Right now I need to share my free self-guided Harry Potter strolling tour in London with you. The UK capital is legendary for each its look within the novels and its use as a filming location for the flicks. My strolling route will take you to the very best locations within the metropolis to see Harry Potter websites, together with well-known markets, iconic prepare stations, and hidden lanes. I’ve included a map as nicely.
Harry Potter Strolling Tour
From the awe-inspiring expanse of Leadenhall Market to the key Hogwarts Specific platform in King’s Cross station, London has no scarcity of locations to find on a self-guided Harry Potter strolling tour.
This route will take you to lots of the highlights and allow you to expertise the magic of the books and flicks firsthand.
My Harry Potter stroll is a perfect strategy to get into the wizarding spirit, uncover the facet streets and secret areas from J.Okay. Rowling’s fantasy world, and see some London landmarks and points of interest on the similar time.
In order for you a guided tour, GetYourGuide provides a variety of nice Harry Potter strolling excursions as nicely. I’ve executed excursions with them up to now, and I’ve at all times had a great expertise. You possibly can e-book a tour right here.
You can too e-book a visit to the Warner Bros Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter to see the place the flicks had been filmed. I’ve executed it, and I extremely advocate it. The units are superb to see up shut. You possibly can e-book a tour right here.
Harry Potter Strolling Tour in London
My self-guided Harry Potter strolling tour begins at Westminster station. It has a lot of public transport hyperlinks, so you may arrive on the Jubilee, Circle, or District strains of the Underground, or by native bus, bike, scooter, or on foot from different central London areas.
Westminster station featured within the film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. When Harry known as to a listening to on the Ministry of Magic, he and Arthur Weasley navigate the tube boundaries right here earlier than heading to his appointment.
After taking within the station, begin this Harry Potter stroll by heading up Parliament Avenue in direction of Trafalgar Sq.. Don’t miss the views of Large Ben, the Homes of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and Parliament Sq. as you set off.
Stroll up the west facet of the road and proceed because it turns into Whitehall. Quickly you’ll attain Downing Avenue, the place you may peer by the gates to see Quantity 10. This has been the Prime Minister’s residence since 1735.
In Harry Potter’s world, the muggle Prime Minister meets together with his wizarding counterparts in his workplace right here to debate issues of nationwide significance.
After trying out Downing Avenue, cross over Whitehall and proceed your Harry Potter strolling tour by going up the highway till you attain Horse Guards Avenue. Flip proper on the Previous Warfare Workplace Constructing and stroll down the road.
Horse Guards Avenue was used because the filming location for the employees entrance of the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Half 1.
On the finish of Horse Guards Avenue, flip left into Whitehall Gardens and take within the fairly inexperienced area as you stroll to the opposite finish.
Whenever you attain Whitehall Place, exit the gardens, flip left, and stroll all the way down to Scotland Place. Flip proper and stroll underneath the overpass to get to Nice Scotland Yard.
Nice Scotland Yard was used because the filming location for the guests’ entrance to the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Half 1.
When you’ve explored the road, make your approach again to Whitehall, flip proper, and proceed in direction of Trafalgar Sq.. Residence of the Nationwide Gallery and Nelson’s Column, this is likely one of the most well-known landmarks in London.
Whenever you attain the sq., you’ll be within the location of the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Half 2. Stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint walked down the crimson carpet right here.
After you’ve taken within the sq., proceed your Harry Potter strolling tour by making your strategy to the east facet of it and turning left to stroll up Charing Cross Street. You’ll go the Nationwide Portrait Gallery as you go.
Charing Cross Street will take you previous West Finish theaters close to Leicester Sq. as you head up in direction of Cecil Court docket. As soon as there, flip proper and stroll down the gorgeous pedestrianized road.
With its colourful antiquarian bookshops and different treasure troves, rumor has it this lane in Covent Backyard was used as a mannequin for Diagon Alley.
