harry potter guided walking tour london

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Harry Potter Walking Tour London

Whether you received your invitation to Hogwarts or not, everybody knows the magical world of Harry Potter.

Not only does Harry journey to and through London throughout the 8 movies, but most were filmed right here in the capital of the U.K.! 

Your expert guide will take you through London, pointing out sites and locations from the Harry Potter film series. We offer Harry Potter Tours both on foot and via Black Cab so read below to find out more!

VIEW OUR FULL SCHEDULE OF FREE LONDON TOURS HERE

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• You can take this tour anytime with our  GPS-enabled audio tour app .

Come follow in the footsteps of the world’s most famous wizard on our Harry Potter Tour!

Always enchanting, often interesting, and each one easy to get to, what follows is a guide to the real-life counterparts of many of the magical locations you have seen on the big screen.

See the buildings that contain the Ministry of Magic, walk through the Underground barriers Harry and Arthur Weasley traveled through on their visit to London, stand on the bridge blown up by Death Eaters, and walk through the real Diagon Alley!

You'll also get a chance to see the grandiose 'Palace Theatre', now home to the 8th installment of the Harry Potter series- 'Harry Potter & the Cursed Child'.  Tickets?

The tour will be filled with fun facts and film references, and take you into London's theatre-land, across to London's Southbank, or through its labyrinthine Old City - depending on the day.

The journey will take you on foot and also via the London Underground.

Sites Visited On The Harry Potter Walking Tour 

• Westminster Tube (closest tube to the Ministry of Magic as seen in The Order of the Phoenix)
• Cecil's Court (aka Diagon Alley)
• St. Paul’s (Geometrical Staircase as seen in the Prisoner of Azkaban)*
• Godwin’s Court (aka Knockturn Alley)
• The Palace Theatre (home to the ‘The Cursed Child' - the 8th story in the Harry Potter franchise) - Tickets *
• Horseguards Avenue (Ministry of Magic Staff Entrance as seen in Deathly Hallows Part 1)
• Millennium Bridge (rebuilt after the attack by the Death Eaters! (then a walk past Shakespeare's globe) 
• Scotland Yard Place/Horse Guards Avenue (Ministry of Magic Visitors entrance as seen in the Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows Part 1)
• Trafalgar Square (Location of the final Harry Potter film premiere)
• Downing Street (Muggle Prime Minister's Office and location of communication between the Muggle PM and the wizarding world) Note: Depending on your guide and the day/time, the tour will finish at either Leadenhall Market or Borough Market (both sites have been used as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron (as seen in the Philosopher's Stone and Prisoner of Azkaban onwards respectively.)

*Please note that though we do stop at St. Paul's Cathedral and the Palace Theatre, we do not go inside.

Tour Information

Reservations:  

For groups of up to 5,  click here to reserve . If your group is 6 or more, please check out our  private tours  page or contact us.

Where :  

Meet your guide outside Costa Coffee opposite London Bridge Station.

From London Bridge Station, take the exit for "Borough Market" and cross the street. ( MAP )

The tour ends near Parliament Square and Whitehall.

Duration:  

Approximately 2.5 hours.

• Wednesdays and Saturdays at 14:00 (2:00 pm)

This tour is free to take, and you get to decide what, if anything, the tour was worth when it's done.

A  name-your-own-price tour  is a tour for anyone's budget.

• Self-Guided Tour
• Warner Bros. Studio Tours
• Other Harry Potter Tours
• Harry Potter Tours Beyond London
• Harry Potter Tours (Edinburgh)

HARRY POTTER BLACK CAB TOUR

Our friends at London Black Cab Tours can show you all the London Harry Potter sites you won't want to miss, all while being chauffeured in the comfort of an iconic black London Taxi!

This 4-hour tour will take you to iconic filming sites like Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron as well as giving you fascinating trivia about the movies from your knowledgable guides.

To find out more or to book one of these tours, contact our London Manager: [email protected]

SELF-GUIDED TOUR

If you can't make our tour, don't worry! You can use this guide below to Potter locations in London.

Or you can try our  GPS-led audio tour , which you can take any time you wish. Here's a sample.

So whether you’ve memorized the books, seen the films, or proudly own every bit of Potter paraphernalia around – join us as we dive into the magical world of Harry Potter!

This particular route will focus on film sites to the north part of London, so grab your travelcard, lace up your trainers (or grab your broom!) and follow us! 

We also have a guide to Harry Potter locations  across London, which includes many more places for you to visit.

Click here for our full interactive tour map .

The tour starts at Liverpool Street Station

Take the Exit for Bishopsgate and when you step out of the station, turn RIGHT onto Bishopsgate.

Continue walking in this direction until you reach Leadenhall Street and turn LEFT.

Take the first RIGHT into Leadenhall Market. For directions from each stop, use the map or audio tour.

1. Leadenhall Market -  Diagon Alley/Leaky Cauldron 1

Leadenhall Market has sat in this location since the 14th century ( map )!

However, most of what you can see today dates from the late 1800s and served as another filming location for Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron.

In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, this is the location that was used for the filming of Diagon Alley. In fact, at 42 Bull’s Head Passage you will spot a storefront for an optician.

However, this shop front – painted blue – was used to serve as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in the first Harry Potter film.  

Read our full post on finding the real Diagon Alley in London .

2. Borough Market, 7A Stoney Street Diagon Alley/Leady Cauldron 2 

In the muggle world, this shop is a charming florist with a prime location in the historic and popular Borough Market ( map ).

But in the world of Harry Potter, this is actually the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, as seen in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

It is just outside of this shop that the Knight Bus slams to a halt and drops Harry off (via Palmers Green and Lambeth) just outside the pub on Diagon Alley, setting off a car alarm in the process!

The interior shots of the Leaky Cauldron were filmed on a soundstage, however, so it’s just the facade that was used during filming.  See our full post on Harry Potter in Borough Market  as well as finding the real Diagon Alleys .

While you are here, take our self-guided food tour to fill up your belly.

3. Millennium Bridge - Site of Death Eater Attack 

Watch out for Death Eaters as you make your way from the north to the south bank of the River Thames over the Millennium Bridge ( map ).

Originally intended to be opened in the year 2000, the bridge was not structurally sound and it had to be closed for a further 2 more years.

From 2002 it remained in place, spanning the river until a gang of Death Eaters battled on top of it and completely destroyed the entire structure!

Well…in the Harry Potter universe that is.

This bridge served as one of the scenes of the dramatic air-borne broomstick battle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince .

Learn more with our full post on the Millennium Bridge .

4.  Australia House Gringotts Bank

The longest continuously occupied diplomatic mission in the U.K., (built entirely with marble shipped all the way from Australia), Australia House served as the setting for Gringotts Wizarding Bank ( map ).

Unlike other sites on this tour, it is the interior of this building that was where scenes were filmed for  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone . 

It's here that Hagrid takes Harry to the wizarding bank for the first time.  

The scene was filmed in Australia House's Exhibition Room which is, unfortunately, not open to the public.

A polite word with the security officers at the door may reward you with a peek through the windows, but this is not always guaranteed.

5. Lincoln’s Inn Fields - Number 12 Grimmauld Place 1

A charming square with buildings now occupied by lawyers and surgeons, many believe that Lincoln’s Inn Fields holds the inspiration for the outside of Number 12 Grimmauld Place ( map ).

Muggles may have trouble viewing the house, of course, since there are a number of charms placed on it to protect its’ exact location.

However, if you take a look near number 13 you may just see a glimmer out of the corner of your eye that will clue you into the houses’ precise location.

6. Piccadilly Circus - Where the Trio Go On the Run

On the run from Death Eaters at Bill and Fleur’s wedding in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , Harry, Ron, and Hermione apparate straight to central London.

In the books, they arrive on Tottenham Court Road and go into a nearby restaurant.

For the Deathly Hallows Part, I film, however, the trio turns up right in front of a passing No. 19 bus in the middle of Piccadilly Circus ( map ).

Hermione tells us “I used to come here with Mum and Dad".

They arrive at night with Piccadilly’s world-famous electric lights on display which lend a little magic of their own to this popular London destination!

Just off Piccadilly Circus up Shaftesbury Avenue, you can spot a row of stone pillars that the trio walks past as Hermione explains to the boys where they are.

Somewhere along this road is the cafe where the trio stops to have a rest and ends up in a violent duel with Death Eaters…so mind your step!

7. Cecil Court and Goodwin’s Court - The inspiration for Diagon Alley? Or…the REAL Diagon Alley? 

A small alleyway just off the bustling Charing Cross Road, Cecil Court is believed by many to have been the inspiration for Diagon Alley ( map ). 

The Court here is lined with original Victorian shop fronts and sells a wide variety of antique books, with a few shops fittingly providing a supply of books on the subject of magic!

In fact, the first shop on the right is actually called The Witch Ball !

On Cecil Court, you will also find Watkins Books which claims to be the oldest occultist and mystical bookshop in the entire world!

Harry Potter fans with an eagle eye may also spot a large display of Gringotts banknotes located in one of the shop windows here.

It is safe to say that Cecil Court has a touch of magic to it, easily believable as the entrance into Harry’s world on Diagon Alley.

Goodwin’s Court is much smaller and the buildings are kind of wonky – giving it a surreal feeling.

It’s easy to imagine that this little courtyard path could be an entrance into Harry’s magical world.

Because of this, many people believe that this is the exact place Rowling was trying to recreate in the Potter books.

Harry and Hagrid walk down Charing Cross Road itself in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone .

Whilst Harry is on the Knight Bus in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban he travels down Charing Cross, and Ministry cars drive down the road in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

TIP: Read our full post on finding the real Diagon Alleys

8. Trafalgar Square - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II Film Premiere 

It was here in Trafalgar Square ( map)  on the 7 th of July 2011 that the final Harry Potter film began its premiere celebrations.

On a huge stage erected near Nelson’s Column stood Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, J. K. Rowling, and dozens of others who spoke to the crowd of thousands.

From the Square, the cast and Rowling herself then walked the world’s longest red carpet to Leicester Square where the film debuted simultaneously at three different cinemas!

Trafalgar Square is also glimpsed during the opening flight battle of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as the Death Eaters fly over central London.

9. Old Scotland Yard - The Ministry of Magic 

Home to muggle politicians, both Whitehall and Great Scotland Yard (map) was used to represent the magical counterpart of our muggle organizations.

Here you will find the exteriors used for the Ministry of Magic during filming for the Polyjuice potion scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Shots taken here are also used for the trip that Mr. Weasley and Harry Take in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

In the books and the films, there is a red telephone box outside the Ministry of Magic that wizards use to access the Ministry. 

From the phone box, one must dial ‘62442’ and the phone booth acts as a lift, taking visitors down underneath the ground to the Ministry.

The red phone box used in the film was actually a prop brought in specifically for shooting so sadly, no journeys to the Ministry can be made any longer!

10. Number 10 Downing Street - Direct link to the Minister for Magic 

It is inside the Prime Minister’s office at Number 10 Downing Street ( map ) that the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes place.

It is revealed that there is a portal from the wizarding world to that of the muggle world so that the Prime Minister of the U.K. and the Minister for Magic can occasionally speak.

It is also here that Kingsley Shacklebolt works during his time as bodyguard to the Muggle Prime Minister.

11. Westminster Underground Station - Tube Station for Ministry of Magic 

It's the Westminster Underground Station that Mr. Weasley and Harry go to when visiting the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix .

At the station, ( map ) Mr. Weasley struggles at the barriers, not sure how to work the exits properly – much like many of us during our first visit to London!

For the filming of this scene, Westminster Underground Station was closed for an entire day (a very rare occurrence)!

12. No. 23–29 Claremont Square (No. 12 Grimmauld Place 2)  

Tucked away on an unassuming street in Islington lies Claremont Square ( map ), the location of Sirius Black’s familial residence, Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

The house eventually is inherited by Harry and used as the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.

This square was used for filming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . 

The muggles that live in the square have long come to accept the mistake in numbering the buildings here, with 11 and 13 being right next to each other.

Don’t feel bad if you can’t spot Number 12, it’s kept under wraps by the Fidelius Charm, meaning only Secret-Keepers can access the building.

13. Kings Cross (Platform 9 ¾)

Every Potterhead knows that Platform 9 ¾ is the location of Kings Cross Station ( map ) that the Hogwarts Express departs from (on the 1st of September every year).

In fact, the very final scene in the last book/film is set right here on the most famous train platform in the world.

For Harry Potter fans, a visit to London wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Kings Cross – and the station does not disappoint.

Now, owing to the layout of the station, it’s not actually possible to pass through a barrier between platforms 9 and 10.

First, for the muggles among us, we would never be able to see it. The second, and the more likely reason, is that there is no actual barrier between the two platforms.

Fret not, however, as the designers of the new Kings Cross Station have got us covered, having installed an entrance to Platform 9 ¾ around the corner from the platforms being used for other railway traffic.

Luckily for us, the Ministry of Magic has come up with a clever way to allow visitors to experience the magic of Platform 9 ¾.

It is here that they have frozen a luggage trolley partially the way through the magical barrier.

Those of us who have sought out the platform will be rewarded with an opportunity to get our photographs taken right outside the barrier.

Find out even more by reading our detailed blog post .

TIP:  Next to the photo opportunity is the fabulous Platform 9 ¾ Shop , filled with sweets and scarves, wands and wizards, books, and bludgers! 

THE TOUR ENDS HERE AT KINGS CROSS STATION

Optional stop – london zoo ( m ap ).

In the book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , it is a local zoo that Harry is taken to for his cousin Dudley’s 11 th birthday.

At the zoo, Harry comes face-to-face (literally!) when the glass separating him from a boa constrictor disappears and the snake spills out onto the floor.

Harry accidentally causes the removal of the glass as well as speaking to the snake in the rare language known as parseltongue (although Harry has no idea about this until much later on in the series).

It is the reptile house at the London Zoo that was used during the filming of this scene. This has led many people to – incorrectly – assume the Dudley family had taken Harry to London Zoo.

However, when Harry travels to Diagon Alley with Hagrid for the first time, Harry tells him that he has never been to London before, which means the zoo must’ve been somewhere else.

The actual tank used for filming currently holds a black mamba, although in the film the snake is said to be a Burmese python, with a strange departure from the original text.

For those who have made the effort to both get to the zoo and pay for entry, you will be rewarded with a small plaque placed inside the Reptile enclosure that commemorates the spot where the actual filming took place.

Be sure to read our detailed post on  Harry Potter locations throughout London .

HARRY POTTER WARNER BROS STUDIO TOURS

It's easy to get to Warner Brothers Film Studios in Leavesden, a 200-acre complex where all the Harry Potter movies were filmed.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter

It’s a 20-minute train from London’s Euston Station to the Watford Junction railway station where you can catch a Harry Potter shuttle bus to the Warner Bros. Studio.

The Harry Potter studio tour starts with a live guide introduction to the Harry Potter theme and then guests are brought to the sets.

From there it’s a self-guided experience through the two sound stages and outside lot.

If you choose to go it alone, you will probably want to rent a digital guide for £4.95 for a richer experience. Not including travel time, plan on spending about 3 hours at the studios.

When: Tours run almost every day of the year. The first tour and last tour of the day depending on the date, so check their calendar.  Note: Tickets must be purchased in advance and are not sold at the Studio. 

This ticket does not include transportation from London with return (see below).

• Free – 4 and under
• £47 – Adult (16+ years)
• £38 – Child (5-15 years and must be accompanied by an adult)
• £56.95 – Complete Studio Tour Package Adult
• £47.95 – Complete Studio Tour Package Child
• £150 – Family Package (includes either two adults with two children or one adult with three children).

Find out more here to purchase tickets .

Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter – Dedicated tour Guide and transportation included

There are several tour operators that offer packages that include your ticket to the studio with timed entry and also transportation from London by coach or train.

Typically, these tours cost approximately £86 per person (less for children). Some of these companies play Harry Potter movies on the bus ride to warm you up for your studio visit.

