Harry Potter tourism
Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels, written by J. K. Rowling, and made into a series of eight films from 2001 to 2011.
Understand
[edit]The Harry Potter stories are set in a fictionalised version of the United Kingdom in the late 20th century, where some locations are inaccessible or invisible to muggles (people without magical abilities). Most of the towns and villages featured in the series, including muggle settlements, were created by Rowling, but are generally either based on real places or are archetypical of a particular region.
It is possible to visit many of the places that inspired the books. The series was filmed in a variety of locations around the UK at the behest of J.K. Rowling.
Starting from 2016, a new prequel film series entitled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is being made, with Rowling making her screenwriting debut for the series. The first film in the series went on to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design, achieving what had eluded all eight films in the original series (which received a total of 12 Oscar nominations, but never won).
Get in
[edit]- For more information, see the "Get in" section in the United Kingdom article.
At J. K. Rowling's insistence, the original eight films were produced almost entirely in the United Kingdom.
By plane
[edit]Many buses, trains, coaches and car rental facilities make it a convenient starting place for exploring Britain, particularly for visiting attractions in the London area such as Warner Bros. Studio Tour and King's Cross station. In addition, Oxford is only about 50 miles (80 km) west of Heathrow.
Most Scottish locations are in northern Scotland with Glasgow being the nearest major airport with car rental facilities.
By train
[edit]London St Pancras International has the Eurostar from Paris Gare du Nord (North Station) in France.
London Victoria is on the London Underground Victoria VIC line to King's Cross St. Pancras (for both train stations). About 100 yards (90 metres) from the station is the Victoria Coach Station which offers a coach to just about every city in Britain.
London King's Cross has connections from Heathrow Airport via the London Underground Piccadilly PIC line. There is also a direct 3-hour train to Durham.
Watford Junction is on the London Overground Lioness line (formerly Watford DC) to Willesden Junction and London Euston.
Oxford has connections from London Marylebone.
Republic of Ireland
[edit]- See the Cliffs of Moher listing below.
As of 2023, the only location in the Republic of Ireland that was used for the Harry Potter films was the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast between Galway and Limerick.
Themed attractions
[edit]| “ | You're a wizard, Harry. | ” |
—Rubeus Hagrid | ||
All these themed locations are home to souvenir shops where you can purchase Harry Potter memorabilia. These are also the only four locations where you can drink a real-world version of butterbeer, a drink that is featured in the books and movies. Unlike the book version, real butterbeer is not alcoholic.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour
[edit]London
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Prebooking tickets on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour website is vital as this is a very popular attraction.
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour can be easily reached from the 6 Watford Junction 
LIO 
and 7 London Victoria CIR DIS VIC train stations with regular shuttle coaches. During the ride, there is an introductory video from Tom Felton who portrayed Draco Malfoy in the films.
You see the different sets, costumes and props at your own pace. You can grab a passport and find each of the embossed stamps and all of the hidden golden snitches.
On-site catering is overpriced, so it's a good idea to have lunch before visiting. Do try a sweet non-alcoholic butterbeer before visiting the external sets including the Dursleys' house at 4 Privet Drive and the Knight Bus.
Tokyo
[edit]The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios
[edit]Themed areas at Universal Studios parks:
Orlando is the purported "theme park capital of the world" and a popular tourist city in Florida. It can be reached via most US airlines to 8 Orlando International Airport (MCO IATA).
Film locations
[edit]
Scotland
[edit]- For the Edinburgh sites, see Edinburgh inspiration.
All of these sites are in northern Scottish Highlands with the nearest major city being Glasgow. It is recommended to fly into Glasgow Airport and hire a car to reach these.
- 1 Glenfinnan Viaduct
- 2 Glen Nevis, Near Fort William. Impressive scenery including Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, used as the backdrop for several Quidditch games.
