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P3 - HARRY POTTER FILMING LOCATION TOUR

London is mentioned constantly throughout the Harry Potter books, so it’s no wonder that the producers decided to film the movies in the UK’s capital city. Although this is a Muggle place, you can find the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley, Platform 9 3/4s, Ministry of Magic, and Gringotts Bank if you look hard enough. Here are all the London Harry Potter things to do including filming locations, experiences, and places you can visit.

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About this tour

Highlights
  • Harry Potter may have been raised in very dull Little Whinging, but very exciting central London is where you’ll find a lot of the locations from the films.
  • Close enough to one another to drive between them, this private van tour from location to location so that you can see, stand next to and sometimes walk in the actual places where Muggles fear to tread.
  • See the Diagon Alley, stand fractionally closer to Platform 9¾ or deposit yourself outside Gringotts Bank. All are featured on this tour of real Harry Potter film locations.
  • There is nothing imaginary about this tour; you’ll feel like you have received your Hogwarts letter after all.

Leadenhall Market / The Leaky Cauldron

Leadenhall Market is a colourful Victorian marketplace in London that has over 700 years of history.
Today, it’s popular with Potterheads as it’s home to the Leaky Cauldron, the entrance to Diagon Alley!
If you remember, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry and Hagrid walk through here to travel to Diagon Alley and buy wizarding supplies for Hogwarts.
You can find both filming locations at the entrance to Leadenhall Market from Gracechurch Street and the door to the Leaky Cauldron is the Migraine Clinic on Bull’s Head Passage.

 

King’s Cross station / Platform 9 3/4s

One of the best London Harry Potter filming locations can be found at King’s Cross Station in London.
This is when Harry first travels to Platform 9 3/4s to catch the Hogwarts Express and travels to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!
Although Platform 9 3/4 doesn’t exist, you can still find plenty of Harry Potter experiences at the station like The Harry Potter Shop where you can buy all sorts of magical souvenirs.
They even have a trolley photo opportunity where it will appear that you’re travelling through the wall. You can wear a Hogwarts scarf and hold a wand.
In terms of filming locations, you’ll find where Harry teleports through the wall between the Muggle platforms of 4 & 5!
Also, you can walk on the footbridge where Harry and Hagrid walk together. But, it has changed since filming and has been upgraded to a glass walkway.

St Pancras Hotel / King’s Cross Station

Just across from King’s Cross Station, you can head over to St Pancras International Station which is home to the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
You will instantly recognise this Gothic Building as the outside of King’s Cross Station in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
This is when Ron & Harry miss the Hogwarts Express and so Ron flies the Blue Ford Anglia to try and chase it down.
The inside of the hotel is well worth a visit as well as it has one of the prettiest grand staircases in all of London. It featured in the Spice Girls’ music video for Wannabe.

Claremont Square / 12 Grimmauld Place

Another one of my favourite London Harry Potter filming locations has to be Claremont Square.
This is where they filmed 12 Grimmauld Place i.e. the Noble House of Black and The Order of the Phoenix HQ.
In the movies, 12 Grimmauld Place was hidden between the Muggle residences of 11 and 13.
The house would only be revealed to those magical folk who knew the secret and used a Fidelius Charm.

El Pastor on Stoney Street / Leaky Cauldron

Although they used Leadenhall Market as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, that’s not where the Knight Bus drops him off in the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Indeed, the director Alfonso Cuarón wanted to reuse Leadenhall Market for the Leaky Cauldron but a giant purple double-decker bus simply couldn’t fit inside the covered marketplace!
So, they decided to create a new entrance to Diagon Alley. The Knight Bus drops Harry off under a bridge at the side of the road.
The Innkeeper Tom then takes Harry’s suitcase off the Knight Bus and lets him inside through the archway.
This is actually El Pastor Restaurant on Stoney Street next to Borough Market which is a popular Mexican restaurant and taqueria!

Charing Cross Road / Entrance Diagon Alley

In the books, Charing Cross Road is where the Leaky Cauldron is located which gives them access to the wizard shopping street of Diagon Alley!
In the Muggle World, this is a very popular shopping street with bookshops, boutiques, and theatres.
Although they used Leadenhall Market for the Leaky Cauldron scenes in the first movie, we do see Charing Cross Road later on in the film series.
This is the street that the Death Eaters fly through on their way to Diagon Alley to kidnap Garrick Ollivander in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

Piccadilly Circus

Picadilly Circus is a vibrant area of London which seems to come alive at night time! You’ll see red buses, colourful lights, and silver screens that make this area entirely magical.
It appeared briefly in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 when Harry, Ron, and Hermione are fleeing Death Eaters after Bill Weasley and Fleur’s Delacour’s wedding.
They apparate into Piccadilly Circus, nearly getting hit by the number 19 bus then make their way along Shaftesbury Avenue and into an arcade and café where Hermione realises it’s Harry’s birthday!
They had to shut down nearly all of Picadilly Circus which was no small feat and is very rarely allowed in London.
They hired over 300 extras to fill up the area as ‘tourists’ and there were action vehicles playing the cars and buses.