For die-hard Harry Potter fans, this might be the way for you to go.

Included in the price:

• admission with the timed entry
• dedicated studio tour guide
• headsets when appropriate
• transportation to and from the meeting point in Central London
• one butterbeer per guest. 

When: check their calendar for availability. 

• £85 - Adult (age 16+)
• £75- Child (age 5-15)
• £40 - Infant (age 3-4)
• Free - 2 and under
• More information and to book here

Tip: Book at least a month in advance as this tour sells out quickly.

OTHER HARRY POTTER LONDON TOURS

Below are a schedule and description of various free and paid Harry Potter London walking tours. We also list bus and taxi tours. 

TIP: If you are considering purchasing a multi-day, hop-on, hop-off bus ticket, keep in mind that Big Bus Tours offers a free, daily Harry Potter Walking Tour with any 2 or 3-day ticket.

Harry Potter Walking Tour  by Brit Movie Tours

This tour covers all the major sites and is 2.5 hours long.

• Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 2 pm (Jan – Dec)
• Daily at 2 pm (School Holidays and 1 Jun – 30 Sep)

Cost: £15 - Adult | £10 - Child (under 16)

This tour is offered at 20% off if you purchase the London Pass .

Harry Potter Bus Tour by Brit Movie Tours 

This 2.5-3 hour bus tour features many of the film locations and inspirations from all 8 films in the series.

Some of the stops include Kings Cross Station, 12 Grimmauld Place, and the sites used for the Leaky Cauldron.

There is also an opportunity at the end of the tour to buy  Harry Potter  merchandise.

When: at 2 pm on the below days

• Wednesdays (during School Holidays and Feb- Oct)
• Thursdays (during School Holidays and Jul-Aug)
• Fridays (during School Holidays and Jul-Aug)
• Saturdays (Jan-Dec)
• Sundays (during School Holidays and Apr-Oct)

Cost: £30 - Adult | £21 - Child (under 16)

Muggles Tours

This 2 ½ hour guided walking tour has excellent reviews on TripAdvisor. The company that operates this tour does nothing else but Harry Potter tours – that’s how good they are!

Group size is limited to no more than 20 muggles. This tour is a great value and family-friendly!

When: These tours run almost every day most mornings and afternoons, but be sure to check their calendar of tour dates.

Cost: £18.36 Adult | £12.75 Child (11 and under)

Note: You will need to purchase a ticket for the London Underground as the tour travels by tube from Westminster to King's Cross.

London Walks

London Walks offers 2 Harry Potter tours, each covering a different part of London.

On the London Town tour, you’ll see the entrance to the Ministry of the Magic, the flight path of Death-Eaters, and other movie sites around the River Thames, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus.

The City tour includes sites like Diagon Alley and the locations used for the Leaky Cauldron as well as some famous London sites not part of the movies, like the 'Gherkin' and St. Paul's Cathedral.

When: London Town tour on Saturdays at 2 pm, The City tour on Wednesdays and Sundays at 2 pm

• £15 - adults
• £10 - super adults (65+)
• £5 - children, under 8 free

Harry Potter Bus Tour of London  

This is run by Brit Tours and is a 2½-3 hour tour that is twice the price of their walking tour, but perfect for rainy days or for those who want to relax and enjoy the comfort of their luxury mini-bus to see many of the same sites listed above.

There are opportunities to get off the bus and take pictures as well. Guides are enthusiastic and informative.

When:  at 2 pm on the following days

Schedule changes seasonally so be sure to check their calendar.

Cost: Adult (13 years+): £30 | Children (under 13): £21

Harry Potter Film Location Tours by Taxi

London Taxi offers a small group tour in a 6-seater taxi. The flat rate for the tour is £260 for 3 hours, so if your group is 6 people, you’ll pay £43.33 per person.

That may sound like a lot but you are picked up and dropped off at your hotel (that saves you public transport money for 6 people!).

The taxis are air-conditioned in the summer and the fleet is made up mostly of the new Mercedes London taxi which is also wheelchair accessible.

When: Contact them about your desired date.

Cost: £290 flat for 4 hours, £490 flat for 8 hours, maximum of 6 people.

HARRY POTTER-THEMED HOTEL 

At the Georgian House Hotel in London, Potter fans can stay in wizard-themed rooms. You can't book the rooms online, rather you need to contact the hotel for a quote.

Call them at 0(207) 834 1438 and/or email: [email protected] .  

The reviews on TripAdvisor concern the Wizard Rooms are generally very positive and a recurring comment is that these rooms are a real treat for fans.

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The Ultimate Self-Guided Harry Potter Walking Tour of London

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Put your comfy shoes on folks – we’re going to head on a Harry Potter walking tour of London that will, I 100% guarantee, make you feel like you’ve just stepped into one of the films. 

OK, maybe not 100% but at least like 56%. 

London just so happens to be a rather magical place for Harry Potter fans. 

In fact, I’ll go as far as saying that there are few destinations that boast so many cool Potter related locations (believe me, I’ve looked). 

As someone who burrows down on the sofa to watch the films every year and has reread the books a *rather obsessive* number of times, I can’t tell you how exciting it was to create this Harry Potter tour of London. 

The first time I did it for “research” but by the fifth, well there’s no point in pretending it was for anything other than the JOY of it.  

This tour will take you through London, visiting the very locations used in the film series and even a few spots that provided JK Rowling with inspiration for her books. 

See the Muggle entrance to the Ministry of Magic, the bridge destroyed by the Death Eaters, the real life Diagon Alley and the hidden base for The Order of the Phoenix. 

Fun as it would be to hop on your Nimbus 2000 and speed around the city checking out all of the Harry Potter London locations, chances are you don’t have a magical flying broomstick hanging around. 

Not to worry, here’s a magical self-guided Harry Potter walking tour of London. 

It’s a biggie, and I’d suggest taking all day to do the tour, but you can split it over two days if that suits you better. 

Now it’s your turn. Let’s go!

Practical Information about the Harry Potter Walking Tour of London

Kings Cross Railway Station 

Lambeth Bridge, Westminster

Distance 

13km + short underground trip between Angel and Bank. 

Walking Time: 3 hrs 15 mins 

Suggested time to allow for the tour: 5- 6 hours

Difficulty of Tour

Medium: Flat terrain but it covers a reasonable distance. 

Admission Fees

TfL fees for underground between Angel and Bank. 

Places Visited on the Tour

• King’s Cross – Home of Platform 9 ¾ 
• St Pancras Station – The Setting for the Flying Car 
• Claremont Square – The Order of the Phoenix HQ 
• Leadenhall Market – Diagon Alley and The Leaky Cauldron 
• Tower Bridge – The Backdrop to the Order’s Flight Through London 
• Stoney Street – The Entrance to the Leaky Cauldron 
• The Millenium Bridge – The Site of the Attack by the Death Eaters 
• St Paul’s Cathedral – Part of Hogwarts 
• Australia House – AKA Gringotts 
• Goodwin’s Court and Cecil Court – Diagon Alley 
• The House of Minalima 
• Piccadilly Circus – Part of the escape to London in the Deathly Hallows 
• Great Scotland Yard – The Ministry of Magic 
• Westminster Station – Closest tube to the Ministry 
• Lambeth Bridge – Where we witness some of the Knight Bus’s frantic journey

Accessibility

• There are a number of cobbled streets on this walk that may be difficult to navigate by wheelchair or with a pushchair. 
• There’s no lift access at Angel Station to access the Northern Line. Instead, you can miss stop three (Claremont Square) and get the Circle or District Line to Liverpool Street Station for Leadenhall Market. 
• If you don’t want to miss Stop Three, you could consider starting the tour at Claremont Square, then doing Stop Two (St Pancras) followed by Stop One (King’s Cross) and then getting the underground to Liverpool Street for Leadenhall Market. 
• There are stairs between Leadenhall Market and Tower Bridge and again between Tower Bridge and Stoney Street but you can take a less direct route to avoid these.
• There are stairs to descend from the Millennium Bridge but there is also a wheelchair accessible lift as an alternative. 

Stops on the Harry Potter Tour of London 

Stop one – king’s cross station.

Address: Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London N1 9AL

All aboard the Hogwarts Express! 

We’ll start our tour at King’s Cross Station. 

King’s Cross train station is the very place that the Hogwarts Express departs from in the books and the films. 

Apart from dreams of what it would be like to actually whizz away on the train to Hogwarts, there are three things that you won’t want to miss within the station. 

The first is the actual spot between Platforms 4 and 5 where Platform 9 ¾ is supposed to reside. There’s not actually that much to see here though. 

Much more exciting is the trolley half-buried into the wall poised for you to take that classic shot. It’s next to the Harry Potter Shop in which you can pick up your very own wand…. cos #wizard life. 

Back to that photo of you running through the wall at Platform 9 ¾. 

We won’t lie – unless you get there first thing in the morning, chances are that you are going to have to queue for it. Like, for hours.

I’m not saying that it isn’t worth it but forewarned is forearmed. 

What I will say that if you are planning on going to the Harry Potter Studios in Leavesden – DON’T BOTHER QUEUING at King’s Cross. 

There are several spots in the studio’s reconstruction of Kings Cross where you can get the same shot and (oh blessed day), there are zero queues. You’re welcome. 

Watch The Scene: Harry Finds Platform 9 ¾ in The Philosopher’s Stone 

→→ →→ 6 minute walk. From The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 ¾ to St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. 

Walk south-west towards Pancras Rd (the nearest exit from King’s Cross), turn left onto Pancras Rd, turn right, take the stairs and the St Pancras Renaissance is on the right.

Stop Two – St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

Address: Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London N1C 4QP

After Kings Cross, it’s a simple matter of strolling across the road to St Pancras International (flying cars unfortunately not included). 

St Pancras doubles up as the exterior of the station from which the Hogwarts Express departs. 

It’s really the front of the station – now the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, then the Midland Grand Hotel (and designed by Sir Gilbert Scott) that we’re really interested in. 

I totally understand why the filmmakers used the exterior of St Pancras in the films rather than King’s Cross… who doesn’t want an eyeful of that beautiful Gothic architecture? 

Plus, it makes it even more dramatic when Harry and Ron purloin the Ford Anglia to fly to Hogwarts when they miss the Express in The Chamber of Secrets right? 

Watch the Scene: Harry, Ron and the Flying Car in The Chamber of Secrets

→→ →→ 17 minute walk. 

From the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, walk north-east and take the stairs, turn right onto Pancras Rd and shortly after turn left onto Euston Rd/A501. Walk along Euston Road for 130 metres, then take the left hand fork onto Pentonville Road. Carry on along Pentonville Road for 800 metres before turning right onto Claremont Square. Follow the square to turn left and numbers 23-29 are across the road. 

Stop Three – Claremont Square

Address: 23 Claremont Square, Islington, London N1 9LX

Claremont Square is one of the more tucked away locations on our Harry Potter London walk. It’s about a 15 minute walk from St Pancras. 

A quiet terrace of Georgian houses in Islington might not look like much but Claremont Square is the film location for 12 Grimmauld Place. 

Still not ringing any bells? Make your way to numbers 23 to 29 and all will become clear. 

It’s the home of the Order of the Phoenix – a.k.a the Black residence that Sirius kindly donates to be used by the order in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and is used again by the trio The Deathly Hallows Part I. 

Claremont Square was the perfect location for Grimmauld Place, which is described in the books as being close to King’s Cross Station and a small square with terraced houses (check and check). 

Luckily for all of us, the Fidelius Charm that stops muggles from seeing 12 Grimmauld Place in the Order of the Phoenix doesn’t actually stop us from seeing the properties at numbers 23 to 29 Claremont Square in real life. 

Watch The Scene: Harry Arrives at Grimmauld Place with The Order of The Phoenix  

→→ →→ 5 minute walk to Angel Station from Claremont Square, 5 minute underground ride to Bank Station, 6 minute walk from Bank Station to Leadenhall Market.

Walk east on Claremont Square, turn left to stay on Claremont Square. At the end of the road, turn right onto Pentonville Road. After 250 metres, turn right onto St John Street – Angel Underground Station is on your left. 

Take the Northern Line to Bank. 

Exit Bank Station and turn onto Cornhill, walk along Cornhill for 300 metres, turn right onto Gracechurch Street where you will find the entrance to Leadenhall Market on your left. 

Stop Four – Leadenhall Market

Address: Gracechurch St, Langbourn, London EC3V 1LT

The next stop is pretty far, (around 45 mins walk), so we’re going to hop on the tube from Angel Underground Station to Bank and cut the transit time to around 15 minutes.

But where are we going next on our Harry Potter walk of London? 

We are heading to Leadenhall Market . 

Leadenhall Market is one of London’s most beautiful markets. It was originally built in the 15th century as a wool, leather, meat and fish market but the current architecture dates back to the Victorian times (1881 to be precise). 

Does it look familiar? It was, of course, used as a Harry Potter filming location – specifically as the area of muggle London used to access Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone . 

Cast your mind back to the first film.  

There’s lots of excitement (Harry has just found out he’s a WIZARD after all) and it’s relatively upbeat and fun – so the gorgeous gold and red tones of Leadenhall Market fit in perfectly. 

The Philosopher’s Stone was directed by Chris Columbus (who also directed Home Alone, Mrs Doubtfire and The Chamber of Secrets). Chris imagined the world of Harry Potter as one of wonder and discovery. 

Like Harry, Hermoine and Ron, we’re all excited to be thrust into the hubble and bubble of the wizarding world with its immense promise. 

Exit the market onto Lime Street, but before you set off and away, walk down Bull’s Head Passage (the entrance is on the right). 

Walk down until you see a white door at number 42 (pictured above). 

What was then an empty optician’s was used as the entrance for the wizarding pub The Leaky Cauldron in the Philosopher’s Stone.  

The Leaky Cauldron serves as the entrance to Diagon Alley where Potter gets all excited and spends his galleons on the things he will need to start at Hogwarts.  

Watch the Scene: Walking to The Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley  

→→ →→ 16 minute walk from Bull’s Head Passage to Tower Bridge. 

Walk south-east from Bull’s Head Passage onto Lime Street Passage. Turn right onto Lime St, then left onto Fenchurch St. Walk for 50 metres, before turning right onto Rood Ln. Continue for another hundred metres to turn left onto Eastcheap, which turns into Great Tower Street. Near the end of the road, take a slight right to cross  onto Byward Street and turn left onto Tower Hill Terrace, follow the terrace then turn right onto Tower Bridge Approach. Take the stairs up to Tower Bridge. 

Stop Five – Tower Bridge

Address: Tower Bridge Rd, London SE1 2UP

From Leadenhall Market, it’s a relatively short zip to Tower Bridge .

I’ll be honest, Tower Bridge only makes a fleeting appearance in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and another in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince but it’s always worth taking a peek at, particularly when it’s on our way to our next stop anyway. 

Remember the scene in The Order of the Phoenix when Harry flies past Tower Bridge on his journey along the Thames along with the rest of the order? 

Of course you do. 

They make their way from Tower Bridge, following the path of the Thames under London Bridge and past the Houses of Parliament. 

Away from Harry Potter, Tower Bridge has had a long and eventful history. Want an example? The two walkways that now form the Tower Bridge experience used to be one of London’s informal red light districts.

 Not only that, in the fifties a bus had to jump between the opening sections when the bridge started to open with it on it. 

Turns out that Tower Bridge is pretty magical even without wizards zipping around it in the air. Who knew? 

From here, you can also glance over to City Hall on the left – the glass asymmetrical globe that looks like it’s leaning away from the river. 

City Hall also pops up at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince when the Death Eaters cause havoc, wreaking destruction on the area. The office workers (filmed inside City Hall) stand up and look at the tumultuous events taking place outside. 

How different it is from the cheery tones of the first films right? 

By now, things have taken a much gloomier tone in the films. Voldemort is definitely back and the films have evolved to be much darker – both in events and aesthetic. 

