• Tube stations: Notting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove
  
• Location: starts at the intersection with Pembridge Road, then heads northwest under the Westway overpass into North Kensington.
  
• Borough: Kensington and Chelsea (www.rbkc.gov.uk)
  
• Postcode: W11

Landmarks:
22 Portobello Road was home to George Orwell in 1927, when he was still a struggling writer named Eric Arthur Blair.

Known for:
The world-famous market, of course! It’s open during the week, but Saturday is the busiest. Posh antiques at the south end, vintage clothes at the north and fruit and veg in the middle. Everything you could want from a proper London market.

Who’s there?
You can get a clue of the people living on Portobello Road from the types of stalls on the market - posh towards the bottom and gradually more second-hand as the road meanders north.

Making history:
Portobello Road got its name from Puerto Bello, a Spanish silver port in the Gulf of Mexico that was captured by Admiral Sir Edward Vernon in 1739. At the intersection of Oxford Gardens and Portobello Road was a farm with orchards and hay fields, and the road was originally used to connect the farm with the neighbouring areas of Kensal Green and Notting Hill. As the surrounding communities developed in the late 19th century, shops opened up along the road to serve the new houses that were being built.

Pub quiz facts:
Portobello Road can be seen in the films The Italian Job, Notting Hill and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. It’s also name-checked in songs by Cat Stevens and the Dire Straits.

Famous faces:
Celebrities are a dime a dozen on Portobello Road. They can often be spotted haggling with market vendors, just like us common folk.

When it’s hot:
You’d have to be blind to walk down Portobello Road without noticing the market – it’s the obvious choice for spending a sunny day. If you get tired of browsing, stop in one of the many cafés and bars that line the street.

When it’s not:
Curl up in one of the plush leather armchairs at The Electric Cinema (www.electriccinema.co.uk), which shows mainstream and art house pictures. They also have a brasserie where you can enjoy a hot meal before a show or have it delivered to your seat.