The good thing about being a UK fan of Harry Potter is that all of the filming of the series took place right here at home in the United Kingdom and Ireland, so Harry Potter locations are pretty easy to visit.
The colossal popularity of the movies means that these locations have mostly embraced this fame and offer fans an opportunity to visit places like Hogwarts and Diagon Alley for themselves.
Of course, the actual scenes in the films include a whole host of other materials to create the completed look including added sets, costumes, props, and some CGI.
To get the most magical look at exactly how the movies were made then you need to go to Harry Potter world at the Warner Bros’ Studios. You can buy last minute harry potter tickets but usually, it is best to book these in advance as it remains an incredibly popular attraction for Potterheads.
Here are a few real-life filming locations for you to add to your Harry Potter bucket list.
Leadenhall Market Harry Potter
Leadenhall Market is beautiful to behold in its own right, with its ornate roof and cobbled floors, but it was also the filming location for some of the scenes set in Diagon Alley. More specifically you may recognise the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in Bulls Head passage, which is an optician in real life!
Kings Cross Station, London
The impact of the movies can really be seen at Kings Cross Station in London. In the movies, wizards head to platform 9 ¾ to catch their train to Hogwarts but the scene was actually filmed at platforms 4 and 5 – however, the station has since renumbered these platforms to match the movie! You can even see a sign for 9 ¾ with a luggage trolley embedded in the wall as a fun photo op for fans.
Oxford University, Oxford
There are a number of filming locations at the University of Oxford, many of which are within the various university buildings which means only some of them are open to the public. The Divinity School was used as the Hogwarts Infirmary and can be visited only on a guided tour.
They do offer a Harry Potter walking tour which includes a number of other locations as well such as Duke Humfrey’s Library, New College, and parts of the Christ Church College.
Lacock Abbey, Lacock
Lacock is home to a number of different Harry Potter filming locations. Here you can find Lily and James Potter’s Godric’s Hollow house as well as Budleigh Babberton where Professor Slughorn lived.
The highlight of Lacock though is Lacock Abbey which was used to film some of the Hogwarts scenes. The cloisters were used as Hogwarts corridors in many of the films as well as some classrooms in the early movies.
You can even find a cauldron still sitting in Snape’s potions classroom – a genuine 16th cooking pot that belongs to the Abbey and is also featured in the films!
There are a great many more locations you can visit for yourself, these are just our top picks, so go and explore for yourself.
And if you want all the Harry Potter film info in one place you can visit the Warner Bros Studios for the Ultimate Harry Potter Day Out