Every Harry Potter fan knows that a trip to England’s capital means visiting some of the most famous Harry Potter movie locations.
After all, the iconic movie saga was shot all over England, with some of the most famous scenes taking place in London.
Living in London I don’t often head out to do touristy things, but occasionally when friends from Italy are visiting or the sun is out, I love to head out and explore London!
In preparation for visiting the Warner Bros Studio in London (where they have some of the sets and behind the scenes of the Harry Potter movies) me and my flatmate did a Harry Potter movie marathon (it only took us three days after all) and decided to venture around London to see some of the movie locations in person.
In this guide I’ve listed some of the must visit Harry Potter filming locations in London, that you can easily see by yourself. These Harry Potter London sites will make you feel like you’re in the movies!
Harry Potter Tours London
If you follow the locations I’ve listed in this article you’ll be able to see all the main Harry Potter highlights in London for free. However if you prefer to have someone take you around and tell you more about the movies and locations you can do a tour.
There are a variety of great tours to choose from depending on your preference. If you’d like to stay active and see many other sites along the way, then a Harry Potter walking tour is right up your alley.
If you want to do something a little different, seeing a little bit extra and while taking in some stunning sites from the canal, then a Harry Potter boat tour is a great idea!
Whether you take a tour or venture to all the best Harry Potter places in London on your own, you’re sure to have a great time.
Click here to book your Harry Potter filming locations tour in London!
However, once you see all the locations dotted around London, one tour you simply must take is the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio tour.
In the studio tour, you’ll see all the sets, props and costumes used in the Harry Potter movies. You’ll also get the chance to step into the Gryffindor common room and walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter himself.
You’ll walk part of the famed Diagon alley location and see the storefronts so prevalent in the movies. Ollivander’s Wand Shop, Flourish and Blotts, and Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes are all still standing for you to investigate.
You’re guaranteed no less than 4-hours in the studio, which makes for plenty of time to explore and take photos. This is one of the must-visit Harry Potter sites in London!
Click here to book your visit to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studios!
Harry Potter film locations in London
Visiting recognisable locations from the Harry Potter films is a must-do for any Harry Potter fan! Here are a few of the locations you simply can’t miss in London!
The London Zoo
Featured in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the London Zoo is located just north of central London, and is the oldest scientific zoo in the world.
In 1831, the animals from the Tower of London Menagerie were transferred to the zoo’s collection, and from there the zoo grew immensely.
In 1847, it was opened to the public so that Londoners and tourists alike could appreciate the magnificence of the lovely creatures.
The Reptile House located in the zoo is where Harry set the Burmese python free. The enclosure used in the film is now home to a black mamba.
You can expect to pay a small entry fee for access to the London Zoo, but I recommend you purchase London Zoo tickets online, as you’ll get a discounted rate.
The London Zoo is also right next to Primrose Hill; one of the best picnic spots and most awesome viewpoints in London. The perfect place to pair your Harry Potter visit with some sightseeing!
Click here for the exact location.
Leadenhall Market (Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley Scene, London)
Many of the Diagon Alley scenes were shot in the Warner Bros. Studio, however, there are a few that were shot in other filming locations around the city. One of the most easily accessible of these is the Leadenhall Market.
It’s an old covered market in London city that dates back to the 14th century and has an incredible amount of history, as well as being one of the prettiest streets in London.
Look for the optician’s shop in Bulls Head passage. This is the location that was used as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron London in the movie Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Click here for the exact location.
Lambeth Bridge London
Lambeth Bridge is a road traffic and footbridge that crosses the River Thames.
The bridge was once a suspension bridge, but its safety was fairly questionable and was used mainly as a pedestrian bridge. It was then rebuilt as a road bridge in 1928.
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry takes the triple-decker Knight Bus when he runs away from home after making his aunt fly away (remember that scene? That was a good one).
There is a scene where the Knight Bus squeezes in between two double-decker buses, which was filmed on Lambeth Bridge.
It’s one of the less popular Harry Potter sights in London but is still well worth the visit! You’ll find it just upstream from Westminster Bridge in London.
Click here for the exact location.
Borough Market Harry Potter
Borough Market has a buzzing atmosphere that gives you a sense of the British culture so deeply embedded in the lives of Londoners. Walking through the many passageways and in between the stalls is a real adventure!
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Diagon Alley’s entrance to the Leaky Cauldron moved from Leadenhall Market to Borough Market.
Find what is now the Chez Michele flower shop to see where Harry enters the Leaky Cauldron pub in the movie. While walking through the Borough Market, be sure to take your time and browse the stalls.
There’s a wonderful selection of delicious food and interesting trinkets for sale that would be a shame to miss, it’s one of my favourite street food markets in London.
Click here for the exact location.
Kings Cross Station (Harry Potter’s road to Hogwarts)
Kings Cross Station is one of the main train stations in London. The station opened in 1852 and had to expand a few times in the 19th century to accommodate all the unexpected traffic.
Visit the famous platform 9 and ¾ location to discover exactly how Harry got to Hogwarts.
The scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, as well as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, were both filmed at Kings Cross Station between platform 4 and 5 (not 9 and 10)!
You can’t visit the exact platform without a valid train ticket, but there is a spot further inside the train station where they set up a luggage trolley disappearing into the wall, where you can take photos.
Be sure to snap a few pictures of the location to keep them safe in your memory bank. This is one of the Harry Potter London locations that you simply must see while you’re in town.
You can’t afford to miss one of the most iconic scene locations in film history!
Click here for the exact location.
