Hyde Park & Notting Hill★★
Hyde Park is London's green lung — 142 hectares of parkland in the middle of the city. Here, bankers jog alongside tourists, swans glide over the Serpentine Lake, and at Speaker's Corner, since 1872, anyone can stand on a box and speak (or shout) on any topic. The Serpentine Gallery showcases contemporary art, the Diana Memorial Fountain splashes in summer, and the Italian Garden at the north end is a hidden gem.
To the west borders Kensington Palace — residence of Prince William and Kate, once home to Princess Diana. The State Rooms are open to visitors (£21) and showcase the history of the royal residents from Queen Victoria to Diana.
North of the park lies Notting Hill — the district of the eponymous film with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Pastel-colored Georgian houses, the famous Portobello Road Market (Saturday: antiques, vintage, street food — one of the longest street markets in Europe), and charming bookstores and cafes. Once a year, on the August Bank Holiday Weekend, Notting Hill transforms during the Notting Hill Carnival into Europe's largest street festival — Caribbean music, masquerades, dance groups, and a million visitors.
💡 Tipp
The Portobello Road Market is best on Saturdays (antique stalls from 5:30 a.m.!), but there are also some stalls during the week. The section under the Westway (motorway bridge) has the best vintage clothes and street food stalls. Come early — by 12 p.m. it gets brutally crowded.