Watch the Scene: Death Eaters Attack London in The Half-Blood Prince 

→→ →→ 15 minute walk from Tower Bridge to Stoney Street. 

Walk over the bridge to cross onto the South Bank of the Thames. Take the stairs on the right, then turn left to walk next to the water. Carry on for 400 metres, then turn left onto St Olaf Stairs to emerge onto Tooley Street. Continue onto Montague Close for 200 metres, then turn right onto Winchester Walk and left onto Stoney Street.

Stop Six – Stoney Street

Location: 7A Stoney Street, London SE1 9AA (entrance to Tacos El Pastor)

Cross Tower Bridge and head to Borough Market, which is about a 15 minute walk once you get to the other side. 

Borough Market is London’s best-known food market – with a bounty of fresh produce and delicious street food that attracts people from far and wide. The market is mentioned as early as the 13th century, but historians believe it’s even older than that. It’s the perfect place to stop and refuel. 

That’s not what we’re here for though. 

Stoney Street, next to Borough Market is the second place that features as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron (the first was in Bull’s Head Passage next to Leadenhall Market, which we’ve already seen). 

Head underneath the railway bridge on Stoney Street and look at what is now the entrance to Tacos El Pastor and you’ve found it! The entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and the next stop on our Harry Potter free walking tour of London. 

The Prisoner of Azkaban is the third film in the Harry Potter series and the first film to be directed by Alfonso Cuaron who created a much darker and dirtier world to reflect the growing malignancy present in the books. 

Gone are the bright colours of Leadenhall Market, the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron in Stoney Street is formed of the grimy brickwork of the Victorian Railway arches. 

It looks a bit nicer these days, thanks to the colourful artwork added by El Pastor – but imagine standing here without any of the art or colour and you’ll see why it was the perfect place for The Leaky Cauldron. 

The Knight Bus drops Harry off here after that memorable bus ride that involved squeezing through the narrow gap between two other buses and almost hitting an old lady crossing the road. 

His journey ends by coming to a sharp stop in this very spot… and the Knight Bus setting off a car alarm in the process.

Speaking of the Knight Bus – did you know that it was not a special effect, but a real life bus created from slicing two Routemaster buses, splicing them together and rejigging the structure so it had three decks. 

The filmmakers weren’t able to drive it across London as it was too tall for the city’s low bridges so they had to transport it in pieces and put it together on location to film each scene. They also had to add 8 tonnes of weight to the bottom to stop it from falling over. These days you’ll find the Knight Bus hanging out at the Warner Brothers Studios in Leavesden. 

When Harry wakes up the next morning in The Leaky Cauldron, he looks out the window and takes in some of the most important features of the London Bridge neighbourhood: Borough market, Southwark Cathedral and the river beyond – as well as the mish-mash of buildings that make up this historic area of London. 

Next door at number 8 Stoney Street, you’ll find the Market Porter pub (IRL one of the few pubs in London licenced to serve in the early morning to cater to the early morning workers at Borough Market). 

Can you guess where you’ve seen it before? 

OK, I’ll tell you. As the Third Hand Emporium in The Chamber of Secrets and the very place where Harry meets the vain charmer Gilderoy Lockheart. 

Watch the Scenes: The Knight Bus and the Entrance to the Leaky Cauldron

→→ →→ 9 minute walk from Stoney Street to Millennium Bridge. 

Walk north on Stoney St back towards (but past) Winchester Walk. 

At the end of Stoney Street, turn left onto Clink St. At the end of Clink Street, turn right onto Bank End, which becomes Bankside. 

Continue alongside the river for 400 metres before turning to walk onto the Millennium Bridge. 

Stop Seven – Millennium Bridge 

Address: Thames Embankment, London SE1 9JE

Now we’re on to the Millennium Bridge – which you should walk over (beware, it wobbles a bit). 

I think that we can all agree that those Death Eaters are a right nasty lot. 

It’s a pretty bad sign of things to come for poor muggle London when they destroy the Millennium Bridge in Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince plunging all the people walking along it into the Thames. 

Perhaps don’t think about that too much while you’re walking over the bridge though. 

The name might be a bit of a giveaway, but the Millenium Bridge was built to commemorate the millennium in London. 

Things didn’t quite go to plan though – when the bridge opened in the year 2000, it became the object of ridicule because it wobbled so much that it was deemed structurally unsound – and it knocked over a fair few pedestrians as they tried to cross it in the process). 

To cut a long story short, it had to close for another two years while they tweaked it to make it safe for public use. 

Like Tower Bridge and London Bridge, the Millennium Bridge first makes its appearance in in Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix when Harry flies through London to Grimmauld Place. 

But it’s really the scene of the Death Eaters striking the Millennium Bridge and causing it to fall and rip apart, toppling pedestrians into the river that really sticks with you. 

In the story, Voldemort has told Cornelius Fudge to step down as Minister of Magic, and when he refuses, The Dark Lord attacks London, spreading the Dark Mark in the sky and having the Death Eaters cause mayhem as they run riot. 

It’s a chilling start to the film and a sure sign that things are getting out of hand. 

It’s interesting that the filmmakers chose to use the Millennium Bridge as a stand-in for the fictional Brockdale Bridge the Death Eaters attack in the books. 

The sight of the iconic Millennium bridge twisting and writhing in the air not only strikes terror into the viewer as it’s such a well-known sight, but is also a cheeky nod to the bridge’s early problems in real life. 

Remember how the bridge wobbled and caused people to fall over… well, what if that wasn’t structural issues at all but because of the Death Eater attack? 

It can’t be true (don’t worry – it isn’t)!

→→ →→ 5 minute walk from the Millennium Bridge to St Paul’s Cathedral. 

Walk north on Millennium Bridge and continue onto Peter’s Hill, which turns into Sermon Lane. At the end of the lane, turn left onto Carter Lane and turn left onto St Paul’s Churchyard. 

Stop Eight – St Paul’s Cathedral

Address: St. Paul’s Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD

We’re not going to go into St Paul’s Cathedral because the part of the cathedral used in the films is only accessible as part of a special guided tour run by the Cathedral itself. 

Still, you can read this as you walk past one of London’s most recognisable buildings. 

St Paul’s Cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, built as part of the reconstruction of the city after it had been ravaged by the Great Fire of London.

Inside the cathedral, the Geometric Staircase (or the Dean’s Stair as it is officially named) was used as the spiral stairs to Professor Trelawney’s Divination classroom in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. They also pop up again in The Goblet of Fire as the stairs to the Defence against the Dark Arts classes. 

Walking from St Paul’s to Australia House takes you along Fleet Street – historically the heartland of the British Media. 

Today there may be fewer journalists around, but much of the area’s history continues to shine through – from the peek at St Bride’s Church you’ll get as you pass St Bride’s Lane, to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese – a Sam Smith’s pub that dates back to 1667 and used to be frequented by Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, among others. 

As you continue along Fleet Street, you’ll see a statue in the middle of the road – a monument flanked by Queen Victoria on one side and Edward VII on the other. 

This spot marks the boundary between The City of London and The City of Westminster, where we will spend the remainder of this tour. 

Continue on, past the Royal Courts of Justice to Australia House. 

→→ →→ 15 minute walk from St Paul’s Cathedral to Australia House. 

Continue along St Paul’s Churchyard, which turns into Ludgate Hill and stay on here for 200 metres. Cross the road and continue straight onto Fleet Street. Walk for 500m to the beginning of The Strand. The High Commission of Australia sits within the roundabout.

Stop Nine – Australia House 

Address: Strand, London WC2B 4LA

Time to withdraw your galleons – for which you’ll need to head to Australia House, which doubles up as Gringotts in the film series. 

It might have been the inside of Australia House that was used as an actual filming location but take a close look at the outside of the building as it clearly influenced the design of the bank used in the film (which was part of the set in the Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden). 

The triangular shape and imposing architecture of both is no coincidence. 

It is indeed the wizarding bank, just missing a few bells and whistles. 

Australia House is the longest continually-occupied diplomatic mission in the United Kingdom – the exterior was built with marble shipped from Australia. 

Inside, it’s no less striking – no wonder the makers wanted to use it as a filming location for the series. 

Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to enter the building. 

If you’re doing this tour on a weekday, you may be able to poke your head inside to see a snippet of the stately interior that serves as Gringotts in both Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and as the backdrop to the trio’s antics in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II . 

Still, it’s not quite the same as it was the Exhibition Hall rather than the lobby that was used in the films anyway. 

Imagine row after row of goblins tapping, calculating and keeping themselves busy around the large Exhibition Hall (jazzed up with a few props) – and voila, you have Gringotts. 

Watch the Scene: Harry Visits Gringotts Bank in The Philosopher’s Stone

The Trio Break into Gringotts in The Deathly Hallows Part II 

→→ →→ 12 minute walk from Australia House to Goodwin’s Court. 

Walk west on Aldwych towards Melbourne Place. Take a slight right onto Kingsway and cross the road. Turn right onto Drury Lane, carry on for 160m then turn left onto Russell Street. Walk straight for 140m, through Covent Garden Market and turn right towards King Street. Turn left onto King Street, continue straight ahead as it turns into New Row and turn left onto Bedfordbury before turning right into Goodwin’s Court. 

Stop Ten – Goodwin’s Court 

Address: Goodwin’s Ct, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4LL

Strolling along the narrow passageways around Charing Cross Road I wouldn’t blame you if you got the distinct feeling that the next stops on our Harry Potter walk in London was a part of the city Harry himself would be familiar with. 

Crooked ye olde buildings overhang the narrow walkway of Goodwin’s Court , one of the two spots in the area that are said to have inspired Diagon Alley. 

Delightfully quaint bow-fronted buildings transport you to another age – their iron-barred windows and dingy brickwork are thought to date back to 1690. 

Some people are convinced that Goodwin’s Court was the basis for the set of Diagon Alley in the Warner Brothers Studios – and I have to say, the two do look convincingly alike. 

Rumour has it that the only reason that Goodwin’s wasn’t used as Diagon Alley in the films was because it was too narrow for the filming equipment needed. 

What do you think? 

Before you get too carried away though- I will say that others champion our next stop, Cecil Court as the inspiration for Diagon Alley. Let’s go and take a look. 

Watch The Scene: Harry and Hagrid go to Diagon Alley in the Philosopher’s Stone

→→ →→ 1 minute walk from Goodwin’s Court to Cecil Court. 

Walk to the other end of Goodwin’s Court. Turn left onto St Martin’s Lane, cross the road and turn right onto Cecil Court. 

Stop Eleven – Cecil Court 

Address: 2 Cecil Ct, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4HE

Just around the corner, you’ll find the other contender for the inspiration for Diagon Alley – Cecil Court . 

Slightly bigger and much better-known than Goodwin’s Court, Cecil Court is just off Charing Cross Road – the place that JK Rowling chose as the entrance for the Leaky Cauldron in the books.

 Charing Cross Road pops up a few times in the books, both when Harry and Hagrid walk down it in the Philosopher’s Stone, not to mention when the Knight Bus takes a jaunt down here in The Prisoner of Azkaban. 

Rowling herself has said “Charing Cross Road is famous for its bookshops… This is why I wanted it to be the place where those in the know go to enter a different world”. Nifty. 

Anyway, back to Cecil Court – the court is lined with all kinds of antiquarian and occult booksellers, all housed behind quaint Victorian shop fronts promising a passage into another world. 

In other words, it’s totally on point for Diagon Alley. I always half-expect to find Ollivander’s tucked amongst the shops – sure you can see why. 

Watch the Scene: Diagonelly to Diagon Alley in The Chamber of Secrets

→→ →→ 6 minute walk from Cecil Court to the House of Minalima. 

Walk to the other end of Cecil Court. Turn right onto Charing Cross Rd and walk along for 300 metres. Turn left onto Moor Street, then after 70 metres, left onto Old Compton Street and left onto Greek Street. The House of Minalima is on your left. 

Stop Twelve – The House of Minalima

Address: 26 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 5DE

Our next stop isn’t a filming location but it is one of the coolest Harry Potter shops in town. 

The House of Minalima is the shop where all of your Harry Potter-related dreams come true. 

Part Harry Potter exhibition, part shop, this multi-floored space in Soho was started by two of the graphic designers responsible for bringing the books to life in the films. 

Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina met when working on the Harry Potter films. 

Together they designed so many of those iconic graphics that you’ll remember – the striking covers of the Daily Prophet, the wanted posters from which death eaters’ faces stare malevolently (even thinking about Bellatrix’s twisted features gives me the creeps). 

As you can imagine, visiting The House of Minalima is a pretty big deal. 

You can also pick up limited edition posters, cool badges – even your very own potion books to bring home. 

Now if that doesn’t make you go all heart eyed emoji, I don’t know what will. 

Watch the Scene: The Daily Prophet Exonerates Harry in The Order of the Phoenix

→→ →→ 7 minute walk from the House of Minalima to Piccadilly Circus. 

Walk south-east on Greek St towards Romilly St.  Turn right onto Shaftesbury Ave and continue for 450 m. Turn right onto Piccadilly Circus. 

Stop Thirteen – Piccadilly Circus 

Address: West End, London W1J 9HP

Piccadilly Circus is terrifying enough at the best of times. The thronging crowds and neon lights are a recipe of things guaranteed to set your teeth on edge. 

Well, imagine how stressful it would be if you apparated there only to be nearly hit by a bus and then chased by Death Eaters trying to kill you. 

Sound familiar? That’s exactly what happens to Harry, Hermoine and Ron in the Deathly Hallows Part I. 

They apparate into the bright lights and buzzy atmosphere of Piccadilly Circus and go into a cafe where they have a wizarding fight with two death eaters. 

Swing by Piccadilly Circus, but keep your eyes open – you never know who’s on your tail. 

Watch the Scene: The Ministry has Fallen and the Escape to London  

→→ →→ 12 minute walk from Piccadilly Circus to Great Scotland Yard. 

Turn from Piccadilly Circus and walk east onto Coventry Street. Turn right onto Haymarket and walk straight for 300 metres. Cross Pall Mall and bear left onto Cockspur Street and continue for 200 metres. At the roundabout, walk across to Whitehall, continue along Whitehall for 150 metres and cross the road to enter Great Scotland Yard. The filming location is on the right. 

Stop Fourteen – Great Scotland Yard 

Address: Great Scotland Yard, Westminster, London SW1A

Meander to Great Scotland Yard to hunt for the two entrances to the Ministry of Magic (the muggle and the wizard versions).

Great Scotland Yard looks innocuous enough. 

There are some rather beautiful buildings and it’s located just off of Whitehall, the heart of British government – as in 10 Downing Street is just off Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament sit at the other end. 

Nothing incredible to see here… right? 

Wrong. 

Great Scotland Yard was used to represent the heart of the wizarding world – the Ministry of Magic – neatly reflecting the area’s importance in the real world.

Cast your mind back to Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix when Arthur Weasley takes Harry to the Ministry for his hearing on performing underage magic. They enter the Ministry through a red telephone box underneath a stone archway.

Well, you’ll have to picture the telephone box and the archway near the junction of Scotland Place – do so and voila – you have the entrance to the Ministry of Magic. 

The fake bridge is a duplicate of one just around the corner on Scotland Place, CGIed here to cover up some of the ugly doorways of the buildings in the scene. 

The exterior of the Ministry on Great Scotland Yard pops up again in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I when Harry, Ron and Hermoine lie in wait for Mafalda Hopkirk and the other wizards they impersonate using polyjuice potion. We see it again when they’ve transformed and are making their way to break into the Ministry. 

Watch the Scenes Harry & Mr Weasley go to the Ministry Breaking into the Ministry of Magic in Deathly Hallows I

→→ →→ 8 minute walk from Great Scotland Yard to Westminster Station. 

Retrace your footsteps along Great Scotland Yard back to Whitehall. Turn left onto Whitehall and follow it along. There is an entrance to Westminster Station is on Whitehall. 

