8 Activities
The Wondrous World of antiques. Hunting for Vintage with an Expert
Starts from
Notting Hill
Transportation
On Foot
Guidance
Self-Guided
Activities
8
Duration
8 hours
Length
2 mi
Guide details
Starts from
Notting Hill
Transportation
On Foot
Guidance
Self-Guided
Duration
8 hours
Length
2 mi
Elena Shyunemann
Travel Expert
- Find treasures in antique shops.
- Visit a toy museum.
- Taste the pastel de nata cakes.
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After working in the oil industry for 15 years, Helena Schünemann began her passion for art and decided to create her own project, The Door to the Attic, dedicated to the mysterious world of antiques. She talks about how and where in London to hunt for rare treasures in this itinerary.
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Categories
After working in the oil industry for 15 years, Helena Schünemann began her passion for art and decided to create her own project, The Door to the Attic, dedicated to the mysterious world of antiques. She talks about how and where in London to hunt for rare treasures in this itinerary.
Translated by
Elena Shyunemann
Travel Expert
- Find treasures in antique shops.
- Visit a toy museum.
- Taste the pastel de nata cakes.
Translated by
Day Itinerary
8 Activities
Day 1
2 mi8 mi
Where to look for vintage?
When setting the table, try mixing tableware from different manufacturers for the sake of experimentation. Add vintage crystal and interesting details from archival photos. After such serving, no one will be able to say that they've seen something like this in a shop window.
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09:1530 min
Sinai and Sons
Furniture / Home Store
Open Details
London played, perhaps, a key role in establishing the business we loved. And before we moved, we had to look at about thirty options for apartments with furniture and all the necessary equipment. Even then I noticed how designer furniture and antiques are so well combined in the local houses. And later I discovered that the Kensington flat we were staying in overlooked the Sinai and sons antiques showroom. I don't think there was ever a time when I walked past the laconically decorated shop windows that I didn't look inside.
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1.2 mi
25 min
10:1030 min
Portobello Road Market
Open Details
I quickly settled in and was delighted to find that there were many antique shops in the area. And on Saturdays crowds of tourists and locals flocked to the famous Portobello road, a ten-minute walk from our house. By the way, that is where my first interior finds came from: plastic Louis Ghost chairs by Philippe Starck, then a rococo chest of drawers and a walnut coffee table from the last century.
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0.2 mi
5 min
10:5030 min
Golborne Road Market
Restaurant
Open Details
London is perfect for the hunt for antique treasures. Although Portobello road remains the mecca of antiques dealers, to me it's a tourist attraction where everything is overpriced and every other person tries to find the Hugh Grant bookshop from Notting Hill. No one would guess that the real riches are hidden a little further away - you only have to walk north to the neighbouring Golborne Road. A must-see item on the program is to see every shop. Everything here lives a quiet, measured life, so it's impossible to deny yourself the pleasure of becoming part of this beautiful routine.
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0.1 mi
5 min
11:3030 min
Lisboa Patisserie
Bakery
Open Details
After chatting to the owners and regulars, I never left without the best pastel de nata (Portuguese puff pastry with custard) in town. It's easy to remember the uncomplicated name, and the appearance is so simple that it's unmistakable - Lisboa Patisserie.
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2.5 mi
30 min
13:3030 min
Alfies Antique Market
Jewelry Store
Open Details
Another ideal place to find unique vintage items is Alfies Antique Market. Nearly a hundred vendors are housed in the Edwardian Art Deco building of the former Jordans department store. There is a huge selection of silver, jewellery, ceramics, glass, furniture, advertising posters and film posters. Many nearby showrooms also specialise in antiques and art. If the hunt for rarities tires you out, head to the roof of the market, where you'll find a cosy café with a view over Marylebone.
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2.5 mi
30 min
14:3030 min
Jarndyce
Bookstore
Open Details
Lovers of old books should plan a visit to Bloomsbury. True connoisseurs will notice the antiquarian showcases (and there are plenty of them) from afar.
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0.6 mi
15 min
15:1530 min
Pollocks Toy Museum
Landmark
Open Details
The next stop is a must at Pollock's Toy Museum to say hello to Eric, the oldest teddy bear in the world (1904), and at the same time admire rocking horses, Hungarian gingerbread molds, dollhouses, Japanese acrobats and a fascinating collection of lithographs by Benjamin Pollock.
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3.2 mi
30 min
16:3030 min
Old Spitalfields Market
Open Details
A great alternative for finding the unique and unique is the beloved Shoreditch, which continues to be a hub for fashionistas in skinny jeans. Old Spitalfields Market delights in abundance on Thursdays. My advice is to always be there when it opens so you can get a chance to buy something really rare.
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