13 Harry Potter Places Fans Will Want to Visit

The world J. K. Rowling invented, despite the dangers lurking within, is very cozy and beckons with its magic. And although it is completely fictional, the places used for filming the movies are quite real. If you are a fan of these movies, you should visit these places.

Harry Potter Places: Filming Locations and More

Cramond

The harbor in the suburb of Cramond is a great place to walk, while nearby Barnton is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Edinburgh. J. K. Rowling moved to this amazing mansion from Merchiston in 2015. She is often spotted on the beach in Barnton to this day. You could easily run into her, too.

Leavesden

Of course, no tour of the world of Harry Potter would be complete without a visit to Leavesden Studios (the former airplane factory), where the Potteriana films were filmed for 10 years.

Visitors can wander the Great Hall, check out the Dursley family home, hop on the Night Knight bus, enjoy a creamy beer, and even hop on a broom in front of a green screen and get a terrific photo to remember. 

King’s Cross

All would-be wizards, of course, walk through the barrier at London’s King’s Cross Station and onto this platform. Muggles won’t make it through the barrier, but they can take funny pictures with the cart half stuck in the wall and buy funny exclusive souvenirs at the Harry Potter store nearby. 

London Zoo

Remember when Harry and the Dursleys go to the London Zoo in the first movie? In the terrarium, Harry talks to the boa constrictor and then makes the glass wall disappear, and the snake is set free. It’s when he understands that he has some abnormal powers.

Fans of the movie can play this scene for themselves (let’s hope the wall holds up and doesn’t disappear after all). In fact, behind the glass, there is a very poisonous black mamba that can be quite dangerous. 

Bull’s Head Passage Bar

Diagon Alley and partly the Leaky Cauldron were filmed at the Leadenhall Market in London. This indoor market is located in the financial district of the British capital.

Leadenhall Market was founded in the middle of the 14th century, and acquired its modern look only in the 19th century, thanks to the work of Horace Jones. He designed the glass roof, which was restored about 30 years ago.

Later movies were filmed in various locations, but the original The Leaky Cauldron was shot at the Bull’s Head Passage pub in Leadenhall.

Loch Shiel

Loch Shiel is a picturesque freshwater lake that is located in the Scottish Highlands. It was used to film many scenes in various parts of Harry Potter.

In particular, this is where the second round of the All-Wizard Tournament trials was filmed, where Harry, on the advice of Neville Dolgopups, used a toadstool and freed two prisoners.

In many polls, this particular scene is considered one of the darkest and most mesmerizing, helped in large part by the atmosphere of Loch Shiel.

Clermont Square

Remember the Black family home at 12 Grimmauld Place? Well, in real life, it’s on Clermont Square.

This is where the members of the Order of the Phoenix held their meetings because this place was covered with protective spells protecting it from the interference of both Muggles and wizards.

It’s impossible to see it on any map. Fortunately, Clermont Square is magic-free. So, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding Sirius Black’s ancestral home.

Goathland Railway Station

In North Yorkshire, there’s a small and cozy village called Goathland, whose railway station was chosen as the location for the Harry Potter films.

It became the prototype for Hogsmeade, a place near Hogwarts where there’s not a single muggle. The magical atmosphere of Goathland is shown in the Hogwarts Express arrival scene at Hogsmeade Station.

The Elephant House

J. K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter in several places, but perhaps the most famous is The Elephant House Cafe in Edinburgh, Scotland. Why don’t you come here to drink some tea too?

Greyfriars

J. K. Rowling often visited this ancient churchyard near the Elephant House Café. Greyfriars Kirkyard has been in use since the 16th century.

Its magical atmosphere inspired the writer to create the characters of Harry Potter. Take a closer look at the headstone of Tom Riddle and William McGonagall. Could this be Professor McGonagall’s grandfather?

The City Chambers

The City Chambers is a huge building that honors outstanding residents of Edinburgh with a Hollywood-style medal. J. K. Rowling received this award in 2008, and the handprint of the hands that created this world-famous Harry Potter bestseller is immortalized in bronze in the courtyard of the Chambers.

Gloucester Cathedral 

Gloucester is home to a picturesque cathedral, built in the Gothic style, which has become an attraction for the filming of many movies. The creators of Harry Potter also paid attention to it, because the corridors of Hogwarts were filmed inside the Gloucester Cathedral.

Besides Harry Potter, you can also see the cathedral in Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes. The construction of the cathedral took more than four centuries.

It is also known as the burial place of the English monarch Edward II. The cathedral has been restored several times, with the last renovation dating back to 1994.

Hardwick Hall

The facade of Malfoy Manor, seen in the first part of Deathly Hallows, is none other than Hardwick Hall. This country residence is located in Derbyshire and is one of the first mansions in the north of Europe that does not have medieval walls and does not look like a fortified castle.

Formerly in the possession of the Dukes of Devonshire, the mansion was a private residence but it is now open to the public who wish to view the majestic building. It has become the setting for various historical films.

No matter where your love of Harry Potter takes you, these Harry Potter places are must-see spots, and some of them include activities and photo ops designed specifically for Harry Potter fans!