Stop Fifteen – Westminster Underground Station

Address: Westminster, London SW1A 2JR

Make your way from Great Scotland Yard along Whitehall to Westminster Station. Westminster Underground Station might look like any other tube station from the street but I  know the beady-eyed amongst you will spot that there’s much more to it than this. 

It is the very same station that Harry used in the Order of the Phoenix when he’s travelling to his disciplinary hearing at the Ministry. You know, the station where Mr Weasley struggled to get through the barriers – an experience with which we can all relate. 

They had to close Westminster Station for a whole day in October 2006 to film these scenes – they chose a Sunday as it’s relatively quiet at the weekends.

 Even so, it’s something that has never been done before as thousands and thousands of people use the station even on a quiet day. If you ever needed proof of how important the Harry Potter films became, this is it. 

Watch the Scene: Harry & Mr Weasley go to the Ministry

→→ →→ 9 minute walk from Westminster Station to Lambeth Bridge. 

From Westminster Station, cross the road to walk towards the Houses of Parliament on Parliament Square. Continue along Abingdon Street and Millbank to reach your final destination, Lambeth Bridge. 

Stop Sixteen – Lambeth Bridge

Address: Lambeth Bridge, London SE1 7SG

I’m guessing that by this point, you are going to be pretty tired. 

It’s been a lot of walking (and of magic) for one day but there’s one last stop for you to take a look at before we hop on our broomsticks and fly home. 

It’s only a ten minute walk from Westminster Station to Lambeth Bridge where you can relive the antics of the Knight Bus. 

Cast your minds back to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry storms out from the Dursleys only to be rescued by the totally fabulous Knight Bus. 

Careering through the streets of central London at what is, quite frankly, a rather irresponsible speed, the Knight Bus hurtles around, narrowly avoiding mowing down old ladies and causing destruction. 

With me now? 

Then you’ll certainly remember the excitement when the bus has to squeeze between two muggle London buses on a bridge. Lambeth Bridge is that bridge. 

While you won’t see any optical illusions here, it’s a cool little spot to add to your tour of Harry Potter filming locations in London, if only for the beaut views of the river Thames, Parliament and beyond.

Watch the Scene: The Knight Bus Ride to the Leaky Cauldron 

And with that, it’s a simple matter of saying Mischief Managed, putting away your Marauder’s  Map (OK, the Google Map on your phone if we’re being realistic) and giving yourself a huge pat on the back. 

Thank you for joining this London x London Harry Potter Audio Tour and I hope you have an absolutely brilliant time discovering all the places featured on this tour. 

Keep exploring! 

Eat, Drink & Visit on the Harry Potter Walking Tour 

• Borough Market makes the perfect lunch stop as it’s right next to Stoney Street. As one of London’s best-known food markets, you’ll have plenty of choice. 
• Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese – A cute old-school Sam Smiths pub on Fleet Street. 
• This tour takes you to Tower Bridge and past St Paul’s (which contains another filming location but you have to pay for a tour to access it) – if you have the time, they’re worth visiting in themselves. 

Love Harry Potter? These Should Also Be On Your Radar

I didn’t cover these spots as part of the tour, but you should have them on your radar if you want to discover even more Harry Potter locations in London. 

Warner Brothers Studio Tour 

The Harry Potter Studio Tour at the Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden was where a lot of the magic behind making the films happened. 

Seeing the sets and props IRL, walking along Diagon Alley, popping into all the rooms in Hogwarts – it’s brilliant. 

I know that tickets are quite expensive and you have to book ages ahead but it’s absolutely worth it. 

London Zoo’s Reptile House

Have you ever had the sneaking suspicion that maybe, just maybe, you could speak Parseltongue? 

Well, there’s no better place to test out that theory than in the Reptile House at ZSL London Zoo… otherwise known as the location where Harry first speaks parseltongue and sets a snake free. 

As you do. 

The Cauldron – The Harry Potter Cocktail Bar in London 

Sorry kids but if you’re under 18, time to skip ahead because The Cauldron is strictly one for the adults. 

What if I told you that there was a Harry Potter-inspired cocktail bar in London where you can make your own (drinkable and boozy) potions. You would think that was pretty awesome wouldn’t you? 

Good. Because that’s exactly what I am telling you. 

The Cauldron is a cool pop up in Stoke Newington where you can don your robes, pick up your wand and spend a few hours cooking up a few real-life brews. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – The Harry Potter Theatre in London 

I have to be honest here. I haven’t actually been to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child yet. 

It makes me endlessly sad inside and believe me, seeing the play (which is actually split into two parts) is high up on the list of awesome things I need to do like, yesterday. 

Everyone I’ve spoken to says it’s awesome. 

In the meantime, you can book your Harry Potter and the Cursed Child tickets here . 

Cutter and Sqidge – The Harry Potter Afternoon Tea in London 

It should be clear by now that there are a lot of Harry Potter-inspired experiences in London. But few are going to appeal to your stomach as much as the rather delicious Harry Potter afternoon tea at Cutter and Squidge . London does a jolly good afternoon tea at the best of times but when you add in a few drinkable and edible potions, it gets so much better. 

School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – The Harry Potter Escape Room in London

Escape Rooms can be totally brilliant or pretty naff. We can all guess which category a Harry Potter escape room falls into right? 

So what does it involve? You and your team of fellow witch and wizard wannabes are locked in a room, your task? To solve a series of Harry Potter-themed enigmas to defeat the dark side and win your freedom. Simples.

Harry Potter Walking Tour Practical Tips and Map

We hope it’s clear by now that there’s so much magic in London – it’s just a matter of finding it. Here are a couple of practical tips to help you along the way. 

• Wear comfortable shoes to go and do the London Harry Potter walking tour and allow yourself all day to do it, it’s a biggie! 
• If you don’t live in London, Georgian House has created a series of Harry Potter themed rooms where you can stay. Check prices and availability.

Looking for More Harry Potter London Guides?

• Visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour
• Harry Potter in London: Magical Filming Locations + Attractions You Have to See
• Leadenhall Market: 700 Years of History and A Touch of Harry Potter Magic
• 3 Wizardingly Wonderful Harry Potter Hotels in London

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Lady’s Magical Harry Potter Walking Tour in London

Today I want to share my free self-guided Harry Potter walking tour in London with you. The UK capital is famous for both its appearance in the novels and its use as a filming location for the movies. My walking route will take you to the best places in the city to see Harry Potter sites, including famous markets, iconic train stations, and hidden lanes. I’ve included a map as well.

Harry Potter Walking Tour

From the awe-inspiring expanse of Leadenhall Market to the secret Hogwarts Express platform in King’s Cross station, London has no shortage of places to discover on a self-guided Harry Potter walking tour.

This route will take you to many of the highlights and let you experience the magic of the books and movies firsthand.

My Harry Potter walk is an ideal way to get into the wizarding spirit, discover the side streets and secret spaces from J.K. Rowling’s fantasy world, and see some London landmarks and attractions at the same time.

If you want a guided tour, GetYourGuide offers a number of great Harry Potter walking tours as well. I’ve done excursions with them in the past, and I’ve always had a good experience. You can book a tour here .

You can also book a trip to the Warner Bros Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter to see where the movies were filmed. I’ve done it, and I highly recommend it. The sets are amazing to see up close. You can book a tour here .

Harry Potter Walking Tour in London

My self-guided Harry Potter walking tour starts at Westminster station. It has lots of public transport links, so you can arrive on the Jubilee, Circle, or District lines of the Underground, or by local bus, bike, scooter, or on foot from other central London areas .

Westminster station featured in the movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . When Harry is called to a hearing at the Ministry of Magic, he and Arthur Weasley navigate the tube barriers here before heading to his appointment.

After taking in the station, start this Harry Potter walk by heading up Parliament Street towards Trafalgar Square. Don’t miss the views of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and Parliament Square as you set off.

Walk up the west side of the street and continue as it becomes Whitehall. Soon you’ll reach Downing Street, where you can peer through the gates to see Number 10. This has been the Prime Minister’s residence since 1735.

In Harry Potter’s world, the muggle Prime Minister meets with his wizarding counterparts in his office here to discuss matters of national importance.

After checking out Downing Street, cross over Whitehall and continue your Harry Potter walking tour by going up the road until you reach Horse Guards Avenue. Turn right at the Old War Office Building and walk down the street.

Horse Guards Avenue was used as the filming location for the staff entrance of the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 .

At the end of Horse Guards Avenue, turn left into Whitehall Gardens and take in the pretty green space as you walk to the other end.

When you reach Whitehall Place, exit the gardens, turn left, and walk down to Scotland Place. Turn right and walk under the overpass to get to Great Scotland Yard.

Great Scotland Yard was used as the filming location for the visitors’ entrance to the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 .

Once you’ve explored the street, make your way back to Whitehall, turn right, and continue towards Trafalgar Square. Home of the National Gallery and Nelson’s Column, this is one of the most famous landmarks in London.

When you reach the square, you’ll be in the location of the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 . Stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint walked down the red carpet here.

After you’ve taken in the square, continue your Harry Potter walking tour by making your way to the east side of it and turning left to walk up Charing Cross Road. You’ll pass the National Portrait Gallery as you go.

Charing Cross Road will take you past West End theaters near Leicester Square as you head up towards Cecil Court. Once there, turn right and walk down the beautiful pedestrianized street.

With its colorful antiquarian bookshops and other treasure troves, rumor has it this lane in Covent Garden was used as a model for Diagon Alley.

When you reach St Martin’s Lane, turn left, cross the street, and take a quick right to duck into Goodwin’s Court. This narrow Georgian alleyway is another place that’s thought to have been a model for Diagon Alley.

It’s also been said that it inspired Knockturn Alley, the shopping area off Diagon Alley that was filled with stores devoted to the Dark Arts.

When you get to the end of Goodwin’s Court, turn left onto Bedfordbury, then left onto New Row. Walk by the small cafes along the street (you can stop for a snack if you want to), then turn right and walk up St Martin’s Lane past the restaurants and theaters.

Continue as the street becomes Upper St Martin’s Lane, then turn left on West Street and follow it as it curves up to Cambridge Circus.

Once at Cambridge Circus, you’ll spot the Palace Theatre in Soho opposite you. This is the home of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , a popular stage production in London. It’s a must for any Potterhead.

The play is set 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , and it centers around Harry’s relationship with his son, Albus Severus.

Whatever you decide, continue your Harry Potter walking tour by heading north up Charing Cross Road.

On your left you’ll pass Foyles, one of the biggest and most famous bookshops in London. You can pop in to buy your favorite Harry Potter book, or continue your self-guided walking tour by going up to St Giles Circus.

When you reach it, cross over and continue straight as Charing Cross Road becomes Tottenham Court Road.

This is where Harry, Ron, and Hermione sit at a cafe in the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . Ron says the word “Voldemort” and inadvertently reveals their location to the Death Eaters.

From here you have two choices. If you want a shorter walk, you can hop on the tube at Goodge Street and take the Northern line a few stops north to King’s Cross St Pancras station.

Alternatively, if you’re happy continuing on foot, you can walk through Bloomsbury to get there.

My favorite route is to turn right from Tottenham Court Road onto Bayley Street, walk past the eye-catching buildings in Bedford Square, continue straight on Montague Place alongside the British Museum, and go around Russell Square.

From the northeast corner of the square, walk down Bernard Street, turn left on Marchmont Street, and follow it all the way up to Euston Road. You’ll pass by lots of cafes and shops as you go. If you want to, you can stop for a snack or meal.

When you get to Euston Road, turn right and take in the British Library and the stunning facade of St Pancras International as you make your way to King’s Cross station.

St Pancras featured as a filming location in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets . When Harry and Ron get locked out of Platform 9 3/4, they fly a Ford Anglia to school instead. As they take off, the facade of St Pancras can be seen in the background.

When you reach King’s Cross station, enter the building and head over to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.

There’s a disappearing luggage trolley and a sign for Platform 9 3/4. It marks the spot where Harry and his classmates entered the magical world to take the Hogwarts Express to school.

There’s also a famous Harry Potter shop right next to Platform 9 3/4, so after taking a photo you can pick up some souvenirs if you want to.

Afterwards, continue your self-guided Harry Potter walking tour by exiting the station and turning left to walk east down Pentonville Road until you reach Claremont Square.

This pretty place on the border of Clerkenwell and Islington was used as the filming location for 12 Grimmauld Place in two of the movies.

12 Grimmauld Place was the home of Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black. It served as the headquarters of the Order of Phoenix as well.

Claremont Square stood in for Grimmauld Place in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 .

After you’ve taken in the houses around the green space, continue down Pentonville Road, take a left on Islington High Street, and catch the Northern line of the tube from Angel station to Bank station.

When you get off the tube, exit the station and walk east down Cornhill. Turn right on Gracechurch Street, then left into Leadenhall Market.

This Victorian covered market was used as a filming location for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone . The entrance to The Leaky Cauldron pub was an optician’s shop in the market’s Bull’s Head Passage.

Once you’ve explored Leadenhall Market, continue your self-guided Harry Potter walking tour by exiting the same way you entered and turning left on Gracechurch Street.

Follow it down to Lombard Street, turn right, and walk past the historic buildings in the City of London .

Stay on Lombard Street as it curves around to take you back to Bank Station, then turn left on Poultry and continue down it as it becomes Cheapside.

Eventually it will lead you to St Paul’s Cathedral. This famous church stood in for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban .

The spiral staircase the students took up to Professor Trelawney’s Divination classroom was actually the Dean’s Staircase in the church (it’s also called the Geometric Staircase). If you want to go in, you can book tickets to St Paul’s Cathedral here .

Whether you go inside or not, continue your Harry Potter walking tour by exiting via the front of the church and turning left to walk east down the street called St Paul’s Churchyard.

When you reach Center Lane Gardens, turn right and walk along the pedestrianized Peter’s Hill to get to the Thames.

When you arrive at the river, you’ll be in front of Millennium Bridge. It replaced Brockdale Bridge in the opening scenes of the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince . A pack of Death Eaters targets the bridge as they wreak destruction on London.

Walk across the bridge, then turn left along the river when you get to the South Bank and Tate Modern.

Follow the Thames Path along Bankside, passing icons like Shakespeare’s Globe as you go. When you reach Bank End, turn right, then make a quick left on Clink Street.

Walk under the railway bridge and past The Clink Prison Museum, then turn right on Stoney Street. This narrow road will take you down to Borough Market , London’s most famous food market.

Borough Market was used as a filming location for the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron pub in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban . The facade featured in the movie is the site of a (now closed) flower shop called Chez Michele.

From Borough Market, make your way past Southwark Cathedral on Green Dragon Court, then walk up the stairs to Borough High Street.

Cross the street where it’s safe, then take a right on Duke Street Hill. Follow it as it becomes Tooley Street. You’ll pass by London Bridge station as you make your way to Hay’s Galleria.

When you get there, turn left to go into the galleria. You can admire the eye-catching ceiling and sculpture in the middle as you walk out to the Thames. When you get to the river, turn right on The Queens Walk and head towards the HMS Belfast ship.

The HMS Belfast featured in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . As Harry and members of the order fly on broomsticks from 4 Privet Drive to 12 Grimmauld Place, they go over the Thames in London. On the way they pass the famous navy warship.

As your Harry Potter walking tour continues along the river, you’ll find yourself in More London, the area around City Hall. This place has great views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.

Like the HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge featured in the scene from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix where Harry and his friends fly over the Thames.

Your self-guided Harry Potter walking tour ends here, but you can continue exploring the area or head across Tower Bridge to pick up the tube at Tower Hill station.

Walk Details and Map

Below you’ll find the details and map for my Harry Potter walk, as well as other filming locations you can explore in London.

