Are you a Harry Potter Fan? There are some great Harry Potter experiences to be discovered and visited across the UK. Why not see how many different places you can visit and see the filming locations for the Harry Potter films. You may also be interested in reading the places to enjoy a Harry Potter themed afternoon tea. Or perhaps this fun FREE Harry Potter movie quiz with printable.
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Harry Potter Experiences In London
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
Studio Tour Dr, Leavesden, Watford WD25 7LR
Probably the main place to visit for any Harry Potter fan is the Harry Potter studio tour in London. You can experience the magic of the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
During your visit you can expect to see breathtaking sets from the movie including the Great Hall, Forbidden Forest and Diagon Alley.
Check out our review of the Harry Potter Studios tour in London
There are authentic props and some of the original costumes on display to admire. You can even take part in photo opportunities to make your visit memorable ever after you’ve gone home.
A typical visit lasts around three and a half hours. Tickets get booked up quickly and quite far in advance, especially around seasonal times such as Christmas for Hogwarts in the Snow.
Leadenhall Market
Gracechurch Street, EC3V 1LT
In the heart of London is Leadenhall Market. Known for its cobbled streets it’s situated in what was once Roman London.
Parts of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was filmed in Leadenhall in 2000/2001. The market was used as the streets leading to the The Leaky Cauldron and was the inspiration for Diagon Alley.
Why not book a guided Harry Potter walking tour of London
Kings Cross
One of the popular Harry Potter experiences in London is visiting Kings Cross Station. Perfect for Harry Potter fans, you can find a dedicated Harry Potter shop at Kings Cross (The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9¾ Kings Cross Station, London N1 9AP).
You can also visit the very platform 9 ¾ and take photos with the luggage trolley embedded in the wall.
ZSL London Zoo
Outer Cir, London NW1 4RY
In the very first film, The Philosopher’s Stone, the reptile centre at London Zoo was used for filming the snake scene with Harry and the Dursley’s when they visit for Dudley’s birthday.
Millennium Bridge
Thames Embankment, London SE1 9JE
Scenes from the Half Blood Prince were filmed along the Millenium Bridge in London. Remember a group of death eaters destroying the bridge?
Bodleian Library
Broad St, Oxford OX1 3BG
Accessible via a private tour you can see the place where Harry hid underneath his invisibility cloak to gain access to the restricted section in Hogwarts library.
Piccadilly Circus
The busy bustling area of London was showcased in Deathly Hallows Part 1 when Harry, Ron and Hermione are trying to escape from the death eaters.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
London EC4M 8AD
The Dean’s staircase in St Paul’s Cathedral was home to the spiral staircase in The Prisoner of Azkaban film at Hogwarts
Borough Market
8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL
London’s Borough market was used as the location of the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London
Euston Rd, London NW1 2AR
Located next to Kings Cross station, the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel was used during the Chamber of Secrets film. It used to be St Pancras station and was used as the entrance to King’s Cross station when Harry and Ron couldn’t enter Platform 9 ¾.
London Underground
The London Underground has been used for a variety of scenes in the Harry Potter films. Harry and Arthur Weasley took the underground from Grimmauld Place to the Ministry of Magic. This was Mr. Weasley’s first time on the Underground, and he struggled with the ticket machines.
Harry Potter Experiences In Scotland
Glenfinnan Viaduct
Glenfinnan, Highlands, PH37 4LT
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the West Highland Line in Glenfinnan, Inverness-shire in Scotland. It’s located at the top of Loch Shiel in the West Highlands.
The railway was featured in the second and third Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
The train stops here when the dementors board searching for Sirius Black.
You may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Jacobite steam train, part of West Coast Railways, as it passes through.
Why not book a guided Harry Potter walking tour in Edinburgh
Steall Waterfall
Old Military Rd, Fort William PH33 6SY
Located in the Highlands of Scotland, Steall Waterfall was the place where Harry took on the Hungarian Horntail Dragon in The Goblet Of Fire. There is a 2 mile walk around the waterfall if you want to see it in closer detail.
Greyfriars Kirkyard
26A Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh EH1 2QE
The graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh inspired J.K Rowling surrounding the names of some of the characters. The gravestone of Tom Riddell who died in 1806 is visited by many tourists today.
Check out more places for Harry Potter fans in Scotland
Harry Potter Experiences In The UK
Lacock Abbey
Nr Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 2LG
Many Harry Potter fans will recognise Lacock Abbey as one of the filming locations. The Cloisters are probably the most famous scenes, transforming into the corridors at Hogwarts.
They have been seen in many of the Harry Potter films, but mainly in The Sorcerers Stone and The Chamber of Secrets.
The abbey rooms have also become Professor Snape’s potions classroom and Professor Quirrell’s defence against the dark arts classroom. Harry also discovered the Mirrors of Erised in the Chapter House at the abbey.
Alnwick Castle
Northumberland NE66 1NQ
Alnwick Castle was used as a filming location for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for both the Philosopher’s Stone and the Chamber Of Secrets.
The Outer Bailey is the area where Harry learned to fly a broomstick with Madam Hooch. The courtyards in the castle were also used to film the students going about their day to the classrooms.
Hardwick Hall
Doe Lea, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S44 5QJ
Hardwick Hall was used to film the exterior scenes of the Malfoy’s home in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Lavenham
Known as the most preserved medieval village in England. Filming took place in secret in 2010 as Lavenham Guildhall in Suffolk was transformed into Harry’s parents derelict house in Godric’s Hollow.
Durham Cathedral
DH1 3EH
The cloisters at Durham Cathedral’s were used for filming Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. They became the snow-covered quadrangle where Harry releases Hedwig from his hands.
Later, in The Chamber of Secrets sequel, the cathedral became the setting for Harry, Ron and Hermione being taught how to turn animals into water goblets.
Gloucester Cathedral
12 College Green, Gloucester GL1 2LX
The cathedral was used as a filming location for the corridors of Hogwarts in the first two films. Harry and Ron hid in the Lavatorium behind the pillars from the trolls. It’s also home to the original door to the Gryffindor common room.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Goathland station was the station first used in Harry Potter films as Hogsmeade station. You can travel in the steam train and take a trip into Harry’s world.
Read more about the railway line
Malham Cove
Skipton BD23 4DJ
A large curved limestone formation in Yorkshire. Harry is seen camping at Malham Cove in scenes in The Deathly Hallows. If you’d like to tackle the walk yourself, it’ll take around 3 hours.
