Photos: Neil Theasby , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Alvesgaspar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Christine Matthews , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: Neil Theasby , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Alvesgaspar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Christine Matthews , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Portobello Road's antiques before opening
Your local guide
Fatou Diallo
View profile
Highlights
- Dealers unpacking before opening
- Family pitches held for decades
- A covered stretch that trades in any weather
- A working market, not a display
- Portobello before the Saturday crowds
About this tour
This session shows Portobello Road's famous antiques market before the Saturday crowds arrive, when dealers are still unpacking and arranging their stalls. It covers the long-held family pitches along the row and the covered stretch beneath the Westway that keeps trading in any weather. It is a working view of the market rather than a shopper's tour.
We start as the first stalls open, then move along the row at the traders' own pace, pausing wherever something interesting is being unpacked. Questions about specific dealers or items come up naturally, and I answer what I can from years living on this street. I close with a note on which hour tends to be quietest for browsing.
It suits early risers and anyone genuinely interested in how an antiques market actually opens. It also works well paired with the pastel houses session later the same morning.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of London before heading out.
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Antiques row setup 21 min
The camera moves along the antiques stretch as dealers unload boxes and set out cabinets, and I explain how some pitches have been held by the same families for decades.
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Under the Westway 21 min
Further along, you see the stalls set up beneath the elevated road, and I point out how the covered section stays busy even in poor weather.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about London: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Sunday roast and Shoreditch, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in London time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through London, showing you Antiques row setup and Under the Westway live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on a video call early on Saturday, while the antiques traders are still laying out their stalls.
Times shown in London time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Sat 21 Nov · 10 seats left From 22,00 €
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