The recent opening of Universal Studio’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, Florida has many Potter fanatics flocking to the sunny south to satisfy their magical obsession. However, if you’re looking for a more authentic experience, then hop on your Firebolt and fly over to the United Kingdom where J.K. Rowling’s masterpiece began. Best of all, you won’t have to travel too far outside of Britain’s major cities to catch a glimpse of Harry’s history.
LONDON
Visitors to King’s Cross Station in London, UK can pose with a disappearing trolley at the platform made famous by the Harry Potter novels
This alpha city of more than seven million muggles is brimming with enchanted landmarks – if, as Hagrid would say, you know where to look. First, hop on the Tube and head to Westminster station where the scenes with Mr. Weasley escorting Harry to his hearing at the Ministry of Magic were filmed for ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. Exit the station and gaze up at the towering Houses of Parliament which also made an appearance in the fifth film, illuminated above the River Thames as members of the Order fly Harry to their headquarters by broomstick during the night. You can also visit Lincoln’s Inn Fields near Holborn Tube station, a historic square where 12 Grimmauld Place is set in the film. From Parliament, you can walk down Whitehall, a street that is synonymous in Britain with government and from where Harry and Mr. Weasley descend into the Ministry of Magic in one of London’s iconic red telephone booths. Then, travel east to the financial district and you will find the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley as seen in PHILOSOPHER’S STONE at 42 Bull’s Head Passage in Leadenhall Market (now home to The Glass House, an optical shop). In PRISONER OF AZKABAN, The Leaky Cauldron was relocated to 7 Stoney Street in Borough Market near Southwark Cathedral. The Knight Bus scenes were also filmed in Borough Market, as well as Blackfriars Bridge. Walk west along the river pathway on the south bank and you will reach Millennium Bridge, the landmark that the Death Eaters destroy at the beginning of HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. Head north to the Strand and you will find Australia House whose marble columns and chandeliers double as the interior of Gringotts Wizarding Bank in the Potter movies. Further north in the heart of Regent’s Park is the famed London Zoo where Harry first discovers that he can speak to snakes and sets a boa constrictor loose on his cousin. Back on Shafesbury Avenue near Piccadilly Circus you will also find the locale where Harry, Ron, and Hermione sport their finest dress robes in DEATHLY HALLOWS on the bustling streets of London. Finally, no visit to London is complete without passing through King’s Cross Station where you can take a photo with a disappearing trolley at Platform 9¾!
OXFORD
The dining hall at Christchurch College, Oxford University stands in as Hogwarts’ Great Hall
Oxford is first and foremost a university town, so it is not surprising that Oxford University is the key to the city’s Potter connection. Both the interior and exterior of the university are used throughout all HP films. In particular, you can pay admission and tour Christ Church College’s dining room which is used in the films as Hogwarts’ Great Hall. Leading up to the dining room is also the grand staircase that is used by Professor McGonagall in PHILOSOPHER’S STONE to welcome the first-year students. Many areas of the university are restricted to students only, but if you sneak around you might also find the courtyard where Mad-Eye Moody turns Malfoy into a bouncing ferret in GOBLET OF FIRE!
EDINBURGH
The Elephant House in Edinburgh, Scotland is where J.K. Rowling wrote much of the first Harry Potter book
This is where Harry was really born. At 21 George IV Bridge, you will find The Elephant House, a gourmet tea and coffee shop where J.K. Rowling wrote most of the early Harry Potter chapters in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle. So, if you’re looking to find some of the landscapes that inspired the Hogwarts grounds, then order a coffee and grab a seat by the window!