Chelsea and Notting Hill: A Colorful London Walking Guide

To those who says “London is gloomy and colorless”, you’re not looking hard enough. Follow the pastel pathways draped with wisteria and you’ll find yourself in London’s most colorful neighborhoods: Notting Hill and Chelsea.
These west-side neighborhoods are the best places to see London’s colorful side, especially with spring in bloom.
Here’s all the most colorful spots in London for in-the-know travelers:

(including a sharable Google Map)

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The most colorful spots in London

Notting Hill, London

I’m just a girl, starring in front of a pink little house, asking for some upper class Londoner to generously gift it to me?… (offer still stands). 

Okay how could I not throw in a little Notting Hill reference there. I’d say due to the popularity of this movie, Notting Hill is a bit more on the touristy side. However, im still surprised by how many people have never even explored the area after multiple trips to London.

Myself and sustainable travel blogger, Ellie from Soul Travel Blog, started our walking tour here:

Portobello Road

Follow the colorful road! This is the most notable attraction in the Notting Hill area, and an ideal location for the gram. Grab your insta-husband or grammer friend and indulge in an overload of pink, turquoise and wisteria hysteria.

Portobello Market

Follow the music and crowds of people and you’ll find yourself in the center of one of London’s most iconic markets. From antiques to street performances and quaint cafes, there’s a lot of life in this corner of town.

The Churchhill Arms Pub

Keep calm and have a drink. Yep, this is one of London’s most iconic pubs, and without a doubt the coolest bar I’ve ever seen.

Chelsea

We then hopped on the bus and found ourselves in Notting Hill’s upper class twin: Chelsea. This area is much less touristy, but is filled with beautiful houses and cafes, and even more beautiful people.

Shopping on Sloane and King’s Street

Walking through the streets of Chelsea is like a vanity fair magazine come to life. From window displays in high-end boutiques to head-turning street style, everyone along is effortlessly Chic and stylish.

Saturday’s Farmer’s market  on King’s Street

Follow the smell of cinnamon croissants and dumplings. The Chelsea market has a wide selection of mouthwatering food and gorgeous flower bouquet selection. You can check out this other flower market in London here. 

Bywater Street  

Confession: I fell in love with this street on Instagram even before I came to London. And when I finally stumbled upon it in person, my heart skipped a beat. Unlike Notting Hill, this area was empty from tourists and was the ideal London photo op.

Ivy at the Chelsea Gardens 

Last but certainly not least, the ivy at the Chelsea Gardens is reason alone to visit Chelsea. This hotspot is frequented by London’s hippest locals, and is #brunchgoals.
I’m not sure which is cooler: the colorful entrance or the actual garden itself. Sipping bubbly within a secret garden in London is a memory I won’t forget.

Below is a map of all the places to see:

From the city center, you can easily take the Piccadily line going westward. To Notting Hill, you get off at the Notting Hill stop. To Chelsea, you can get off at the South Kensington stop.

You can take the 328 bus to get from Notting Hill to Chelsea. It’s also one of the best places to explore on your own in London.