Whenever you attain St Martin’s Lane, flip left, cross the road, and take a fast proper to duck into Goodwin’s Court docket. This slim Georgian alleyway is one other place that’s thought to have been a mannequin for Diagon Alley.
It’s additionally been stated that it impressed Knockturn Alley, the procuring space off Diagon Alley that was stuffed with shops dedicated to the Darkish Arts.
Whenever you get to the top of Goodwin’s Court docket, flip left onto Bedfordbury, then left onto New Row. Stroll by the small cafes alongside the road (you may cease for a snack if you wish to), then flip proper and stroll up St Martin’s Lane previous the eating places and theaters.
Proceed as the road turns into Higher St Martin’s Lane, then flip left on West Avenue and observe it because it curves as much as Cambridge Circus.
As soon as at Cambridge Circus, you’ll spot the Palace Theatre in Soho reverse you. That is the house of Harry Potter and the Cursed Youngster, a well-liked stage manufacturing in London. It’s a should for any Potterhead.
The play is about 19 years after the occasions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and it facilities round Harry’s relationship together with his son, Albus Severus. If you wish to see it, you may e-book tickets right here.
No matter you determine, proceed your Harry Potter strolling tour by heading north up Charing Cross Street.
In your left you’ll go Foyles, one of many greatest and most well-known bookshops in London. You possibly can pop in to purchase your favourite Harry Potter e-book, or proceed your self-guided strolling tour by going as much as St Giles Circus.
Whenever you attain it, cross over and proceed straight as Charing Cross Street turns into Tottenham Court docket Street.
That is the place Harry, Ron, and Hermione sit at a restaurant within the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Ron says the phrase “Voldemort” and inadvertently reveals their location to the Dying Eaters.
From right here you will have two decisions. In order for you a shorter stroll, you may hop on the tube at Goodge Avenue and take the Northern line a couple of stops north to King’s Cross St Pancras station.
Alternatively, when you’re glad persevering with on foot, you may stroll by Bloomsbury to get there.
My favourite route is to show proper from Tottenham Court docket Street onto Bayley Avenue, stroll previous the eye-catching buildings in Bedford Sq., proceed straight on Montague Place alongside the British Museum, and go round Russell Sq..
From the northeast nook of the sq., stroll down Bernard Avenue, flip left on Marchmont Avenue, and observe all of it the best way as much as Euston Street. You’ll go by a lot of cafes and retailers as you go. If you wish to, you may cease for a snack or meal.
Whenever you get to Euston Street, flip proper and take within the British Library and the beautiful facade of St Pancras Worldwide as you make your strategy to King’s Cross station.
St Pancras featured as a filming location in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and techniques. When Harry and Ron get locked out of Platform 9 3/4, they fly a Ford Anglia to high school as an alternative. As they take off, the facade of St Pancras might be seen within the background.
Whenever you attain King’s Cross station, enter the constructing and head over to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.
There’s a disappearing baggage trolley and an indication for Platform 9 3/4. It marks the spot the place Harry and his classmates entered the magical world to take the Hogwarts Specific to high school.
There’s additionally a well-known Harry Potter store proper subsequent to Platform 9 3/4, so after taking a photograph you may choose up some souvenirs if you wish to.
Afterwards, proceed your self-guided Harry Potter strolling tour by exiting the station and turning left to stroll east down Pentonville Street till you attain Claremont Sq..
This gorgeous place on the border of Clerkenwell and Islington was used because the filming location for 12 Grimmauld Place in two of the flicks.
12 Grimmauld Place was the house of Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black. It served because the headquarters of the Order of Phoenix as nicely.
Claremont Sq. stood in for Grimmauld Place within the movie adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Half 1.
After you’ve taken within the homes across the inexperienced area, proceed down Pentonville Street, take a left on Islington Excessive Avenue, and catch the Northern line of the tube from Angel station to Financial institution station.