Shaftesbury Avenue

You can follow in the footsteps of the Golden Trio and make your way down Shaftesbury Avenue.
Hermione apparated them here as she used to go to the theatre here with her parents and it was the first place she could think of.
They then head down an alleyway and Hermione provides them all spare clothes with her ‘undetectable extension charm’.
They filmed these scenes at the grey columns of Shaftesbury Avenue. Just like in the movie, you’ll find this place can get rather busy in the evenings in London!
In the books, all of this took place on Tottenham Court Road but Picadilly Circus was more recognisable.

Westminster Tube Station

“Trains…Underground?!…Genius these Muggles!” – Arthur Weasley
I absolutely love Arthur Weasley’s obsession with the Muggle world and simple things like rubber ducks.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix we see a rather hilarious scene of Arthur with Harry on the tube at Westminster Station.
Arthur really doesn’t know how a tube station works and just tries to tap on the turnstile to move through. Harry then taps his tube travel card for him.
If you remember, Arthur is accompanying Harry to the Ministry of Magic so he can attend his disciplinary hearing after producing a Patronus against Dementors in the presence of a Muggle.

Millennium Bridge / Death Eater’s Rampage

Another London Harry Potter filming location you must visit has to be the Millennium Bridge which is near St Paul’s Cathedral.
This is the London bridge that the Death Eaters destroy in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!
Cornelius Fudge refuses to step down as the Minister of Magic and so Voldemort decides to spread terror through London.
In the books, the bridge that the Death Eaters destroy is Brockdale Bridge. But, in the movies they used the Millennium Bridge as it was more recognisable.
As the name suggests, the footbridge opened up in the year 2000 but there were problems with the construction and it started shaking.
It was deemed structurally unsound and was immediately shut down. Londoners gave it the nickname ‘Wobbly Bridge’ and it eventually re-opened two years later.
Beyond a Harry Potter filming location, this bridge provides amazing views over London. From here, you can see Tate Modern, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and Shakespeare’s Globe!

St Paul’s Cathedral / Hogwarts Divination Stairwell

One of my favourite London Harry Potter filming locations has to be inside St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Their geometric staircase was transformed into the Divination Stairwell for Hogwarts School!
If you remember back to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hermione is a little stressed about taking so many classes and so uses a Time Turner to be able to attend all of them.
When Professor Trelawney tells her she doesn’t possess the art of Divination, something snaps. Hermione shoves the crystal ball off the table and then storms off down this spiral staircase with Harry and Ron following after her.
We also see it in the Goblet of Fire when Neville is upset after the unforgivable curse lesson with Mad-Eye Moody.
This is St Paul’s Cathedral Staircase although they did alter it slightly for filming to make it look more magical.
The geometric staircase isn’t included in a standard ticket (£18 for adults). But, you can book a Public Trioforum Tour which includes a peek.
St Paul’s Cathedral Geometric Staircase in Harry Potter

Australia House / Gringotts Bank

Did you know that the inside of Gringotts Bank in the Harry Potter movies wasn’t actually a film set?
It was filmed entirely inside Australia House in London which is home to the Australia High Commission!
They didn’t need to change the interiors much as it was already fitted with glittering chandeliers, marble floors, and columns.
All that was needed were some banking desks and of course, lots of greedy Goblins hard at work sorting Galleons!
You aren’t allowed in the building but it’s still worth stopping whilst you’re on your Harry Potter London tour.
Make sure to stop at the Savoy Hotel nearby. It wasn’t a filming location but was where Richard Harris, who played the original Dumbledore, spent the last years of his life.

London City Hall / Curious Muggles

London City Hall is a building that appears to be made entirely made of glass and sits on the banks of the River Thames near Tower Bridge.
We see it briefly feature in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when the Death Eaters are destroying London!
Before they start destroying Diagon Alley and the Millennium Bridge, the curious Muggles in a business meeting are looking out of the window.
They see the terrible storm brewing and Voldemort’s dark mark in the sky before his army descends.

Trafalgar Square / Death Eater’s Flight

Another place that we see in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the bustling Trafalgar Square.
Just after the curious Muggles look out of the City Hall, we see Fenrir Greyback and a small group of Death Eaters fly across the square before entering Diagon Alley to kidnap Garrick Ollivander!
As they fly you can also see other notable sites such as St Martin-in-the-Fields and Centre Point on Tottenham Court Road.
Trafalgar Square is a famous London attraction that has Nelson’s Column in the centre of it. It was built as a public square to commemorate the victory of the Battle of Trafalgar.
You will find this square has a lovely vibe throughout the day and you can visit the National Gallery here.