- 3 Glencoe
- 4 Black Rock Gorge
England
[edit]
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Hogsmeade train from King's Cross Each year on the 1st of September at 11 am, there is a fictitious announcement and listing on the departure board at London King's Cross for the Hogwarts Express train to Hogsmeade. It gets very busy though. |
London
[edit]Both train stations are in the north London borough of Camden and are well-connected by the London Underground and buses. On the London Underground, the station is jointly referred to as King's Cross St. Pancras CIR H&C MET NOR PIC VIC .
London Euston NOR VIC LIO is also nearby and on the Northern and Victoria lines. Nearby Euston Square CIR H&C MET which is within walking distance of London Euston has more connections.
Take a Northern line train on the London Underground to London Waterloo BAK JUB NOR W&C to see the Millennium Bridge and then go further south towards Guildford and Woking in Surrey to see Surbiton.
- 7 Millennium Bridge, City of London/Southbank, London, SE1 9JE (Tube: Blackfriars DIS or St Paul's CEN , next to Tate Modern). Pedestrian bridge across the River Thames. At the beginning of Half-Blood Prince, it is attacked by Death Eaters and collapses. Free.
- 8 Surbiton Station
Oxford
[edit]Oxford is a popular destination for students and tourists alike. As such it's well-connected by public transport, especially from London. With a small city centre, most attractions (both Harry Potter-related and not) are within walking distance. There are also a number of Harry Potter walking tours and merchandise shops on Broad St.
By road: On the M40 motorway from London and Birmingham, as well as the A40 from Cheltenham (and the Cotswolds). Oxford city centre is notoriously bad for driving with its one-way system and parking is both expensive and difficult in the city centre, so it's recommended to use one of the 5 park & rides and take a bus instead.
By train: You can reach 9 Oxford train station in the city centre via London Paddington. Or 10 Oxford Parkway via London Marylebone and a bus from the adjacent Water Eaton Park & Ride.
By coach: There is the Oxford Tube from London Victoria to 11 Gloucester Green bus station in the centre of Oxford. Alternatively, The Airline coach goes directly from both London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Oxford.
West Country
[edit]J. K. Rowling grew up in the West Country and her work is heavily influenced by the region. The Dursley family, Harry's Muggle relatives, are named after the town of Dursley in Gloucestershire. Rubeus Hagrid's distinctive West Country accent was inspired by a biker Rowling met in a pub and John Nettleship, her chemistry teacher at Wyedean School was the main inspiration for Professor Snape.
Gloucester is the county town of Gloucestershire and the cathedral is within walking distance of the city centre.
| “ | The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware. | ” |
—Hermoine Granger reading the blood writing aloud in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | ||
By road: Gloucester is on the M5 motorway from Birmingham to Exeter. The services are a great place to stop along the way. The A40 goes from London to Fishguard in Wales via Oxford and Gloucester.
By train: Gloucester train station can be reached directly from London Paddington or Bristol Temple Meads.
By bus: Gloucester Transport Hub has many bus and coach services from London Victoria and elsewhere.
Coppett Hill is near Goodrich in South Herefordshire. It is a short 5 mi (8.0 km) drive from Ross-on-Wye and a longer 22 mi (35 km) drive from Gloucester.
- 13 Coppett Hill
By road: On the A40 from Gloucester and the B4234 from Ross-on-Wye.
Sleep: Ross-on-Wye has a few B&Bs and pubs, but there is more accommodation in Gloucester or Hereford.
Chippenham can also be reached by train from London Paddington or Bristol Temple Meads. Or you can take junction 17 from the M40 motorway.
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By road: Chippenham and Lacock are on the A350 and about 60 mi (97 km) from Bournemouth.
By coach: National Express coach services to Chippenham: Northampton to Bristol (302), Bath to London (403) and Penzance to London (404).
By bus: The X34 bus goes from Chippenham to Frome via Lacock.
North Yorkshire
[edit]Goathland is a small village inside the North York Moors national park that is about 9 mi (14 km) from Whitby and 14 mi (23 km) from Pickering.
By road: From Whitby or Pickering via the A169 and Cow Wath Bank.
By bus: 840 Coastliner bus from Whitby.