Whenever you get off the tube, exit the station and stroll east down Cornhill. Flip proper on Gracechurch Avenue, then left into Leadenhall Market.
This Victorian lined market was used as a filming location for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Thinker’s Stone. The doorway to The Leaky Cauldron pub was an optician’s store available in the market’s Bull’s Head Passage.
When you’ve explored Leadenhall Market, proceed your self-guided Harry Potter strolling tour by exiting the identical approach you entered and turning left on Gracechurch Avenue.
Comply with it all the way down to Lombard Avenue, flip proper, and stroll previous the historic buildings within the Metropolis of London.
Keep on Lombard Avenue because it curves round to take you again to Financial institution Station, then flip left on Poultry and proceed down it because it turns into Cheapside.
Finally it should lead you to St Paul’s Cathedral. This well-known church stood in for Hogwarts College of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
The spiral staircase the scholars took as much as Professor Trelawney’s Divination classroom was really the Dean’s Staircase within the church (it’s additionally known as the Geometric Staircase). If you wish to go in, you may e-book tickets to St Paul’s Cathedral right here.
Whether or not you go inside or not, proceed your Harry Potter strolling tour by exiting through the entrance of the church and turning left to stroll east down the road known as St Paul’s Churchyard.
Whenever you attain Middle Lane Gardens, flip proper and stroll alongside the pedestrianized Peter’s Hill to get to the Thames.
Whenever you arrive on the river, you’ll be in entrance of Millennium Bridge. It changed Brockdale Bridge within the opening scenes of the movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. A pack of Dying Eaters targets the bridge as they wreak destruction on London.
Stroll throughout the bridge, then flip left alongside the river while you get to the South Financial institution and Tate Fashionable.
Comply with the Thames Path alongside Bankside, passing icons like Shakespeare’s Globe as you go. Whenever you attain Financial institution Finish, flip proper, then make a fast left on Clink Avenue.
Stroll underneath the railway bridge and previous The Clink Jail Museum, then flip proper on Stoney Avenue. This slim highway will take you all the way down to Borough Market, London’s most well-known meals market.
Borough Market was used as a filming location for the doorway to The Leaky Cauldron pub in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The facade featured within the film is the positioning of a (now closed) flower store known as Chez Michele.
From Borough Market, make your well past Southwark Cathedral on Inexperienced Dragon Court docket, then stroll up the steps to Borough Excessive Avenue.
Cross the road the place it’s protected, then take a proper on Duke Avenue Hill. Comply with it because it turns into Tooley Avenue. You’ll go by London Bridge station as you make your strategy to Hay’s Galleria.
Whenever you get there, flip left to enter the galleria. You possibly can admire the eye-catching ceiling and sculpture within the center as you stroll out to the Thames. Whenever you get to the river, flip proper on The Queens Stroll and head in direction of the HMS Belfast ship.
The HMS Belfast featured in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. As Harry and members of the order fly on broomsticks from 4 Privet Drive to 12 Grimmauld Place, they go over the Thames in London. On the best way they go the well-known navy warship.
As your Harry Potter strolling tour continues alongside the river, you’ll end up in Extra London, the realm round Metropolis Corridor. This place has nice views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
Just like the HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge featured within the scene from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix the place Harry and his associates fly over the Thames.
Your self-guided Harry Potter strolling tour ends right here, however you may proceed exploring the realm or head throughout Tower Bridge to select up the tube at Tower Hill station.
Stroll Particulars and Map
Harry Potter Strolling Tour
I hope my Harry Potter stroll has made you stay up for seeing areas from the books and flicks as you uncover London on foot. It’s the right strategy to discover the UK capital and expertise the magic firsthand.
In order for you extra concepts, you may see extra self-guided walks and maps on my London strolling excursions weblog publish. And when you’d prefer to be enchanted, check out my listing of magical locations to go to within the UK. Completely satisfied wizarding!
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