Time: 3 – 5 hours (depending on time in the squares, stations, shops, and attractions)

Map of the walk from Westminster station to Tottenham Court Road: https://goo.gl/maps/cWdxLxY12bv5oKYz6

Map of the optional walk from Tottenham Court Road to King’s Cross: https://goo.gl/maps/VLYxRA5A2gcxAK3i6

Map of the walk from King’s Cross to Angel: https://goo.gl/maps/FYchUUW6JNy1UHCE7

Map of the walk from Bank Station to Tower Bridge: https://goo.gl/maps/njYf7h5VL34C9MhJA

I hope my Harry Potter walk has made you look forward to seeing locations from the books and movies as you discover London on foot. It’s the perfect way to explore the UK capital and experience the magic firsthand.

If you want more ideas, you can see additional self-guided walks and maps on my London walking tours blog post. And if you’d like to be enchanted, take a look at my list of magical places to visit in the UK . Happy wizarding!

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2 Comments on Lady’s Magical Harry Potter Walking Tour in London

Absolutely fabulous! Can’t wait to do it all. Thanks so much.

You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy it!

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Book Your Harry Potter™ London Tour

2.5-Hour Walking Tour of Harry Potter™ Film Locations from Southwark View Point

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
• Begin from Southwark View Point and make your way to some of the most iconic film locations of the Harry Potter™ Films - the 8 series franchise.
• Discover Gringott's Bank, the 900-year-old Clink Prison, Diagon Alley, and Leaky Cauldronandmore with an expert guide.
• This tour is guaranteed to amuse fans of all ages, with picture-perfect photo ops, immersive commentary, a quiz, and even a sorting ceremony to determine which house you truly belong to!
• Go beyond the Harry Potter™ filming locations and enjoy delightful visits to places such as Shakespeare's Globe and St. Paul's Cathedral on this tour.
• 2.5-hour guided tour of all Harry Potter™ film locations
• Services of a professional guide in English, Italian, or Spanish
• Southwark View Point
• Diagon Alley
• Gringott's Bank
• Platform 9 ¾
• Warner Bros. Shop

Millennium Bridge

• Daniel Radcliffe's School
• Knockturn Alley
• Winchester Palace
• 900-year-old Clink Prison
• Shakespeare's Globe
• Southwark Cathedral
• 800-year-old Borough Market
• St Paul's Cathedral
• Chewing Gum Graffiti
• Great Scotland Yard
• Sherlock Holmes' Pub
• Trafalgar Square
• The world's smallest police station
• Sir Francis Drake's world-famous Golden Hinde
• River Thames
• The London Eye
• Note that this tour does not include tickets to the Warner Bros. Studio.

Harry Potter Film Locations Guided Tour + Thames Boat Cruise

• This 2.5-hour guided tour from Southwark View Point guarantees to amuse and inspire all Potterheads as you explore famous Harry Potter film locations.
• Take a stroll on the real Diagon Alley, see the Gringott's Bank, purchase your first wand and take photos at Platform 9 ¾.
• Relive the scenes from the movies as you visit Knockturn Alley, the 900-year-old Clink Prison, The Ministry of Magic and so much more!
• Live your wizarding dreams with interactive commentary provided by your fellow Harry Potter enthusiast guide, as well as quizzes and your own sorting ceremony.
• End your tour with a Thames Boat Cruise and cross under the bridge that was destroyed by the Death Eaters in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince .
• 2.5-hour guided tour of all Harry Potter film locations
• Services of a professional guide in English, French, German, or Italian
• Thames River cruise
• Tip: Recognize the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, a wizarding pub, which was filmed at Leadenhall Market in London.

3-Hour Walking Tour of Harry Potter™ Film Locations from Westminster Station

• Meet your guide at Westminster Underground Station and begin your tour with personal audio headsets enabling you to hear the guide at all times.
• Tour the Ministry of Magic’s headquarters and find the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, the popular wizarding pub and inn located in London.
• Walk to the famous Millennium Bridge and stand in the exact spot where the Death Eaters destroyed the bridge in The Half-Blood Prince .
• See the iconic red telephone booth used to enter the ministry before heading to The Leaky Cauldron with many houses and shops that inspired Diagon Alley.
• End the tour at Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station, where you can take photographs as you board your train to Hogwarts and visit the Harry Potter Shop next door.
• 3-hour Harry Potter walking tour from Westminster Station
• Expert English-speaking guide
• 18 real-life film locations
• Personal audio headset
• Westminster Tube Station
• Great Scotland Yard - The Ministry of Magic
• The red telephone box used to enter the ministry
• The Millennium Bridge
• The Leaky Cauldron
• King's Cross Station - Platform 9 ¾
• Tip: You must visit the Harry Potter shop at Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station for a magical shopping experience so you can take home popular Harry Potter-themed souvenirs.
• Parts of this tour require a valid travel card/Oyster card (not included).
• This tour is not wheelchair accessible.

Top things to do in London

Harry Potter walking tour | Experience the magic of Harry Potter

Explore the magic of Harry Potter™ on a London walking tour! Relive iconic moments, from the Gringotts heist to the Platform 9 ¾™ dash. Visit film locations, witness Death Eaters in action, and step into Professor Trelawney’s office. Join the adventure and walk in the footsteps of your favorite witches and wizards!

Why a Harry Potter walking tour is a must-do

• Visit Iconic Film Locations: Explore actual settings where memorable scenes were filmed, bringing the wizarding world to life.
• Relive Classic Moments : Walk in the footsteps of beloved characters, from Gringotts heist to Platform 9 ¾™ escapades.
• Expert Guided Experience: Gain insights from knowledgeable guides who share behind-the-scenes facts and trivia.
• Engaging for Fans : Perfect for avid readers and film enthusiasts, it offers a deeper connection to the series.
• Uncover Hidden Gems: Discover lesser-known locations and details that add depth to the Harry Potter™ universe.
• Unique Photo Opportunities: Capture moments at key sites, creating lasting memories of your magical adventure.

Which Harry Potter walking tour is best for you?

If you are a Harry Potter fan

Go for: Guided Tours Duration: 2.5 hours Guide : Professional tour guide

• Explore iconic Harry Potter film locations including Gringott's Bank, Diagon Alley, and the enchanting Leaky Cauldron, guided by an expert.
• Enjoy an engaging tour tailored for fans of all ages, featuring picturesque photo opportunities, insightful commentary, a fun quiz, and an authentic sorting ceremony to reveal your Hogwarts house! Recommended Tickets: 2.5-Hour Walking Tour of Harry Potter™ Film Locations from Southwark View Point 3-Hour Walking Tour of Harry Potter™ Film Locations from Westminster Station

If you want to explore beyond

Go for: Combo Tours Duration: 2.5 hours Guide : Expert multilingual guide

• Enjoy a 2.5-hour guided tour led by a guide fluent in English, French, German, or Italian, covering all the renowned Harry Potter film locations.
• Experience the magic of the wizarding world as you walk through Diagon Alley and many more magical locations. Plus, top off the experience with a Thames River cruise. Recommended Ticket: Harry Potter Film Locations Guided Tour + Thames Boat Cruise

Flexible Cancellation Policy:

Most Harry Potter Walking Tours can be canceled up to 24 before the experience begins. You can get a full refund on your purchase. Please check your ticket for more details at the time of booking.

Harry Potter™ walking tour highlights

Step onto the Millennium Bridge and witness a pivotal moment in the wizarding world's history. Experience the ominous atmosphere and a chilling takeover by the Death Eaters. Picture the dramatic scene of destruction on this very bridge, a haunting reminder of the dark times in the Harry Potter universe. 

Australia House

Step into the enchanting world of Gringotts, the formidable Goblin-run wizarding bank. Explore the grand halls and learn about its intricate security measures. Relive the iconic scene from the first film as Harry and Hagrid enter Gringotts Bank, filmed inside the Exhibition Room at Australia House Delve into the rich history and captivating lore of this magical landmark.

Leadenhall Market

Step into the enchanting world of Diagon Alley at London's Leadenhall Market. Experience the vibrant energy first-hand as witches and wizards buy their magical essentials. Explore the charming shops showcasing rare and peculiar items and keep an eye out for hidden Harry Potter treasures, including authentic Gringotts banknotes, adding an extra layer of magic to your tour.

King’s Cross Station

Experience the magic at King’s Cross Station, a place of profound significance in Harry's journey. Walk in the footsteps of the young wizard as he first encounters Platform 9 ¾, forging lasting bonds with the Weasleys. Stand on Platform 9¾ and immerse yourself in these iconic moments.

Learn more about Harry Potter walking tour highlights

Plan your visit: Harry Potter walking tour

The start times for Harry Potter walking tours vary. 

From Monday to Friday , tours commence at 10:00 AM and onwards

On Saturdays and Sundays , they begin at 10:30 AM and onwards.

• Duration: The duration of Harry Potter walking tours vary but the average length would be about 2.5 hours.
• Best time to Visit: The optimal time to visit is during the spring or autumn months, when the weather is mild and pleasant for walking tours. Aim for the morning or early afternoon to avoid crowds and fully immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere.

Address: 113 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5AY, United Kingdom

Find On Map 

By Bus: Take buses 24, 29, 176, N29, or N279 to Stop D, Cambridge Circus. The theatre is a one-minute walk from the stop.

By Metro: From Charing Cross Underground Station, take the Northern Line (Black) to Leicester Square Station. The Palace Theatre is a short walk away.

By Car: Drive on the A401 to Charing Cross Road, then turn left onto Shaftesbury Avenue. The Palace Theatre will be on your left. Public parking near the Palace Theatre is available, but central London parking can be challenging. Consider using public transportation.

Your Harry Potter walking tour will end at King’s Cross Station

• Book in Advance: Ensure you secure your spot by booking the tour in advance, especially during peak tourist seasons.
• Wear Comfortable Shoes: You'll be walking, so wear comfortable shoes to make the experience enjoyable.
• Dress for the Weather: Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Bring an umbrella or raincoat if rain is expected.
• Arrive Early: Arrive a bit early to allow time for any unexpected delays and to get settled.
• Charge Your Devices: Bring a fully charged phone or camera to capture memorable moments during the tour.
• Listen to the Guide: Pay close attention to your guide for interesting facts, behind-the-scenes info, and trivia about the Harry Potter universe.
• Ask Questions: Don't hesitate to ask your guide questions. They're likely to have a wealth of knowledge about the series and its filming locations.
• Follow Safety Guidelines : Observe any safety guidelines or instructions provided by your guide, especially when crossing streets or navigating crowded areas.

• Leadenhall Market: This Victorian covered market in the City of London was used as the filming location for Diagon Alley.
• Millennium Bridge: The bridge was destroyed by Death Eaters in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." It offers a great view of St. Paul's Cathedral.
• St. Pancras International: The exterior of this train station was used as a filming location for the exterior shots of King's Cross Station.
• London Zoo Reptile House: Featured in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," where Harry discovers he can speak Parseltongue.

• Dishoom: This popular chain serves up authentic Indian cuisine in a stylish setting. Their extensive menu features everything from curries and tandoori dishes to street food and snacks.
• The Ivy: An upscale brasserie that offers classic British fare with a modern twist. Their menu features everything from steaks and chops to fish and pasta.
• Pasta Remoli: A traditional Italian restaurant that serves up authentic pasta dishes, pizzas, and other Italian favorites. Their menu features both classic and modern dishes, catering to a wide range of preferences.
• Coppa Club: This casual dining venue offers a variety of dishes, from pizzas and salads to burgers and steaks. Their menu is inspired by global flavors and features seasonal ingredients.

Budget: Southern Cross , Travelodge Hemel Hempstead , Marahomes

Mid-range: Hunton Park , Premier Inn Watford North hotel , Hilton London Watford

Luxury: The Grove , North Hill Farm

Frequently asked questions about the Harry Potter™ walking Tour

You will cover all the popular filming locations like Millennium Bridge, King’s Cross Station,  Leadenhall Market, London Zoo and more on your Harry Potter walking tour in London.

Yes. Your Harry Potter walking tour will include a multilingual tour guide who will accompany you.

It's recommended to purchase tickets online in advance to secure your spot, as tours can sell out, especially during peak seasons.

The meeting point is at Palace Theatre, 113 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5AY, United Kingdom. It is recommended that you meet your tour guide and group at the location 15 minutes in advance to avoid unexpected delays and to get settled.

The tour includes visits to iconic film locations, such as Gringotts Bank, Diagon Alley, and King's Cross Station's Platform 9 ¾, among others.

The duration of the tour varies, but it usually lasts around 2 to 3 hours.

Yes, the tour visits actual film locations used in the Harry Potter series.

Yes, the tour guides are usually well-informed about the Harry Potter books and films, providing interesting insights and trivia.

Yes, there are ample opportunities to take photos at various iconic locations.

Yes, most Harry Potter walking tours are family-friendly and suitable for fans of all ages.

Depending on the time and location, there may be some crowds, especially at popular spots like King's Cross Station.

Comfortable shoes for walking and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended. Bringing a charged camera or phone for photos is also a good idea.

Harry Potter™ Studio Guided Tour

Harry Potter Shops

Harry Potter Forbidden Forest

Guide to London’s coolest places to visit

Things To Do

The Ultimate Harry Potter Tours In London: Exploring the Magic of London

Last Updated on 30 November, 2023

London, a city steeped in history and brimming with enchanting secrets, serves as a magical backdrop for one of the most beloved wizarding tales of all time – Harry Potter.

Yes, so whether you’re a Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw, embarking on a Harry Potter tour in London promises an enchanting journey through the mystical world created by J.K. Rowling.

From iconic film locations to hidden gems that inspired the series, these tours offer an immersive experience for Potterheads of all ages. You can do everything from a Harry Potter-style photoshoot to doing a day trip out of London to do Warner Bros Studio Harry Potter Tour .

Below, let’s delve into the enchanting realm of Harry Potter with our guide to the best Harry Potter tours in London, where every street corner holds a touch of magic.

The Best Harry Potter Tours In London

Note that if you are travelling with families kids go for free on some tours. Also, many of these tours are walking tours so be sure you have the best shoes for London . For additional tips see our guide on how to pack for London whether summer or winter .

Original Harry Potter Locations Tour

Duration: 2 Hours

Embark on the Original Harry Potter Locations tour of London, guided through Soho to iconic spots like Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square . Get your dose of movie trivia and put your knowledge to the test with a fun quiz at the end of the tour.

This tour is a must-do for all ages, featuring famous London landmarks on screen, including St. Paul’s Cathedral and London Bridge. Join your guide at Southwark Viewpoint near Southwark Cathedral, get sorted into your Hogwarts house, and dive into an interactive experience.

Explore Diagon Alley’s entrance, the Leaky Cauldron, and more while competing with other houses. The tour concludes at the Palace Theatre, home to the Cursed Child. Dress comfortably and prepare for a magical adventure.

London Harry Potter Tour

Duration: 3 Hours

Join this family-friendly Harry Potter tour , where you’ll uncover London’s hidden gems used as filming locations in Harry Potter. With an expert guide by your side, you’ll gain access to insider information and movie trivia not found in guidebooks.

Plus, it’s a great choice for families as kids go free . Say goodbye to getting lost in central London crowds while discovering the enchanting world of Harry Potter. The adventure begins at Platform 9¾ King’s Cross and concludes just a short walk from London Bridge Station.

Harry Potter In London Private Tour

Price: £69.87

Step into the enchanting world of Harry Potter with this private London tour tailor-made for wizarding fans. Perfect for families with complimentary tickets for kids, this magical tour unveils over 10 London locations used in the filming of Harry Potter movies.

Let your guide lead you through the City of London, ensuring you won’t lose your way. Don’t forget to strike a pose at Platform 9¾ for memorable photos. Experience London through the eyes of Harry Potter, visiting more than 10 film locations, all with the expert insights of your guide.

It’s a fantastic choice for families, as kids go free! We begin at The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9¾ and conclude just a short 5-minute stroll from London Bridge Station.

Harry Potter London Film Locations Bus Tour 

Price: £32.50

Embark on a magical journey through the enchanting world of Harry Potter with our London filming locations tour . Travel in style aboard a luxury coach as you explore iconic sites like Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Diagon Alley, and Platform 9¾.

