close up.

London’s most photogenic neighbourhood really does live up to the rom-com movie hype – pastel hues, cobbled mews, and enough Instagram moments to red-line your phone’s staying power.

Hello, lovely readers,

We’re in Portobello Road for the markets – I mean, who can beat Hugh Grant’s life depicted via four seasons’ worth of stroll through those markets, huh? Cinematic genius right there. But I digress. After a quick once over, the boys toddle off to a bright yellow pub to toast an Aussie nephew crafting a ‘fund my travel’ beer pulling career in the quaint pubs of London, while I immerse myself in streets filled with colour and charm, but with a surprising act of rebellion. Here’s a guide to the best of Notting Hill’s most colourful corners:

1. Portobello Road – The Big One

Portobello’s the beating heart of Notting Hill – part market, part movie set, part technicolour daydream, an ode to 60’s rebellion. We are here on a Saturday, a prime market day best avoided if you’re here for the houses, try sunset instead – the whole street glows. And don’t forget to duck down the side mews… that’s where the magic hides.

2. St Luke’s Mews – The Love Actually One

Yes, that pink house. Yes, that mews. Yes, the one from Love Actually. St Luke’s Mews is a postcard come to life – cobblestones, candy-coloured façades, and the kind of quiet charm that makes you want to move in immediately. Mews houses were once stables… now they’re some of the most coveted (and cutest) homes in London.

3. Lancaster Road – Crayons on Steroids

If pastel isn’t punchy enough for you, Lancaster Road brings the bold. Head to the stretch near Portobello Road for houses painted in unapologetically loud colours – yellows, blues, greens, the whole rainbow. Just watch the traffic while you snap… London buses don’t slow down for Instagram.

4. Colville Terrace – Colour With Attitude

Start at the Portobello end for the dramatic trio: periwinkle, tomato red, and brilliant blue. Wander further along and the colours soften into dreamy pastels. When you need a recharge, pop into Ottolenghi (Ledbury Road) for pastries that should come with warning labels!

5. Elgin Crescent – Easter Eggs in a Row

Every house here looks like it’s dressed for spring –  soft pinks, baby blues, buttery yellows, all lined up in a storybook row from the 1800s. Even Boris Johnson once lived here (feel free to skip that fun fact when taking photos). Finish your stroll with a cocktail at Trailer Happiness – a retro tiki bar that’s as colourful as the street outside.

When the Pastels Fight Back

Not everyone in Notting Hill is thrilled about becoming the backdrop to the world’s Instagram feed. A few locals – understandably over the daily parade of influencers, tripods, and “Can you just take one more?” requests – have taken matters into their own paintbrushes. Literally.

In a quiet rebellion against stoop-squatters and selfie-seekers, some homeowners have repainted their iconic pastel façades black. The message? “No photo here, darling – move along.” Can’t blame them, really. When your front step appears in 10,000 Reels a week, even the prettiest pink can lose its charm.

With phone battery sucked dry, I finally make my way back, sans Google Maps, thanks to the boy’s vibrant yellow pub glowing like a beacon in the early evening sun, and slip gratefully onto a stool just as our Aussie friend slips an ice-cold G&T into my hands and whispers – on the house mate!

Notting Hill is the kind of place that reminds you London really is one giant, glorious film set – a neighbourhood where you can paint your house, your door, or the family dog whatever colour your heart desires, and no one bats an eyelid. It’s also where our Aussie kids, carving out their lives in this big, wide world, show London exactly what good service should look like.

All in all? A fabulous, joy-soaked spot to toast our very last day in this fine city. Honestly, could there be a better finale?