From the book’s being published to the eight films’ release, the Harry Potter saga has been and still remains a huge commercial success. But more than that, Harry Potter became a phenomenon and had a cultural impact worldwide. So, if you are a fan, why don’t you organise a road trip to the United Kingdom in search of the filming locations?!
Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland
It’s this viaduct located in Scotland that the Hogwarts Express goes through to reach the famous School. You can embark on the Jacobite Train, a steam railway leaving from Fort William going to Mallaig. Perfect for an authentic visit of Northern Scotland!
Christchurch College, Oxford
Who ever dreamt of going to school and have a dining room looking like the Hogwarts’ one, with its endless ceiling and all those appetising delicacies?!
This room is real and looks very much like the one in the film which had been modified by special effects. It is actually a part of the famous Oxford University, located in Christchurch College. This big Hall is not only used as an attraction for tourists, university students also have their meals here every day and formal dinners are regularly held here.
Gloucester and Durham Cathedrals
Durham Cathedral
These two cathedrals have served for filming locations for Hogwarts’ corridors and cloister.
London
Many scenes in this saga have been shot in London, among them include King’s Cross station, where the 9 ¾ platform stands.
Saint-Pancras station (see picture) has also served as a filming location due to its impressive architecture. The building is classified Grade 1 (Westminster Abbey is classified Grade 1 as well to give you a better idea).
We can observe a few bridges such as Lambeth Bridge (the magical bus shrinks to go through two double-decker buses on that bridge) and the Millenium Bridge which is destroyed by Death-eaters in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince; in real life this bridge is intact and can be crossed to reach St Paul’s Cathedral or the Tate Modern.
We can also see Piccadilly Circus in the sixth film, London Zoo and the Leadenhall Market (Diagon Alley) in the first film.
The nature locations
They have mostly been shot in Scotland which is famous for its mountains and endless landscapes. We can mention the following Lochs: Loch Etive, Glen Coe, Loch Eilit, Loch Arkaig.
The cottage where the heroes take refuge in the seventh film is located in Pembrokeshire National Park in Wales, on Freshwater West Beach.
The Seven Sisters’ Cliffs (South England, close to Eastbourne) have also been used for several scenes in this saga.
But where did the magic happen at the very beginning?
It’s because her train is running late that J.K. Rowlings starts to imagine the story of a normal boy who discovers he is a wizard. Rowling started to take notes, imagine characters and arrived in King’s Cross with a bunch of ideas in mind.
Rowling wrote a lot in a café which became famous afterwards: the Elephant House café, located in the heart of Edinburgh. From this place we can see Edinburg castle, which looks a bit like Hogwarts castle.
If you are interested in a programme on which Harry Potter is the theme, you can contact us here.
We organise accommodation, attractions and guided tours all across the UK and Ireland. If you don’t have enough time to visit all the filming location it only takes 3 hours to visit the Warner Bros Studios located in Watford, North London! We can book your tickets but be careful there are in great demand so plan it early!