Listen to captivating tales from the expert Harry Potter guide, providing insider insights into the film’s creation and visits to significant locations that inspired J.K. Rowling’s epic series. This Harry Potter tour by luxury coach offers a unique experience to immerse yourself in the wizarding world while discovering London landmarks that influenced the beloved novels.

Begin your cinematic adventure in central London , where you’ll meet your knowledgeable guide and board the luxurious coach. Throughout your journey, enjoy entertaining commentary with a Potter twist, allowing you to see J.K. Rowling’s world in a new light. Pass by Muggle London sites that inspired the author’s creation of the wizarding universe.

As you traverse the city, gain behind-the-scenes knowledge about the film’s production, engage with fellow Muggles, and reminisce about your favourite scenes. Catch a glimpse of Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Sirius Black’s family home in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” which became a sanctuary for Harry and his allies.

Drive through Diagon Alley, where Harry purchased his magical school supplies, and spot the Leaky Cauldron, a beloved wizarding pub. Your final destination is King’s Cross Station, where you’ll visit the mysterious Platform 9¾. Relive the moment when Harry Potter launched himself through the platform portal to board the Hogwarts Express. Your tour concludes here, allowing you to capture the perfect picture to cherish.

Harry Potter Location By Boat Tour

Duration: 2 Hours 30 minutes

Step into the enchanting world of Harry Potter on this captivating tour of London , where you’ll explore iconic landmarks and hidden gems while indulging in magical quizzes and spells guided by an expert. With a Harry Potter-themed twist, you’ll discover some of London’s most renowned sights, all while enjoying an immersive experience. Your adventure culminates with a delightful glide down the River Thames for a fresh perspective of the city.

Along the way, engage in quizzes, games, and trivia, ensuring that every Harry Potter enthusiast is entertained. Each tour concludes at King’s Cross , the very place where Harry embarked on his journey into the wizarding world.

Immerse yourself in the magic of this small-group tour, offering a personalized and intimate exploration of the city’s enchanting corners.

London Harry Potter Walking Tour

Duration: 2 Hours 

Embark on a magical 2-hour Harry Potter walking tour in London and immerse yourself in the enchanting world of wizardry and witchcraft. Relive your favorite moments at filming locations featured in the Harry Potter movies, including the iconic Leaky Cauldron and the Ministry of Magic.

Along the way, you’ll pass by renowned London landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral, the Millennium Bridge, and the Leadenhall Market , while your knowledgeable guide shares insider facts and trivia about the beloved books and films.

London Outdoor Escape Game: Harry Potter Movie Locations(Self-guided)

Duration: 3 Hours 

Price: £10.50

Calling all Potterheads! Embark on a magical quest through London with this interactive game that combines your love for Harry Potter with exploration. Gather your party of up to four fellow enthusiasts and set off on a captivating adventure that guides you to iconic Harry Potter locations across the city.

You can take your time, exploring at your own pace, while the app provides you with fascinating facts and behind-the-scenes narratives. Available in both English and French, this is the perfect activity for Potterheads visiting London. Access the game from your smartphone and enjoy a private and interactive experience.

This quest is a thrilling challenge where you’ll follow clues and solve puzzles to uncover hidden places and untold stories. Simply head to the starting point, open the app, and receive your first clue. As you progress, each clue leads you seamlessly from one location to the next, eliminating the need for maps, GPS, or a guide.

When you successfully solve a clue, you unlock the secret story of that place, adding an extra layer of enchantment to your journey. There’s no rush, as the tour typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours to complete, but you have the flexibility to finish it at your own pace. Upon purchasing the quest, you’ll receive an email with instructions on how to begin. Head to the starting point, and let the adventure unfold.

Muggle’s Guide To Harry Potter Walking Tour

Experience the enchanting side of London that often goes unnoticed by muggles on this captivating walking tour of Harry Potter filming locations . Venture beyond the usual tourist hotspots and delve into the real-life settings brought to life in the cinematic adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter novels.

Your journey will take you to iconic spots like King’s Cross’s Platform 9 3/4, the elusive Leaky Cauldron entrance, and locations believed to have inspired the magical realms of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley, among other beloved wizarding destinations.

This walking tour offers an extraordinary perspective of London, as seen through the eyes of “The Boy Who Lived.” Immerse yourself in the wizarding world as you explore the city’s Harry Potter filming sites, gaining insights into the movies and the inspirations that shaped J.K. Rowling’s literary masterpieces.

Harry Potter Night Tour

Join the original Harry Potter locations walking tour in London for an enchanting experience. Begin your journey by getting sorted into your Hogwarts house and putting your Potter knowledge to the test with trivia questions. Explore iconic London neighborhoods like Soho , Covent Garden, and Trafalgar Square, each with its own fascinating showbiz history.

Follow in the magical footsteps (or broom steps) of beloved Hogwarts students, actors, and screenwriters as you immerse yourself in the cinematic world of London. Your guide, a true movie enthusiast, will regale you with intriguing film trivia. Be ready to join teams and participate in the Silverscreen Quiz to showcase your movie expertise and win fabulous prizes in various games along the way.

Discover the sites that inspired a wide range of movies, from classics and silent films to Bond, Marvel, and romantic comedies. See London through the eyes of Harry Potter on this 2-hour adventure through the city’s cinematic history.

Black Taxi Private Harry Potter Tour

Price: £341.50

Embark on a private London cab tour that traces the magical footsteps of Harry Potter and other beloved characters from the film series. Enjoy the comfort of your own private black taxi with a knowledgeable Harry Potter expert serving as your guide and driver.

Explore a plethora of locations that were featured in various Harry Potter films, including “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” Witness the enchanting Diagon Alley, the iconic Knight Bus bridge, Platform 9¾, and numerous other bewitching sites while your driver shares captivating Potter trivia.

Each black taxi can accommodate up to five passengers at a flat rate, making it an exclusive and convenient choice for your magical adventure. This private tour offers morning and afternoon options and includes pick-up and drop-off at central London hotels, ensuring a seamless and enchanting experience.

There you have it, London’s best Harry Potter tours to complement your London itinerary, whether in the city for one day , 2 days , or even 4 days .

For additional tips check read more:

• Best Time To Visit London
• Tips For Planning A Trip To London
• How To Get From London Airports Into Cental London

My name is Bianca and welcome to my local guide of London's Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. Everything you need to know about exploring London in addition to the coolest hangouts and Instagrammable spots.

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Harry Potter walking tours in London – prices, what to expect, locations

Each Harry Potter film has many sequences shot in London.

The locations vary from Leadenhall Market (remember Diagon Alley’s entrance?) to Kings Cross Station, which has platform 9¾ and was the Hogwarts Express’ boarding point.

In addition to real-life locales, all eight Harry Potter films were filmed in the Warner Brothers Studio in Leavesden, just outside of London.

Every Harry Potter fan goes on the Warner Bros Studio Tour London , and the majority of them also embark on the Harry Potter walking tour of London .

Passionate tour guides who are themselves Potter fans conduct these walking tours of Harry Potter shooting locations.

These excursions, which are popular with both children and adults, take you to actual locations in London that inspired author J.K. Rowling to create her books.

In this article, we share everything you must know before booking your Harry Potter walking tour of London.

Top Harry Potter Tours

# Harry Potter walking tour # Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour # Harry Potter Private Family & Kids Walking Tour

Table of contents

Cost of harry potter walking tour, harry potter warner bros studio tour, harry potter private family & kids walking tour, private harry potter walking tour, harry potter walking tour + river thames cruise, self-guided potter movie locations tour, warner bros studio tour london, what to expect on a harry potter walking tour.

This tour takes you through Muggle London in the footsteps of your favorite wizards (and witches).

After meeting your guide, you first find out which Hogwarts House you belong to and begin your tour. 

Throughout the tour, you participate in an interactive quiz and compete against other Houses while seeing the locations that inspired J.K. Rowling.

All along the journey, your Harry Potter fan guide will share fascinating facts about the Potter books and movies. 

The Leaky Cauldron, actual Diagon Alley, etc., are some of the highlights of the walking tour. 

Choose between a brief boat ride down the Thames or a ride on the world-famous London Underground as part of your guided tour.

The Harry Potter walking tour of locations in London lasts 2.5 hours.

In between, you will be taking either a boat ride or the Underground to move to another cluster of the Harry Potter shooting locations (if you choose the option while booking tickets). 

During the walking tour, you will see a total of 18 locations you have read about in the books or seen in the Harry Potter movies. 

1. Southwark Cathedral  2. 800-year-old Borough Market  3. Sir Francis Drake’s world-famous Golden Hinde  4. Winchester Palace  5. 900-year-old Clink Prison  6. Shakespeare’s Globe  7. Millennium Bridge  8. Daniel Radcliffe’s School  9. The London Eye  10. River Thames  11. Sherlock Holmes’ Pub  12. Great Scotland Yard  13. Gringotts Wizarding Bank  14. The world’s smallest police station  15. Trafalgar Square  16. Knockturn Alley  17. Diagon Alley  18. Palace Theatre

The total distance walked on the tour is 3.2 km (2 miles), so it is better to wear comfortable shoes.

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The Harry Potter guided walking tour via underground costs £20 for all 18 years and above participants. 

Children between five and 17 years get a discount of £4 pay only £16. 

Harry Potter guided tour with boat trip ticket costs £35 for visitors above 18 years.

Children get a discount of £5 on their boat trip ticket and pay only £30 for their entry.

kids under four years enter for free irrespective if the ticket choice.

Best Harry Potter walking tours in London

Many places in London inspired JK Rowling’s locations in her Harry Potter series, and as a result, the Potter movies were also filmed at those sites. 

Today there are many Harry Potter tours, which take you along these filming locations in the English capital.

These Potter walking tours come in many flavors, which we explain below. 

Explore behind-the-scenes magic of the Harry Potter movie series with Warner Bros Studio Tour. 

You can see the props, sets, and costumes that brought J.K. Rowling’s magical universe to life on the big screen.

Highlights of the tour include:

• Diagon Alley
• Harry’s Nimbus 2000
• Hagrid’s motorcycle
• Platform 9 ¾
• Gringotts Wizarding Bank
• Potions Classroom
• Gryffindor common room
• Chamber of Secrets Door

This ticket includes bus transportation to and from Warner Bros. 

Ticket Prices

Adult Ticket (16+ years): £104 Youth Ticket (5 to 15 years): £99 Child Ticket (3 to 4 years): £40 Infant Ticket (up to 2 years): Free

A Muggle’s Guide to London is the highest-rated Harry Potter Walking Tour in the city.

Follow along Harry Potter’s footsteps with your family on a fascinating walking tour led by a private guide.

This trip begins on Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station, where you will meet your guide, who will then take over the tour.

This two-hour trip is offered in three languages: English, Spanish, and French.

During a private Harry Potter tour, you get a guide to yourself for the duration of the trip.

These tours are costly, but you get to customize the route and the sites you want to visit.

The cheapest private tour of Potter filming locations tickets start from £17 per person.

The Eco-certified Magical Boy Wizard Walking Tour of London includes a hotel pick-up if you are staying in Central London.

Opt for the Bewitching Potter Tour if you want to be chauffeured in luxury to all sites and inspirations for the films. 

This magical Harry Potter themed walking tour across London starts with a test to find out about your Hogwarts House.

Then you follow your guide to the magical sights made famous by J.K. Rowling in her much-loved novels and enter the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Once the Potter mania is over, you take a relaxing river cruise down the Thames.

Traveling with younger kids or elders and can’t walk much? Check out this Harry Potter tour by London taxi .

This unique adventure combines a tour, an outdoor escape game, and a treasure hunt.

On your smartphone, you go on an adventure throughout London, solving clues to prevent an evil wizard from destroying the world.

Discover locations from the Harry Potter films, such as the House of Guards, Cecil Court, and Trafalgar Square, to unlock tales.

This self-guided trip is one of the most affordable ways to see the sites from the Harry Potter books and movies.

Almost everybody who goes on a walking tour of Harry Potter related locations in London also books a Warner Bros Studio Tour . 

Most of the Harry Potter movie shootings happened at the Warner Bros. Studio, with numerous sets, props, costumes, etc. 

After the movies got filmed in 2012, Warner Bros decided to develop the location into a permanent tour called ‘The Making of Harry Potter.’

With more than 6000 Harry Potter fans visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London daily, it is now a must-visit family destination. 

Source # Viator.com # Klook.com # Tripadvisor.in The travel specialists  at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy .

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This article was researched & written by

Priyanka Dwivedi

Since she doesn't want to leave anything to chance, she prefers sightseeing with the assistance of a tour guide or a city map. She also prefers to visit one place during one holiday, and leave nothing unexplored. During her vacations, she takes long walks, pondering the most profound philosophies of life. Favorite Cities: Prague, Lisbon, Vienna, Munich, Nice

Edited by Rekha Rajan & fact checked by Jamshed V Rajan

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The 10 Best Harry Potter Tours in London

Grab your wands and prepare for a magical trip through London.

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

A highlight of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter is seeing the model of Hogwarts.

Though you won't find Eeylops Owl Emporium, Flourish and Blotts, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes or Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions in London 's streets, that doesn't mean you can't indulge in the world of "Harry Potter." Knowledgeable witches and wizards lead themed tours that discuss not only filming locations for the beloved Potter films, but also the wizarding world's most famous individuals like Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Consulting Muggle traveler opinion as well as expert input from the top witches and wizards, U.S. News & World Report found the best Harry Potter London tours on offer.

Note: These tours take place on foot, by bus or on trains, so it's best to leave your brooms and Floo powder at home.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Price: From 51.50 pounds (around $64) per person Duration: 3.5 hours

For Potterheads, no trip to London is complete without a stop to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter , which explores how the "Harry Potter" films were made. During the self-guided visit, travelers will wander the Diagon Alley set, board the Hogwarts Express, view props and costumes and much, much more. Visit around Halloween for the Dark Arts or the winter holidays for Hogwarts in the Snow; the tour is decked out in seasonal décor for both events.

"As both a filmmaker and 'Harry Potter' fan, I was absolutely blown away by this tour," says Leilani Osmundson , digital producer at U.S. News Travel. "The sets, props and costumes were incredible and very well-maintained, and there were written explanations for almost everything." Osmundson suggests staying at the back of the group when entering the Great Hall for a chance to snag photos with fewer people in the shot when the group moves on. Keep in mind, this great experience comes with equivalent fees: Travelers warn of high ticket prices and expensive souvenirs. To avoid crowds, get to the studio early.

Tickets start at 51.50 pounds (about $64) per person. Children 3 and younger as well as caregivers can explore for free. Ticket packages that include a stay at a hotel or afternoon tea cost extra. Hours vary depending on the day. The tour is self-paced and you can explore as long as you wish, but you'll want at least 3.5 hours (more if you're a die-hard fan who wants to take in every detail). The tour is located in Leavesden, Watford, which is about 20 miles northeast of central London. Take the train to Watford Junction then board the complimentary shuttle to the studio.

View & Book Tickets: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Evan Evans Tours – Harry Potter Film Locations Walking Tour

Price: Adults from 29 pounds (about $36); kids from 24 pounds (around $30) Duration: 3 hours

Along this three-hour walking tour, you'll see the telephone booth that takes you to the Ministry of Magic, the Millennium Bridge and King's Cross Station, among other top filming locations. Tour-takers say the guides share fun Potter facts along with information about London.

Tours depart at both 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Tickets cost 29 pounds (approximately $36) for adults and 24 pounds (about $30) for kids 3 to 16. You will also need a valid travel card for the Underground, as part of the tour is on the tube. The outing is not accessible. Evan Evans tours also runs an outing that buses trip-takers to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.

View & Book Tickets: Viator | GetYourGuide

Courtesy of Tour for Muggles

Tour for Muggles

Price: Adults from 17 pounds (about $21); kids from 15 pounds (around $19) Duration: 2 hours

"Harry Potter" fans praise the witches and wizards who lead this tour, saying they are full of fun information and are passionate storytellers. A few note that if you're traveling solo, this is a great tour to take. The two-hour tour takes travelers throughout London – including across the Thames – and tells stories about Harry, Ron and Hermione along the way.

