Why Portobello Road is one of the most beautiful streets in the world

London’s Portobello Road is undeniably beautiful. Back in 2022, it was named one of the most beautiful streets in the world by House and Garden.

The lifestyle magazine placed the iconic street in Notting Hill as number 44 in its list of picturesque roads.

The magazine ranked the bustling market street amongst some of the world’s most Instagrammable spots including Rue de l’Abreuvoir in Paris, Aldama Street in San Miguel De Allende, Mexico and Tetsugaku no michi in Kyoto.

Portobello Road in London is famous for its vibrant and eclectic market, which stretches through Notting Hill and offers everything from antiques and vintage fashion to fresh produce.

Immortalized in pop culture, it featured prominently in the film Notting Hill (starring hunky Hugh Grant and his famous spectacles) and was even celebrated in song in Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks, capturing its bohemian charm and enduring appeal.

The street is lined with pastel-painted Victorian houses, quirky shops, and bustling market stalls that reflect the area's artistic spirit.

What did House and Garden say about Portobello Road?

“Before it was one of the world’s most-visited street markets, London’s mile-long Portobello Road was just a 19th-century country lane that connected the prosperous Portobello Farm with Kensal Green in the north and what is today the colourful neighbourhood of Notting Hill in the south,” House and Garden said.

“Throughout the second half of the 1800s, though, the road started to develop in response to the sweeping residences popping up around it.”

What is Portobello Road famous for?

Portobello Road is famously featured in the 1999 Richard Curtis film Notting Hill, with much of the filming taking place on the street.

Alice’s Antiques shop at the southern end of Portobello Road is also famous as being the location of Gruber’s Antiques in the Paddington Bear movies.

Portobello Road Market draws thousands of visitors every year and is the largest antiques market in the UK.

Full list of the world’s 46 most beautiful streets

46. Bull Street, Savannah, Georgia

45. Pienza, Tuscany, Italy

44. Portobello Road, London

43. Ouro Preto, Brazil

42. Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia

41. Koon Seng Road, Singapore

40. Hội An, Vietnam

39. Bavarian Alps, Germany

38. Long Street, Cotswolds

37. San Juan, Puerto Rico

36. Miami Beach, Florida

35. Telluride, Colorado

34. Amalfi Coast, Italy

33. Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts

32. Kiremit Street, Istanbul, Turkey

31. Steiner Street, San Francisco, California

30. Brouwersgracht, Amsterdam, Holland

29. Champs-Élysées, Paris, France

28. Bregagh Road, Ballymoney, Northern Ireland

27. Lijiang, China

26. Cherry Blossom Avenue, Bonn, Germany

25. Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

24. Elevador da Bica, Lisbon, Portugal

23. The Sagano Bamboo Forest, Kyoto, Japan

22. Chefchaouen, Morocco

21. Havana's Parque Central, Cuba

20. Lombard Street, San Francisco, California

19. La Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina

18. Calleja de las Flores, Córdoba, Spain

17. Shambles, York, England

16. Tetsugaku no michi, Kyoto, Japan

15. Burano, Italy

14. Bruges, Belgium

13. Tehran, Iran

12. Zrínyi Utca Street, Budapest, Hungary

11. Aldama Street, San Miguel De Allende, Mexico

10. Jinli street, Chengdu, China

9. Colmar, France

8. Rue du Petit Champlain, Quebec City, Canada

7. Pretoria, South Africa

6. Águeda, Portugal

5. Mykonos, Greece

4. Rue de l’Abreuvoir, Paris

3. Recife, Brazil

2. Brooklyn, New York

1.Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain