If you're a true Potterhead, then you've probably already visited the Warner Bros. Studios and the Elephant House Cafe [1]. But did you know that, as UK residents, we're lucky enough to only be a few hours away from some of the most magical filming locations [2]? Although places like Hogwarts and Diagon Alley were dreamed up and built especially for the films, the crew also travelled across England and Scotland in search of the perfect lakes, castles, and corridors. It's time to start planning the Harry Potter [3] trip of a lifetime; read on to discover where your journey should take you.
Australia House, London
Film: Harry Potter [4] and the Philosopher's Stone
Shot: Australia House was used to film interior shots of Gringotts
How to Get There: The closest tube station is Temple
Price: Free
King's Cross Station, London
Film: All of them
Shot: Platform 9 ¾ is where all the students boarded the train to Hogwarts
How to Get There: The closest tube station is King's Cross St. Pancras
Price: Free
Millennium Bridge, London
Film: Harry Potter [5] and the Half Blood Prince
Shot: The film opened with a scene that showed the bridge being destroyed by Death Eaters
How to Get There: The closest tube station is Blackfriars
Price: Free
London City Hall
Film: Harry Potter [6] and the Half Blood Prince
Shot: London City Hall, the headquarters of the Greater London Authority, was featured in one of the first scenes of the film.
How to Get There: The closest tube station is London Bridge
Price: Free
Great Scotland Yard, London
Film: Harry Potter [7] and the Half Blood Prince
Shot: This is where Harry and Mr Weasley entered the phone box that descends into the Ministry of Magic
How to Get There: The closest tube station is Embankment
Price: Free
Claremont Square, London
Film: Harry Potter [8] and the Order of the Phoenix, and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Shot: These houses were used as the exterior of Grimmauld Place, the Order's safe place and Sirius Black's house
How to Get There: The closest tube station is Angel
Price: Free
Piccadilly Circus, London
Film: Harry Potter [9] and the Deathly Hallow's Part 1
Shot: This is where we see Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushing after having been attacked at Bill and Fleur's wedding
How to Get There: The closest tube station is Piccadilly Circus
Price: Free
Laedenhall Market, London
Film: Harry Potter [10] and the Philosopher's Stone
Shot: It was used as the exterior of Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron
How to Get There: The closest tube station is Monument
Price: Free
Reptile House, London Zoo
Film: Harry Potter [11] and the Philosopher's Stone
Shot: This is where Harry frees the Burmese python and Dudley gets stuck in its cage
How to Get There: The closest tube station is Camden Town
Price: from £20 for adults and £15 for children
St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London
Film: Harry Potter [12] and the Philosopher's Stone
Shot: The hotel was used as the entrance to King's Cross station
How to Get There: The nearest tube station is King's Cross St. Pancras
Price: Free
Durham Cathedral, Durham
Film: Harry Potter [13] and the Philosopher's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Shot: The cathedral was used to shoot various interior and exterior shots of Hogwarts
How to Get There: Durham station is on the East Coast main line. A bus to the cathedral runs at regular intervals during the day. If you're travelling by car, Durham is west of the A1(M) and east of the A167. There is no parking at the cathedral itself, but you'll be able to use the park & ride.
Price: Guided tours cost £5 per person. Admission to the tower is £5 for adults, and £3 for children under 16. The other areas are free to visit.
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
Film: Harry Potter [14] and the Philosopher's Stone and the Camber of Secrets
Shot: The castle was used for exterior shots of Hogwarts
How to Get There: The East Coast mainline from London to Edinburgh stops at Alnmouth, which is four miles away from Alnwick. A taxi or bus (X18) can then be taken to Alnwick Castle. If you're travelling by car, it is located in the heart of Northumberland just off the A1.
Prices
- For the castle: £14 for adults and £7 for children (aged 5 to 16)
- For the garden: £12 for adults and £4 for children (aged 5 to 16)
- For the castle and the garden: £24 for adults and £10 for children (aged 5 to 16)
Malham Cove, Malham
Film: Harry Potter [15] and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Shot: This is where Harry and Hermione camped for a few days as they were trying to stay hidden from Death Eaters
How to Get There: The nearest train station is Gargrave, which is about seven miles away from Malham. If you're travelling by car, Malham is 21 miles from the end of the M65. Be careful when driving to Malham from Gargrave as the roads are very narrow country lanes.
Price: Free, although parking isn't.
New College, Oxford
Film: Harry Potter [16] and the Goblet of Fire
Shot: This is where everyone wore the "Potter stinks" badges during the Triwizard Tournament
How to Get There: Oxford is easily accessible by train, and New College is situated one mile away from the train station. If you're travelling by car, Oxford is connected to London, the M25, and the Midlands by the M40 motorway.
Price: £3
Lacock Abbey, Salisbury
Film: Harry Potter [17] and the Philosopher's Stone, and the Chamber of Secrets
Shot: The Abbey was used as a setting for professor Snape's potions class.
How to Get There: Melksham is the closest train station and is less than two hours away from London Paddington. If you're travelling by car, the Abbey is easily accessible by the M4.
Price: A day tour of Lacock [18] including return bus travel and a visit to Salisbury and Bath costs £54 for adults and £44 for children.
Virginia Water, Surrey
Film: Harry Potter [19] and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and the Goblet of Fire
Shot: Virginia Water was used to represent Hogwarts' lake where Harry rode on the Hippogriff in the Prisoner of Azkaban, as well as where Hermione passed on messages to Harry and Ron in the Goblet of Fire.