You'll meet your guide near the Monument tube station. The walking tour costs 17 pounds (around $21) for adults and 15 pounds (about $19) for children younger than 12.

See Your City – Original Harry Potter Locations Tour

Price: From $19.04 Duration: 2 hours

During See Your City's two-hour jaunt, you'll not only learn about the filming of "Harry Potter" (including the bridge destroyed in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"), but guides will also quiz you along the way so you can earn points for your house. Travelers praise the guides for their fun and informative delivery, saying that there are several spots on the tour that they wouldn't have seen by themselves.

Tickets cost about $20 per person and run mornings at 10:30 a.m., and afternoons at 2 and 7 p.m. In addition to English, See Your City conducts tours in Italian, German, French, Spanish and British Sign Language. The company runs other "Harry Potter"-themed tours, including one that explores London by boat and one that runs at night.

International Friends – Small Group Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter & Oxford

Price: Adults from 174 pounds; kids from 169 pounds Duration: 11 hours

This daylong tour begins with a visit to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London to see the sets (including the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid's Hut and the Great Hall), costumes and props from the films. After spending four hours at the studio, the coach will whisk you away to nearby Oxford where guides will take you on a walking tour of the university buildings and city streets. Tourgoers call this an excellent way to spend the day and appreciated the stop in Oxford.

Tour tickets start at 174 pounds (about $216) for adults and 169 pounds (approximately $210) for kids ages 5 to 15. Trips depart from central London around 8:30 a.m. and return around 7:45 p.m. In addition to "Harry Potter" outings, International Friends runs "Downton Abbey" tours.

Courtesy of London With a Local

London With a Local – Free Harry Potter Wizarding Tour

Price: Free Duration: 2 hours

Tourgoers routinely encourage "Harry Potter" fans to take this tour, saying the guides and stories shared are both fantastic. The walking tour meets at Palace Theatre, where the play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" performs. (While seeing the play isn't part of the tour, you may want to grab tickets to the show while you're in London.) From there, guides will lead you down Diagon and Knockturn alleys (aka Charing Cross Road) and past buildings that inspired the Gringotts Wizarding Bank and the Ministry of Magic. Be sure to refresh your trivia knowledge, too, as guides quiz travelers for the Hogwarts Trivia House Cup.

Outings last about two hours. Tours depart at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., but daily availability can vary. The tour is free, though tips for the guide are appreciated. London With a Local runs other movie- and book-based free tours, including James Bond and Sherlock Holmes tours.

View & Book Tickets: London With a Local

Brit Movie Tours – Wizards London Bus Tour

Price: Adults from 32.50 pounds (about $40); kids from 21 pounds Duration: 3.5 hours

Hop on an air-conditioned bus to see spots in London that served as a backdrop for the eight "Harry Potter" films. Sites tourgoers will see include the spot used for the Leaky Cauldron, the spot where the Knight Bus squished itself through traffic and more. Along the way, guides will quiz you about the books. Plus you'll see a few spots from the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise. Many travelers say the bus tour is a bargain and praise the guides. A few others note they could have found the stops by themselves.

Tours run year-round on Sundays (usually at 9:30 or 10:30 a.m.) as well as Wednesdays at 2 p.m. in the warmer months. Availability can vary, however. Tickets start at 32.50 for adults (about $40) and 21 pounds (roughly $26) for kids 15 and younger. Brit Movie Tours also runs a walking version of this tour.

London Top Sight Tours – Harry Potter Azkaban Tour (Film Locations & Prison)

Price: From 69 pounds (about $86) Duration: 3 hours

This tour focuses on the famous prison that housed some of the Death Eaters (followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named): Azkaban. Tour-takes will visit the Clink Prison Museum, which inspired J.K. Rowling when writing about the wizard prison. Additionally, this walking tour stops at two "Harry Potter"-themed shops as well as other locations from the films. London tourists say the guides do an excellent job.

Tours last three hours and depart from King's Cross. Tickets start at 69 pounds (roughly $86) per person and include the entry ticket to the Clink Prison Museum. Keep in mind you'll also need a topped up travel card for the tube. Tours run at 10 a.m. and 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. daily. The company runs a variety of other London tours, as well as private tours.

City Wonders – Fully Guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Price: Adults from $310; kids from $297 Duration: 6 hours

As the name implies, City Wonders conducts fully guided excursions to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Guides meet the tour group – of no more than eight individuals – at the Euston War Memorial before boarding a train to get to the studio. Upon arrival, a trained guide will lead your group through the Studio Tour. You'll view props, costumes and sets like Ollivander's, the Gryffindor common room and more. Along the way, guides will share interesting tidbits about the movies. Travelers say the tours are excellent and the guided portion through The Making of Harry Potter is extra special. They also say that sampling Butterbeer or other magic foods is a must, but warn of long lines for concessions.

The tour starts at $310 for adults, $297 for children 5 to 15 and $12 for infants 4 and younger. It lasts about six hours and departs at 11:05 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. daily. City Wonders runs a variety of tours, including outings to the British Museum and the Tower of London .

Free Tours by Foot – Harry Potter Walking Tour London

Price: Free Duration: 2.5 hours

If you're hoping to save some knuts, sickles and galleons on a London trip, this could be a great tour option. As the name implies, Free Tours by Foot runs pay-what-you-wish walking tours. The "Harry Potter" tour will go by Westminster Tube station (as seen in "The Order of the Phoenix"), Godwin's Court (Knockturn Alley), St. Paul's and Trafalgar Square, among other top sites. Travelers say it is a wonderful tour, as guides share information about both the boy wizard and London history.

Tours run Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m. Though tours are free, reservations are required. Additionally, part of the tour takes place on the tube, so make sure you have plenty of money on a travel card.

View & Book Tickets: Free Tours by Foot

Harry Potter Tours in Scotland

London isn't the only place in the United Kingdom to get your Potter fix. Scotland – where you'll find the real-life Hogwarts Express and Hogwarts castle – is another must-visit destination for fans. Here are some tours to consider:

• Free Harry Potter Tour: Explore Edinburgh on foot to hear about the influence the city had on the books. Book on Free Harry Potter Tour .
• The Magical Highlands Tour (Includes Steam Train Journey): See the Scottish Highlands and take a ride on the Jacobite steam train (aka the Hogwarts Express). Book on GetYourGuide .
• Harry Potter & the Hogwarts Express: Visit filming locations in the Highlands including the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Book on HAGGiS Adventures .
• J.K. Rowling's Edinburgh: Traverse city streets to learn about the Potter stories and their creator. Book on The Potter Tour .
• The Potter Trail: Grab a wand and explore Potterific sites around Edinburgh on this free tour. Book on The Potter Trail .
• Edinburgh Harry Potter Tour: Find out where He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is buried and the namesakes for some of the characters. Book on Viator .
• Harry Potter Tour: Walk by Edinburgh Castle, the Elephant House and more on this tour. Book on: Viator | Get Your Guide .
• Jacobite Steam Train Experience. Take a ride on the Hogwarts Express and snap photos of Cairngorms National Park. Book on Scottish Tours .
• Immersive Harry Potter Tour. Get quizzed on your magical knowledge while walking through Edinburgh. Book on: Viator | Get Your Guide .

You may also be interested in:

• The Best London Tours
• The Best Sightseeing Tours of Buckingham Palace
• Take a Photo Tour of London
• The Best Daytrips from London
• The Best Scotland Tours

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Harry potter studio tour from london.

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Harry Potter Studio & Walking Tour of London Film Locations

Get ready to have a magical day exploring the wizarding world of Harry Potter! This tour includes a fully guided walking tour of many of the London locations where memorable parts of the films were shot, such as Lambeth Bridge, where the Knight Bus was shown squeezing between 2 buses, & Great Scotland Yard, the entrance to the Ministry of Magic. You will also get to visit the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios, where entrance is included as well as transport from London to the studios in Leavesden and back. Experience the film sets that the actors used for many years and see all the special effects, costumes & make-up that went into the making of the unforgettable world of the Harry Potter films.

Iconic Landmarks

See the real-life locations where many memorable scenes of the Harry Potter films were shot in London.

Guided Tour

Enjoy the walking tour with one of our friendly, knowledgeable tour guides, helping bring to life the magical world of Harry Potter as you wander through the London sites.

An Unique Experience

We have crafted & refined our tours with a personal touch over the past 25+ years to offer you an extraordinary day out.

Luxury Coach

We use our own luxury minibuses & coaches for transport, which are designed with your comfort and safety in mind.

Payment Options

We accept most major card types for online payments. We also accept payment by card over the phone or cash to our central London office.

Have a Question?

Feel free to reach out and we're happy to answer any questions you may have.

• +44 207 436 9304
• [email protected]

*This is a sample itinerary only, as actual timings vary depending on the date

Harry Potter Studio Tour with Walking Tour and transport, from London

Join the magic with our harry potter experience studio tour.

Experience the spellbinding world of wizardry right here in the heart of the city. Dive into the magic and secrets behind your favourite scenes.

Ever wondered where the Diagon Alley scenes were filmed? Or which London building inspired the Ministry of Magic? Our expert guide will reveal these magical spots during our enchanting walking tour before popping you on one of our comfy air-coned coaches and whisking you off to the official Harry potter studios just outside of London.

Relive the wonder, explore the sets, and even enjoy a butterbeer or two. With us, you’ll have plenty of time to browse, shop, and immerse yourself in the magic of the studios.

• Return Luxury Coach Travel from London for your Harry Potter London Tour
• Harry Potter Tours London
• Enjoy your Harry Potter Experience from London
• When is your next Harry Potter London Studio Tour?
• Get a Discounted London Harry Potter Tour

Make your magical dreams come true

Don’t miss out on the most enchanting journey in the city. Choose us for the ultimate *Harry Potter experience*. Let the magic begin!

By booking direct we guarantee the best price on this tour

What others have said about the tour:

How did they film Harry Potter?

As Harry Potter was a magical world, a large part of the set for Harry Potter had to be created in Studio. The series was filmed over 10 years at Leavesden studios, just outside of London in the UK. Most of the set still remains and Harry Potter is now an attraction open to the public.

You can see real sets from the movies like The Great Hall, Gringotts Bank, and Dumbledore’s office. Plus, check out drawings, small models, and props used in the films. You’ll also get to watch videos that show how computer tricks made the magic look real!

You can enjoy a London harry potter tour starting with the film locations when you book on our website. 

What can I see at Harry Potter experience tour? (Pictures with everything in)

• The Great Hall

Walk into the grandeur of the actual Great Hall, where many iconic scenes were filmed, from Sorting Ceremonies to the Yule Ball.

• Forbidden Forest

Venture into the recreated forest, encountering magical creatures like Aragog the giant spider and Buckbeak the Hippogriff.

• Diagon Alley

Stroll down the magical shopping street with its cobbled pathways and detailed storefronts, including Ollivanders, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

• Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Experience the grand marble hall of the bank and venture into the Lestrange vault. There’s also a section that has been turned into a dramatic set complete with lighting effects to recreate the scene from “Deathly Hallows Part 2” when the dragon wreaks havoc.

• The Backlot

Walk around the exterior sets including Privet Drive, the Knight Bus, and the rickety wooden Hogwarts bridge.

• Creature Effects

See the magic behind the animatronics and prosthetics of the series, from Fawkes the phoenix to the Gringotts goblins.

• Dumbledore’s Office

Marvel at the intricate details of the headmaster’s study, from the portraits of past headmasters to the magical instruments and gadgets.

• The Art Department

Discover the concept art, models, and graphics from the films.

• Hagrid’s Hut

Step into Hagrid’s cozy, magical hut and feel like you’re visiting the gentle giant himself, complete with the details that make his home so unique, from the dragon egg in the fireplace to his oversized furniture.

Step into the quirky and homely house of the Weasley family.

Where was Harry Potter filmed?

The Harry Potter films utilised multiple iconic locations throughout London. On our Harry Potter London Studio Tour, you’ll not only visit these renowned filming spots but also discover the hidden gems of the wizarding world. Explore secret entrances to Diagon Alley, wander through London’s concealed magical streets, and even locate the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, among many other magical experiences. Join us to see where the magic was brought to life in London!

Here are some famous Harry Potter filming locations in London:

King’s Cross Station

Platforms 4 and 5 were used to film the Hogwarts Express scenes. There’s also a dedicated photo spot for the famed Platform 9¾, where fans can pose with a luggage trolley “disappearing” into the wall.

Leadenhall Market

A beautiful Victorian market in the City of London, it was used for exterior shots of Diagon Alley and the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel

The exterior of this hotel, located next to King’s Cross, was used as the entrance to King’s Cross Station in the films.

Australia House

The grand interior of this building on Strand served as the interior for Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

Westminster Tube Station

Harry and Mr. Weasley use this station when they travel to the Ministry of Magic in “Order of the Phoenix.”

Millennium Bridge

This pedestrian suspension bridge is shown being destroyed by Death Eaters in “Half-Blood Prince.”

Piccadilly Circus

Harry, Ron, and Hermione are seen here in “Deathly Hallows Part 1” during their escape.

Claremont Square

 Used as the exterior of 12 Grimmauld Place, the ancestral home of Sirius Black and the secret headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.

Lambeth Bridge

 The Knight Bus squeezes between two London buses on this bridge in the “Prisoner of Azkaban.”

Borough Market

The location of the exterior of the Third Hand Book Emporium in “Prisoner of Azkaban.”

Where was Hogwarts filmed?

The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the “Harry Potter” film series was not filmed in a single location but rather is a composite of various places, sets, and digital effects. Here are some of the key locations:

• Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, England

Alnwick Castle is thought to be the most famous castle used as Hogwarts and the castle the set was based on. The Castle was used for exterior shots of Hogwarts, including the scenes where students learn to fly broomsticks.

• Durham Cathedral, Durham, England.

The cathedral’s cloisters were used for various scenes, including where Harry releases Hedwig the owl.

• Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucestershire, England

The cathedral’s cloisters were used to film various Hogwarts corridor scenes, including the sequences involving the words written in blood in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.”

• Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire, England

Used for various interior shots, including classrooms and hallways.

• G oathland Station, North Yorkshire, England. Served as the Hogsmeade Station where the Hogwarts Express stops.
• Black Park, Wexham, England. This park, adjacent to Pinewood Film Studios, was used for scenes involving the Forbidden Forest.
• Leavesden Studios, Hertfordshire, England. Many of the interior scenes, including the Great Hall, Dumbledore’s office, and the Gryffindor common room, were filmed on sets at Harry Potter studio which you can see on our Harry Potter Tour.

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Unique Fully Guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Delight as the magic of Harry Potter comes to life again before your eyes. This fully guided London studios tour will take you back to your favorite scenes, with the real props, costumes and sets, and unforgettable behind-the-scenes commentary from an expert English-speaking  Studio Tour guide who knows how the film magic brought the books to life. Get exclusive Timed entry to the experience of the Great Hall, Hagrid’s Hut and Platform 9 ¾, with return transport from Central London.

• Arrive by authentic Muggle train and step into Hogwarts on the *only* fully-guided tour of the spectacular Warner Bros. Studios: The Making of Harry Potter, in small groups of 8 or less so you can really appreciate the magic.
• Your official Studio tour guide will be there to help you make the most of our exclusive time entry - so there’s no waiting in line and priority re-entry, meaning you won’t miss a moment.
• See the amazing sets, costumes and props from across the eight amazing Harry Potter movies: all so detailed and recognizable. Sip on some Butterbeer, ride a broomstick and enter the breathtaking Great Hall …

Your Harry Potter Studio Tour Experience

What's included.