By train: Northern Rail has trains from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Middlesbrough to Whitby. For direct trains to Goathland, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs summer steam trains from Pickering via Levisham, Newtondale, Goathland and Grosmont. Most terminate at Grosmont and a couple per day continue into Whitby.
Eat/Drink: Goathland has a pub and a tea room.
- Goathland Tea Rooms. 10am-4:30pm. Small tea room.
- Aidensfield Arms, The Grn, Goathland, Whitby, YO22 5LY.
Sleep: Goathland has a few small hotels and B&Bs for overnight staying.
- Glendale House Bed & Breakfast, The Common, Goathland YO22 5AN, ☏ +44 1947 896281. Check-in: from 4pm, check-out: before 10am. The cheapest B&B in Goathland. From £90 per night.
- The Goathland Hotel, The Grn, Goathland YO22 5LY, ☏ +44 1947 896203. Check-in: 2pm, check-out: 11am. Beautiful Victorian building with bay windows.
Malham is a very rural small village about 11 mi (18 km) from Skipton and 38 mi (61 km) from Leeds.
By road: You can drive the rural A65 from Skipton.
By bus: 210 bus takes about 35 minutes from Skipton.
By train: Northern Rail has a train from Leeds to Skipton and from there you can take the 210 bus.
By foot: Malham is on the famous Pennine Way walking route.
Northern England
[edit]Alnwick (pronounced Annick) is a town about 30 mi (48 km) away from the Scottish border at Berwick-upon-Tweed and about 35 mi (56 km) from Newcastle Upon Tyne.
| “ | Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say, Up! | ” |
—Madame Hooch in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | ||
By car: On the A1 road from Newcastle Upon Tyne.
By train: Take a train down to Alnmouth from Edinburgh Waverley station or up from Newcastle-upon-Tyne station and then a bus to visit.
By bus: Arriva Bus X15 MAX runs hourly from Newcastle upon Tyne Haymarket, taking 90 min via Gosforth and Morpeth, as of July 2022. Alternate buses continue north up the A1 to Beal (for Lindisfarne), Scremerston and Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Sleep: There is upmarket accommodation in Alnwick:
Durham is a cathedral city with many direct connections. The cathedral itself is a short walk from the train station on the meander of the River Wear.
By train: Durham can be reached directly by a 3-hour train from London King's Cross. There is also a 1-hour and 15-minute direct train from Leeds if you are also visiting Malham.
By coach: There is also a National Express bus from London Victoria if you need to pay less and are willing to travel a full 7 hours straight. You could watch 2 of the Harry Potter films back-to-back in that time.
East Midlands
[edit]
Chesterfield is a large town in the East Midlands. Hardwick Hall is a National Trust property between Chesterfield and Mansfield and requires a car to get there.
If you planning on also seeing Lacock Abbey and other National Trust properties, it may be cheaper to purchase the National Trust membership for a month.
Wales
[edit]
Freshwater West is rural and the best way to reach there seems to be by car. There are two car parks though they can be very busy during surfing season.
Ireland
[edit]
The Cliffs of Moher are in a rural spot overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast about 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Doolin between Galway and Limerick.
By road: You can drive the N67 road to the cliffs or take the 350 bus which runs 6 times a day from Galway.
By plane: Galway itself no longer has an airport, but there are frequent trains and buses from Dublin.
By coach: Alternatively, there are coach tours which take you directly to the Cliffs of Moher and back again.
Eat/Drink: Doolin has a few Irish pubs which offer food, drink and live music entertainment. Some establishments may be cash-only, so be sure to have a few Euros on hand.
- Gus O'Connor's Pub, Fisher Street, Doolin V95 FY67, ☏ +353 65 707 4168, [email protected]. Daily 09:30-23:00. Good pub with food, great service, sure to warm you up after a breezy day on the cliffs or at sea. It's gotten onto the tourist circuit but is still a decent honest place. Trad music every night.
Edinburgh inspiration
[edit]
J.K. Rowling lived in Edinburgh while writing many of the books, and several locations in the city may have provided inspiration, especially around the historic Old Town.