Westminster Tube
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry and Mr Weasley take a train to Westminster. All the scenes from the movie that appear to be Westminster Station, are indeed Westminster Station.
This is one of the most recognisable Harry Potter film locations in London and definitely deserves a visit.
During the filming of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Westminster Station had to be shut down for an entire day while filming took place, which caused a lot of disruption.
Luckily, the incredible movie made it all worthwhile!
Click here for the exact location.
Scotland Place (Harry Potter’s entrance to the Ministry of Magic)
In the movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry and Mr Weasly enter the Ministry of Magic through a telephone booth in the real-life area of Scotland Place.
The building that was used in the film is squashed between two government buildings. You’ll find the building between Scotland Place and New Scotland Yard, but unfortunately, the telephone booth was a prop, so don’t expect to find it here.
You’ll more than likely run into one of the many Harry Potter tour groups here, as they make their way around London.
Talking about Scotland, did you know that many iconic shots beyond London were filmed there? Such as the famous steam train (aka the Hogwarts Express!) You can immerse yourself in Harry Potter vibes and epic Scottish landscapes by planning an Isle of Skye itinerary.
Click here for the exact location.
St Pancras (Harry Potter’s Kings Cross Station Scene)
St Pancras is a high-speed railway terminus and provides transport to other countries including Belgium, France and the Netherlands. St Pancras is right next door to Kings Cross Station and together they form the main transport hub in the UK.
St Pancras was actually used in the exterior shots as if it were Kings Cross Station.
We can only assume this is because the building is far more beautiful and makes the scene look a little more magical, it’s also one of the most Instagrammed spots in London after all!
You’ll also notice that in the movie Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, St Pancras acts as a backdrop to the scene when the Ford Anglia starts to fly.
If you’re a fan of wonderfully intricate architecture, this should be on your must-visit list of Harry Potter spots in London.
Click here for the exact location.
Claremont Square (Harry Potter’s Order of the Phoenix headquarters)
Any Harry Potter fan will immediately recognise the home of Sirius Black, and the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
This can be found in the now-famed Claremont Square. The area was featured in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, as well as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.
The setting was known as 12 Grimmauld Place in the movies. Of course, that’s not its real name but we can only imagine.
Click here for the exact location.
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is an intersection, in the West End of London, that connects the main roads. It’s located close to many of the biggest shopping and entertainment centres in London.
Here you can do all your London souvenir shopping, and get some lovely London themed gifts for your friends back home.
Piccadilly Circus is as famous in real-life as it is in the movie. It‘s featured in the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, when Hermione, Harry and Ron are nearly run over by a bus.
The fact that they managed to film in such a busy location is mind-blowing! It’s just as busy in real life as it appears in the Harry Potter movies, and crossing the street can prove to be a challenge.
This is one of the most famous Harry Potter locations in London!
Click here for the exact location.
Australia House: Gringotts Bank London
The set of Gringotts Wizarding Bank was filmed at Australia House, the Australian Embassy in London. Although you’re not allowed inside without a truly valid reason, the building is just as grand from the outside as it is from the inside.
Statues line the roof and the visit can be appreciated by anyone who has the faintest interest in architecture. I highly recommend you visit as it’s only a 6-minute walk from Covent Garden and very easy to find!
Click here for the exact location.
Charing Cross Road
Charing Cross Road is famous all across London for its wide selection of bookshops at the edge of the theatre district.
There are a number of great theatres in Charing Cross Road, but its main attraction is the many second-hand bookstores that call this area their home.
In the movies, the Inn for Wizards is located on this street and serves as a gateway between the non-wizarding world and Diagon Alley. This area is located in Muggle Street of Charing Cross Road.
This is well worth a visit, even if you don’t recognise it from the movies. Cute stores and cafes are scattered around the neighbourhood and can be great fun to explore!
Click here for the exact location.
St Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul’s Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral that acts as the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the diocese of London. The church marks the highest point in the city and is dedicated to the Apostle Paul.
It’s not only one of the most iconic landmarks in London, but also features in our favourite movie series.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral was used as a backdrop in the scene when the Death Eaters attack Millenium Bridge.
Taking a photo with the dome in the background is a must-do activity for any true Harry Potter fan!
While you’re there, take a tour of St Paul’s Cathedral to learn about the history of London, and view the 3 separate galleries within the cathedral. You’ll also get to head to the roof to get a panoramic view of London!
Click here for the exact location.
Millennium Bridge
Which leads on to our next famous Harry Potter movie location; Millennium Bridge!
At the start of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the Death Eaters attack Millennium Bridge in London, to show the return of Voldemort and the incoming evile of the movies.
It’s a steel suspension bridge that lends itself very well to collapsing during the attack. In my opinion it’s also one of the most photogenic places in London.
Click here for the exact location.
Final thoughts on all the Harry Potter filming locations in London
With all the magical mastery and wizardry that the Harry Potter movies bring to life, it’s every fan’s dream to visit the real-life locations that were used in the filming of the many movies.
I hope you’ve found my guide to the best Harry Potter filming locations useful in planning your very own London itinerary.
It’s not every day that we get to wave our magic wands and see the very best travelling locations appear. But a visit to London will allow you to do just that.
Not only are they steeped in rich culture and interesting history, but their many great locations are featured in some of the world’s top-grossing movies.
If you’re not obsessed with the magical world of Harry Potter yet, you sure will be after visiting these mystical and mysterious locations. Even if you’re not a Potterhead, visiting at least some of these famous movie locations should be on everyone’s London bucket list.
Syndicated content. This article was originally published on Greta’s Travels: The 15 Must-Visit Harry Potter Filming Locations in London.
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