• Fully guided tour of Warner Bros. Studios in English, with an expert Harry Potter tour guide
• Small groups of 8 people or fewer
• Admission with timed entry to Warner Bros Studios
• Transportation to and from the meeting point

Sites Visited

• Warners Brothers Studios (inside) 

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Making of Harry Potter on our fully-guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour in English. As a Warner Bros. Studio Tour London preferred partner, we’re the only tour company that allows you to learn about the real-life movie magic used to create the beloved film series from an official, Studio Tour guide.   

Start your magical journey in Central London, where you’ll meet a City Wonders representative to collect your return train tickets directly to Watford Junction Station. After arriving at Watford Junction, you’ll be taken to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London via an official shuttle bus.

Once you arrive at the Studios, you’ll enjoy timed access and a greeting from a dedicated English-speaking  Studio Tour guide, who will reveal the wonders you’ll encounter throughout your tour of the original sets, props, and costumes from the Harry Potter™ film series. Next, view a short introductory film before being led into the most iconic set of the series: the Great Hall.  

From there, your Studio Tour guide will begin to share production secrets and inside information, as well as highlight the processes used to bring the films to life. As the only fully-guided tour, this experience is completely unique and the best way to explore the behind-the-scenes magic of the Harry Potter film series as you walk along the famous cobbled street of Diagon Alley™, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders™, Flourish and Blotts™, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts™ Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium™.

You’ll also visit the original Hogwarts Express locomotive and a re-creation of Platform 9 ¾ where you can climb aboard the train’s carriage and pose for a photo with a luggage trolley as it disappears through the platform wall. Enjoy other memorable sets from the Harry Potter film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boys’ dormitory, Hagrid’s Hut, the Potions classroom, and Dumbledore’s office – all while being captivated by the secrets and insights shared by your guide.

Step Into the Forbidden Forest

Defy Professor Dumbledore’s orders and follow Harry, Ron and Hermione’s footsteps into the Forbidden Forest. Home to Buckbeak the Hippogriff, Aragog the Acromantula and 19 trees, each with a diameter of over 12 feet, visitors are invited to walk beneath the giant entwined roots and discover how to control the weather using the same techniques used during filming.

15th September – 5th November Delve a little deeper into the world of the Dark Arts as the Studios are transformed for the Halloween Season. From floating pumpkins in the Great Hall to pools of silvery unicorn blood, you’ll learn how the Prop Making Department hand-crafted spooky items to bring the Wizarding World to life. You’ll also be able to test out your wand combat skills against an actual Death Eater as they patrol an eerier Diagon Alley!

Hogwarts in the Snow

11th November – 14th January The Studio Tour becomes even more magical during the Christmas season! Explore Hogwarts in the Snow to learn how film-makers created ice that never melts and fireplaces that burn forever with special effects. Special Christmas props including hand-made cards, Christmas trees, and decorations from the Yule Ball will also be on display.

Once your guided tour comes to an end, you have the option to re-enter and explore the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London at your leisure, find a special Harry Potter souvenir at the Studio Shop or enjoy a coffee in the Studio Tour Cafe. When you're ready to head back to central London, your City Wonders representative will provide train tickets and all necessary information for an easy journey.

This unique, fully-guided tour at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter is the only tour of its kind and is sure to create the memory of a lifetime!

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Euston War Memorial outside of Euston Station - Open in Google Maps

Important Notes

• We will do everything within our power to ensure timings and itineraries are respected; however, due to issues beyond our control, timings and sites are subject to last minute changes on rare occasions.

Cancelation Policy

This tour is subject to a 48-hour cancelation policy. If you wish to cancel or amend your booking, you can do so without charge by contacting us up to 48 hours in advance of your expected departure time.

• Book Direct: Best prices always guaranteed.
• Multilingual Customer Service: Talk to us, we are here to help.
• No Hidden Costs: All taxes and fees included.

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A City Wonders tour is the product of meticulous research, detailed planning, and a passion for providing customers with travel experiences they will cherish forever.

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Put on some comfy shoes, folks – we’re going to do a Harry Potter walking tour of London that will make you feel 100% like you just stepped into one of the movies.

Okay, maybe not 100%, but at least 56%.

London is a magical place for Harry Potter fans.

In fact, I’d argue that there are few destinations that have so many cool Potter-related places.

As someone who curls up on the couch every year to watch the movies and has obsessively read the books, I can’t tell you how exciting it was to create this Harry Potter tour of London.

The first time I did it was for “research reasons”, but by the fifth time I can’t pretend it was just for fun.

Harry Potter tour starts now …

We start at Liverpool Street Station Take the exit “Bishopsgate” and turn right. Walk about 500 m until you reach Leadenhall Market on your left.

Leadenhall Market

Diagon Alley / Leaky Cauldron 1 Leadenhall Market has been an indoor market since the early 1800s and served as the setting for Diagon Alley and Leaky Cauldron 1. The exact entrance is located at 42 Bulls Head passageway.

Walk through the market hall toward Gracechurch Street, turn left and continue. Continue until you reach Monument Station. Walk along King William Street towards London Bridge. Cross the Thames and you will reach Borough Market on your right.

Borough Market, 7A Stoney Street

Diagon Alley / Leaky Cauldron 2

Stoney Street next to Borough Market is the second location that serves as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron (the first was in Bull’s Head Passage next to Leadenhall Market, which we’ve already seen).

Go under the Stoney Street railroad bridge and check out what is now the entrance to Taco’s El Pastor – you’ll have found it! The entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and the next stop on our free Harry Potter tour of London.

The Prisoner of Azkaban is the third film in the Harry Potter series and the first film directed by Alfonso Cuaron, who created a much darker and dirtier world to reflect the growing evil in the books.

The bright colors of Leadenhall Market are gone, and the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron on Stoney Street is made of the grimy brickwork of Victorian railroad arches.

Today, it looks a little nicer thanks to El Pastor’s colorful artwork – but if you imagine standing here without art or color, you’ll understand why it was the perfect spot for the Leaky Cauldron.

The Knight Bus drops Harry off here after squeezing through the narrow gap between two other buses, nearly hitting an old lady crossing the street.

From there, walk down Stoney Street and turn left onto Clink Street. Pass the Clink Prison Museum and you will come to Thames Walk. Stroll along until you reach the Tate Modern Gallery and the Millennium Bridge.

Millennium Bridge

Attack of the Death Eaters

The Millennium Bridge was the scene of the Death Eaters attack. During the attack, the bridge was completely destroyed. Watch out in case one of them is still around! It is also the setting for the famous broom fight in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

The name might give it away, but the Millennium Bridge was built to celebrate the millennium in London.

Things didn’t quite go to plan, however – when the bridge opened in 2000, it became the subject of ridicule because it wobbled so much that it was thought to be structurally unsafe – and it knocked over some pedestrians trying to cross it).

To make a long story short, the bridge had to be closed for two years to make it safe for public traffic again.

Cross the bridge and walk up the Thames Path. Keep left towards the Temple subway station. From there, go right, up the stairs and you’ll reach Arundel Street. There you will find Australia House.

Australia House (Botschaft)

Gringotts, the wizard’s bank

The Australian Embassy in all its architectural glory was used as the wizard’s bench in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” The film was shot inside and outside the embassy.

Australia House is the longest continuously used diplomatic mission of the United Kingdom – the exterior was built of marble supplied from Australia

Inside, it’s no less impressive – no wonder the creators wanted to use it as a filming location for the series.

Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to enter the building.

If you take the tour on a weekday, you might get a glimpse inside and see a section of the magnificent building that serves as the backdrop for the trio’s antics in both Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as Gringotts and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II.

Still, it’s not quite the same, because in the movies it was the exhibition hall, not the lobby.

From there, head right toward Kingsway and then right on Sardinia Street to Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Lincoln’s Inn Fields

Number 12 Grimmauld Place 1

This wonderful place was the inspiration for number 12, which of course can’t be seen by Muggles. But if you take a look at number 13, you might have an idea where number 12 is.

From Lincoln Fields, turn left onto Remnant Street and go straight toward Gate Street. You’ll rejoin Kingsway and walk all the way to Holborn tube station. Take the subway to Piccadilly Circus – Shaftsbury Avenue exit. Alternatively, you can walk, which only takes about 25 minutes.

Piccadilly Circus

On the run from the Death Eaters after Bill and Fleur’s wedding in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Piccadilly Circus is terrifying enough at the best of times. The thronging crowds and neon lights are a recipe guaranteed to take your breath away.

Imagine how stressful it would be if you apparated there, only to be nearly run over by a bus and then chased by Death Eaters who want to kill you.

Sound familiar? That’s exactly what happens to Harry, Hermione, and Ron in Deathly Hallows Part I.

They apparate into the bright lights and bustling atmosphere of Piccadilly Circus and go to a café where they have a fight with two Death Eaters.

Swing by Piccadilly Circus, but keep your eyes open – you never know who’s on your tail.

Turn left into Cecil Court and then straight ahead into St Martins Lane. At the end, turn left and take the first right until you reach Goodwin’s Court. It’s a lot easier to find than it sounds, don’t worry.

Cecil Court und Goodwin’s Court

The inspiration or the real Diagon Alley?

The small alley leading to Cecil Court is the real Diagon Alley for many Harry Potter fans. Here you’ll find lots of little stores from the Victorian era and also a bookstore that specializes in magic!

Cecil Court is slightly larger and much better known than Goodwin’s Court, and is right off Charing Cross Road – the place J.K. Rowling chose as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in the books.

Charing Cross Road appears a few times in the books, such as when Harry and Hagrid walk down the road in Philosopher’s Stone or when the Knight Bus makes a detour here in The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Rowling herself said, “Charing Cross Road is famous for its bookstores… So I wanted it to be the place where initiates go to enter another world.” Subtle.

But back to Cecil Court – the courtyard is lined with all manner of second-hand bookshops and occult booksellers, all housed behind quaint Victorian store fronts that promise a passage into another world.

In other words, it’s right up Diagon Alley’s alley. I always expect to find Ollivander’s among the stores – you can imagine why.

Then it’s back to St Martin’s Lane, past Charing Cross towards Trafalgar Square.

Trafalgar Square

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter flies over Trafalgar Square the aerial flight with the Death Eaters. The premiere of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2” was also shown. Turn into Whitehall from there and go to the former Great Scotland Yard / Scotland Place Building.

Great Scotland Yard

The Ministry of Magic

Stroll to Great Scotland Yard to find the two entrances to the Ministry of Magic (the Muggle and Wizard versions).

Great Scotland Yard actually looks quite innocuous.

There are some very nice buildings and it’s close to Whitehall, the heart of British government – 10 Downing Street is right next to Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament are at the other end.

Nothing incredible to see here…right?

Great Scotland Yard was used to represent the heart of the wizarding world – the Ministry of Magic – reflecting the area’s importance in the real world.

Remember in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when Arthur Weasley brings Harry to the Ministry for his hearing on underage wizarding. You enter the Ministry through a red phone booth under a stone archway.

Now, you have to imagine the phone booth and the archway near the intersection at Scotland Place – do that and voila – you have the entrance to the Ministry of Magic.

The fake bridge is a copy of the bridge around the corner at Scotland Place, created with CGI to cover up some of the ugly doorways of the buildings in the scene.

Keep walking down Whitehall until you reach Downing Street.

Downing Street Nummer 10

You can’t enter Downing Street, but you can take a look through the gate to get an idea of where Harry and the Prime Minister met in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” Then walk on to Westminster Station.

Westminster Tube Station

The underground station of the Ministry of Magic.

Go down the stairs and see the place where Harry and Mr. Weasley met in “Harry and the Order of the Phoenix” to enter the Ministry. Mr. Weasley had trouble with the barriers, as many people still do these days. From there, take the subway to Angel Station. Get off on the left there and walk towards Pentonville Road. Walk down Pentonville Road until you reach Mylne Street and see Claremont Square at the end.

23 – 29 Claremont Square

No. 12 Grimmauld Place 2

The other location of No. 12 Grimmauld Place. Here you will see the Black family home that Harry inherits from the Order of the Phoenix. This place is the filming location for “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

By now, the Muggles who live there have gotten used to the fact that the city made a mistake by leaving out the number 12. The members of the Order of the Phoenix, however, know better. Now go back to Pentonville Road, turn left and walk to King’s Cross station, where you will find the famous Platform 9 ¾.

Kings Cross Plattform 9 ¾

A must-see for all Harry Potter fans! The platform for the Hogwarts Express and the setting for the final installment of the Harry Potter series!

King’s Cross station is where the Hogwarts Express leaves from in the books and movies.

Aside from dreaming about actually riding the train to Hogwarts, there are three things you definitely can’t miss in the station.

The first is the spot between platforms 4 and 5, where track 9 ¾ should actually be. However, there really isn’t much to see here.

Much more exciting is the carriage that is half-walled into the wall, waiting for you to take a picture of it. It’s next to the Harry Potter store, where you can buy your own wand.

Importantly – if you’re not there first thing in the morning, you’ll probably have to wait in line. And you’ll have to do it for hours.

I’m not saying it’s not worth it, but better safe than sorry.

If you plan to visit the Harry Potter Studios in Leavesden, be sure not to stand in line at King’s Cross. There are several places in the studios where you can take the same shot and there are no queues. You’re welcome ;-).

You love Harry Potter? You should have that on your radar too

I didn’t visit these locations as part of the tour, but you should have them on your radar if you want to discover more Harry Potter locations in London.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour

The Harry Potter Studio Tour* at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden was where much of the magic behind the films was created.

Seeing the sets and props for real, walking through Diagon Alley and entering all the rooms at Hogwarts – it’s just awesome.

I know the tickets are pretty expensive and you have to book well in advance, but it’s totally worth it. Secure your Harry Potter Studio Tour* tickets here.

London Zoo’s Reptile House

Ever had the sneaking suspicion that maybe, just maybe, you could speak Parseltongue?

There’s no better place to test that theory than the Reptile House at ZSL London Zoo* … also known as the place where Harry first speaks Parseltongue and frees a snake.

Cutter and Sqidge – The Harry Potter Afternoon Tea in London 

It should be obvious by now that there are plenty of Harry Potter-inspired experiences in London. But few will appeal to your stomach as much as the delicious Harry Potter Afternoon Tea at Cutter and Squidge. Afternoon tea has always been good in London, but when you add some drinkable and edible potions, it gets that much better.

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Meet Sascha, who fell in love with London many years ago and has made it his mission to share his passion for the city with the world. Sascha is a London Expert who has spent years exploring every corner of the city, from its famous landmarks to its hidden gems. He now uses his expertise to help travelers plan their perfect London vacations, offering tips and advice on everything from the best restaurants and hotels to the most interesting neighborhoods and cultural experiences.

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Free Harry Potter Walking Tour

Leave your inner muggle behind and discover the magical secrets hiding right under your nose.

Select date and time

• Saturday April 27 3:00 PM
• Sunday April 28 11:00 AM
• Sunday April 28 3:00 PM
• Monday April 29 3:00 PM
• Tuesday April 30 3:00 PM
• More options

Palace Theatre

About this event

If you're still waiting for your letter from Hogwarts then despair no more!

Join our Potter potty guide and explore the London filming locations as seen in the movies as well as visiting a few of the real places in London that inspired J K Rowling to create this magical world.

Take a stroll down Charing Cross Road, (complete with real spell books), visit the entrances to the Ministry and get insider tips on where to buy the best wands and Harry Potter goodies in London.

Oh and you will be tested on your Harry Potter knowledge in our Hogwarts Trivia House Cup, so get revising!

The tour begins from in front of The Palace Theatre, 113 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5AY. https://goo.gl/maps/vYevCSbGGw4Qwn78A

Look for the guide with a red umbrella!

The tour operates on a ‘pay what you think it’s worth’ basis. There is no booking fee and no payment is required to join, so that it is accessible to every budget. However our guides are all freelancers who work for tips, so if you enjoy the tour, you are welcome to make a donation at the end. The value is up to you, whatever fits in with you budget and your levels of enjoyment.

You can contact us on 07709703141 or email [email protected].

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