All of these inspirational places are within walking distance of Edinburgh Waverley train station.
- 23 The Elephant House
- 24 DunDun Delicious, 6A Nicolson Street, EH8 9DH, ☏ +44 1315 578952. M-F: noon–10 pm Sa-Su: noon–11 pm. Mandarin Chinese restaurant. Previously Nicolson's Cafe then Spoon Café Bistro, another location where Rowling wrote the first book.
- 25 The Balmoral Hotel
- 26 Greyfriars Kirkyard
- 27 George Heriot's School
- 28 Victoria Street (Between George IV Bridge and the Grassmarket). A curved cobbled street, with tall buildings and a variety of colourful shops, cafes and pubs. It may be the basis for Diagon Alley.
- 29 J. K. Rowling Handprints (City Chambers quadrangle, off the Royal Mile). In 2008, Rowling was presented with the Edinburgh Award, from the city council. In honour of this, a cast was taken of her handprints, and set in stone in front of the city chambers.
Theatre
[edit]
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a two-part play performed at the Palace Theatre in London and the Lyric Theatre in New York. There are also performances in Hamburg and Tokyo.
The play is a direct sequel to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now as an adult and a father, Harry Potter grapples with the challenges of parenthood and the legacy of his past.
The play is split into 2 parts which can be watched back-to-back or booked over separate days. Each part has a 20-minute intermission:
The first part: 2 hours and 40 minutes
The second part: 2 hours and 35 minutes
There is exclusive merchandise for sale, you can also buy a copy of the playscript from any major bookstore or as an e-book.
- 6 Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1 (Tube: Leicester Square PIC NOR or Tottenham Court Road CEN NOR ELI ). Centrally located in London's famous Leicester Square with the nearby Odeon cinema where the Harry Potter film premieres happened. Palace Theatre can easily be reached from King's Cross St. Pancras taking about 25 minutes. From £50–160 per person per performance.
- 7 Lyric Theatre, 214 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036, United States (subway: Times Sq-42 St 1 2 3 7 N Q R W ), ☏ +1 855-551-9777.
- 8 Mehr! Theater
- 9 Akasaka ACT Theater
- North American Tour. A North American tour was announced commencing in September 2024. This may be convenient for those who don't live near New York City, though the dates and venues haven't been made available to the public.
Buy
[edit]The Warner Bros. Studio Tour and Universal Studios attractions have gift shops. There are also these two stores in London:
- 1 MinaLima, 157 Wardour Street, Soho, London (Tube: Tottenham Court Road CEN NOR ELI ), ☏ +44 20 3214-0000, [email protected]. A shop and gallery showcasing the work of the designers who create the letters, signs, newspapers, and many other props and graphics in the Harry Potter movies. Lots of prints and souvenirs are available for purchase.
- The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 ¾, Kings Cross Station, London (Tube: King's Cross St. Pancras CIR H&C MET NOR PIC VIC ). Buy yourself a wand, house robes, and plushy owl, before getting your picture taken pushing a trolley laden with trunks through the solid brick wall which hides the Hogwarts Express. Muggle money is accepted, though the exchange rate means extortionate price tags.
- 2 Harry Potter New York, 935 Broadway, New York, NY 10010, United States. M-Sa: 9am-9pm, Su: 9am-7pm. Official Warner Bros. merch store for Harry Potter with props as decor.
Learn
[edit]Parseltongue, the language spoken by the various characters when talking to snakes, is, perhaps surprisingly, not just gibberish but an actual language that was constructed by University of Cambridge linguistics professor Francis Nolan for the films. Given the limited amount of Parseltongue dialogue in the film, the vocabulary is, of course limited, but there are nevertheless several Harry Potter fan groups who have dedicated significant resources towards learning and studying the language, and several online translators to Parseltongue are available. As snakes do not know how to write, there is, of course, no written language for Parseltongue.
See also
[edit]J. K. Rowling maintains the Pottermore website dedicated to the Harry Potter universe with several fun activities to keep fans occupied.