How to Get There: Virginia Water train station is on the main line to London Waterloo and passes through Staines, Richmond, and Clapham Junction. if you're travelling by car, the village is a short distance from Heathrow Airport.
Price: Free
Goathland Train Station, North Yorkshire
Film: Harry Potter [20] and the Philosopher's stone
Shot: The station acted as the main station for Hogwarts
How to Get There: You can catch regular trains from Whitby (£16 return) and Pickering (£20 return). If you're travelling by car, the Goathland station is less than two hours away from Newcastle via the A 179.
Price: Free
Ashridge Wood, Hertfordshire
Film: Harry Potter [21] and the Goblet of Fire
Shot: This is where the Quidditch World Cup was held
How to Get There: Ashridge Wood is halfway between Newbury station and Didcot station. From there, it is a 15-minute drive via the A34 — taxis are available and won't cost you more than £20. If you're travelling by car, Ashridge Wood is located 21 miles away from Oxford and is a 40-minute drive on the A 34.
Price: Free. Note that the Visitor Centre is open between 10am and 4pm.
Seven Sisters Country Park, Sussex
Film: Harry Potter [22] and the Goblet of Fire
Shot: The cliffs are where Harry found the boot that transported him and the Weasleys to the Quidditch World Cup
How to Get There: The Seven Sisters Country Park is situated in Exceat. There are regular trains from London to Brighton, Seaford, and Eastbourne. If you're travelling by car, it is a 10-minute journey from Seaford.
Price: Free, but the car park will cost you £4 for the day
Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire
Film: Harry Potter [23] and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Shot: Hardwick Hall was the main setting for the Malfoy Manor
How to Get There: The closest train station is Chesterfield. From there, you can get a taxi or catch a bus. If you're travelling by car, Hardwick Hall is located eight miles southeast of Chesterfield by the A6175.
Price: £13 for adults and £6 for children
Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester
Film: Harry Potter [24] and the Philosopher's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, and the Half Blood Prince
Shot: The cloisters were used as various settings for Hogwarts' interiors
How to Get There: The Cathedral is a 10-minute walk from Gloucester train station. If you're travelling by car, Gloucester is easily accessible from Birmingham via the M5.
Price: Free
Loch Etive, Scotland
Film: Harry Potter [25] and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Shot: The loch was the setting for Harry, Hermione, and Ron's camping trip.
How to Get There: the closest town is Taynuilt. By train, it will take you two hours and 36 minutes from Glasgow Queen Street station. If you're travelling by car, Taynuilt is 46 miles south of Fort William via the A82, and 87 miles north of Glasgow, also via the A82.
Price: Free
Glencoe, Scotland
Film: Harry Potter [26] and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Goblet of Fire, the Order of the Phoenix, and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Shot: Glencoe was used to film different scenes. It is the location of Hagrid's hut, the bridge leading to the entrance of Hogwarts, and the crew also used to nearby lake to film some other scenes.
How to Get There: Fort William is the nearest train station, with daily train services operating to and from Glasgow. If you're travelling by car, Glencoe village is 90 miles North West of Glasgow city centre, accessible via the A82.
Price: Free
Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland
Film: Harry Potter [27] and the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban, and the Goblet of Fire
Shot: This viaduct is where the Hogwarts Express makes its journey
How to Get There: Glenfinnan is the nearest train station, with daily train services operating to and from Fort William. If you're travelling by car, the vidaduct is 17 miles west of Fort William via the A830.
Price: A day return from Fort William to Glenfinnan will cost £10 (£4 for children under 15)
Loch Eilt, Scotland
Film: Harry Potter [28] and the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Goblet of Fire, and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Shot: Loch Eilt was used for exterior shots of the Hogwarts grounds, but you will recognise it as the location of Dumbledore's grave.
How to Get There: Lochailort is the nearest train station. It is a five-hour direct journey from Glasgow Queen Street, and a 49-minute journey by train from Fort William. If you're travelling by car, the lake is located 134 miles northwest of Glasgow and accessible via the A82.
Price: Free
Loch Arkaig, Scotland
Film: Harry Potter [29] and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Shot: Exterior shots of dragon flights
How to Get There: Fort William is the nearest train station, with daily train services operating to and from Glasgow. If you're travelling by car, the closest town is Fort William; it is a 2.5-hour drive north of Glasgow, and a one-hour drive south of Inverness on the A82.
Price: Free
Lochaber Rural Complex, Scotland
Film: Harry Potter [30] and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Shot: The production crew rented a rural complex from March to July 2013, but the weather was so bad that they had to shoot some of the scenes from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban inside the complex, which was also used as an office space.
How to Get There: Fort William is the nearest train station, with daily train services operating to and from Glasgow. If you're travelling by car, the building is 3.7 miles northeast of Fort William and is accessible from the A82.
Price: Free
The Jacobite Steam Train, Fort William, Scotland
Film: All of them
Shot: The Hogwarts Express
How to Get There: It is recommended that you arrive the night before you travel on the Jacobite Steam Train, and trains run daily from Glasgow to Fort William. If you are travelling by car, Fort William is a 2.5-hour drive north of Glasgow and a one-hour drive south of Inverness on the A82.
Price: A three-day tour [31] (Isle of Skye and Jacobite Steam Train Journey) will cost you £329.