Tower Bridge / The Flight of the Order of the Phoenix

Although this bridge only had a minor feature, Tower Bridge is still worth a mention in this list.
It’s easy to see whilst visiting other London Harry Potter filming locations like Lambeth Bridge and it’s an incredible photography spot near the Tower of London.
We briefly see it during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when Harry and the Order fly over London to 12 Grimmauld Place.
You’ll also see other recognisable sites on their flight like Canary Wharf and Big Ben over the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.
Many people mistake this Victorian bridge as being the famous ‘London Bridge’ but they are entirely separate bridges.
The Tower Bridge was built between 1886 and 1894. It acts as both a transport bridge over the River Thames and a pedestrian bridge. So, it’s a must-visit!

Scotland Place / Ministry of Magic

Have you ever wondered how cool it would be to transport from a Red Telephone Box to the Ministry of Magic?
That’s what happens to Harry Potter and Arthur Weasley in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Scotland Place was used as the visitor’s entrance to the Ministry of Magic and this is right near Whitehall and Scotland Yard!
Although the red telephone box won’t be there on your visit, you can still visit this London Harry Potter filming location to imagine it.
It also appears again in the Deathly Hallows Part 1 when Ron, Harry, and Hermione stun some Ministry of Magic employees.

Horse & Guards Avenue / Ministry of Magic

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 we see Horse & Guards avenue as the entrance to the Ministry of Magic.
If you remember back, this is when the entrance was in a public toilet in the middle of the road!
Harry, Ron & Hermione use a polyjuice potion to disguise themselves as Ministry of Magic employees and sneak in through the bog.
Although the toilets don’t exist in real life you can still imagine that you’re sneaking into the Ministry if you visit turning near Whitehall Court.

Lambeth Bridge / The Knight Bus

“Hey guys…guys…why the long faces?! Hahaha” – Dre Head, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Another location that we see on Harry’s magical tour to the Leaky Cauldron on the Knight Bus is Lambeth Bridge.
The bus crosses over the bridge and has to squeeze through two double-decker buses to allow them through!
A great place to see this bridge is from a jetty near Lambeth Fire Station, you get amazing views of Lambeth Bridge with the House of Parliament in the backdrop! It makes an incredible photo opportunity.

12 Great Newport Street / Death Eater’s Flight

There are plenty of places in London where you can visit the ‘real’ Diagon Alley for yourself and one of the more unusual ones can be found near Covent Garden.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood prince, we see the Death Eaters destroying London and in their rampage of destruction, they travel through a large alleyway.
You’ll find the filming location of 12 Great Newport Street at the point before they travel through the wall into Diagon Alley.
Make sure you wear your Death Eater robes and have your Dark Mark on display for a photo here.

Reptile House London Zoo

Do you remember in the first movie when Harry is taken to London Zoo by the Dursleys for Dudley’s birthday?
Then, Harry manages to speak to a Brazilian Boa Constrictor using Parseltongue and hilarously manages to get Dudley trapped inside the enclosure without realising he’s a powerful wizard!
Well, these scenes were actually filmed at London Zoo and you can you can visit this location for yourself at their Reptile House.
The Reptile House was built in 1926 and this part of the exhibit actually houses their Black Mamba!

Cecil Court / Diagon Alley

One of the most popular Harry Potter locations in London has to be Cecil Court which is thought to have inspired Diagon Alley.
It’s easy to see why as it’s a beautiful shopping street with oil lamps, hanging signs, and colourful shops.
You’ll find all sorts of vintage bookshops, like Travis & Emery, and vintage boutiques that look like they belong in the wizarding world shopping street.
Make sure to shop around for some wizarding supplies for Hogwarts whilst you’re here!

Goodwin’s Court / Knockturn Alley

One of my favourite London Harry Potter locations has to be the mysterious Goodwin’s Court.
A backstreet of London that is popular with Potterheads as it is thought to have inspired Diagon Alley from Harry Potter.
I’m sorry but this looks more like Knockturn Alley to me and you could just imagine Draco Malfoy or Bellatrix Lestrange visiting Borgin & Burkes here with all the black bay windows!
Although it isn’t a filming location, you must make a visit here on your London Harry Potter tour.
Don’t forget to visit Mr. Fogg’s Tavern nearby which is an Around the World in 80 Days-inspired pub.

The Cursed Child Play

If you’ve finished all of the Harry Potter books and the movies and still wonder what life after the Battle of Hogwarts was like, then you must watch The Cursed Child play at the Palace Theatre.
It’s set 19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world and their latest adventure is joined by the new generation of Hogwarts students.
There are a lot of contradicting opinions about the storyline but it is a multi-award winning show so you can’t go wrong by watching it at The Palace Theatre.
The Cursed Child is actually a show in two parts and both are over 2 hours long with an interval in between. So, you’ll be treated to over 5 hours of Harry Potter magic.
  • 8 seaters luxury private Minivan
  • Professional Chauffeur/Guide
  • Complimentary bottle of water
  • Free Wi-Fi onboard
  • Admission Tickets (if option selected)
  • City Congestion and Parking
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • 10 hour full-day private tour
  • Chauffeur accompanies the clients on tour. 
  • Driver can't enter sites
  • Tips / Gratuities

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