The bustling and vibrant city of London has been home to many famous literary characters. The first one to spring to mind is Sherlock Holmes, who has an Underground station dedicated to his literary legacy.
However, if you ask the younger generation about London and literature, they may be more inclined to think about one of the world’s most famous young wizards: Harry Potter.
Although author J. K. Rowling actually penned the majority of her seven bestsellers in Scotland, any Harry Potter fan knows that the wizard lived in Surrey and the magical Hogwarts Express left from Station 9 ¾ at London’s renowned King’s Cross.
Thanks to the immense popularity of the film series, fans can now experience the world of Harry Potter beyond the pages of the books and the images on their screens. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of some of the wonderful Harry Potter attractions in the UK that any fan is sure to swoon over.
Harry Potter Walking Tour of London
A great way to delve into Harry’s world, this three-hour tour includes a fascinating walk, a bus ride across London Bridge, an Underground journey and a cruise on the River Thames.
Highlights include the magical platform sign at King’s Cross Station, where Harry catches the Hogwarts Express, the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron (the pub featured in the first book Philosopher’s Stone), the bridge where the crazy Knight Bus squeezes between two London double-decker buses (Prisoner of Azkaban), as well as the thoroughfare which inspired the lively, and sometimes spooky, Diagon Alley, and the bridge that was decimated by Lord Voldemort’s Death Eaters (Half-Blood Prince). This tour takes place daily and can easily be slotted into other plans you may have for that day.
Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour
Another London location that is well-worth visiting is the Warner Bros Studio for an enthralling, behind-the-scenes tour of all things connected to the Harry Potter films.
The tour includes original sets, such as the Great Hall at Hogwarts, which features in all films, Diagon Alley and Dumbeldore’s office.
You will be privy to the secrets behind how the Harry Potter films were made and see the actual props such as Harry’s Nimbus 2,000 and Hagrid’s motorcycle, as well as costumes and special effects.
You also have the option of taking a private, extended tour of the Great Hall to learn all the behind-the-scenes secrets with an expert.
Although the studios are located on the outskirts of the city, this tour offers transport between central London and the studio as part of the package price. You will need to dedicate most of the day to the tour and different experiences are offered at different times of the year.
Harry Potter in London and Oxford
Another daily tour includes all the top Harry Potter stops in London, such as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, the bridge that was destroyed by the Death Eaters and the location of the red telephone box where Harry and Mr Weasley descend into the secret Ministry of Magic (Order of the Phoenix).
It also incorporates a trip to Oxford, where more links to the Harry Potter films can be seen. You will be shown the 16th-century dining hall that was used as inspiration for the Great Hall at Hogwarts, the room where Hogwarts’ students practised their dancing for the Yule Ball (Goblet of Fire), the 16th-century stairs where Professor McGonagall greets the first year students in the first Harry Potter instalment (Philosopher’s Stone) and more.
You will need to dedicate a whole day to this tour.
Harry Potter outside of London
Film location scouts opted for places outside of London for certain scenes such as Professor Slughorn’s house and Godric’s Hollow. These were filmed in the pretty village of Lacock in Wiltshire along with other scenes from the film series.
The tour ends with a hands-on, owl-flying experience, although I don’t think they’d be quite as well-trained as Hedwig and might not deliver your postcards to family back home”
The morning tour ends with lunch in a typical British pub, after which you’ll be whisked off to Gloucester Cathedral, which you’ll recognise as the location of the Gryffindor Common Room.
The tour ends with a hands-on, owl-flying experience, although I don’t think they’d be quite as well-trained as Hedwig and might not deliver your postcards to family back home.
Harry Potter in Scotland
If you’d like to experience the Harry Potter magic but aren’t going to be around London, or even England, you’ll be pleased to know that Scotland played a large part in the scenery of the films.
While Platform 9¾ is the resting place of the magical Hogwarts Express, all viewers are familiar with the spectacular Glenfinnan Viaduct, which in reality runs on the West Highland line between Fort William and Mallaig, but which, in the films, links Kings Cross Station to Hogwarts. For a ride on an almost-magical train, West Coast Railways runs the Jacobite Steam Train during the summer season.
Another place of interest is Glencoe, which provided the background for the dramatic and beautiful landscapes around Hogwarts. The Steall Falls at Glen Nevis can be recognised from the Tri-Wizard Tournament (Goblet of Fire), which was also the location used as the backdrop for Quidditch tournaments.
Despite the last book having been released in 2007 and the film in 2011 (Part 2; Part 1 was released at the end of 2010), the magic of Harry Potter lives on in children and adults alike.
Experiencing the set and scenery of this iconic literary series is a dream for any diehard fan.