World of Harry Potter – Tour Guide

Hogwarts Express & Glenfinnan Viaduct – Scottish Highlands

This has to be top of my list.

Venture to Glenfinnan, about 15 miles north of Fort William, in the Highlands of Scotland, and you will see the viaduct filmed in the Harry Potter movies beginning with ‘Chamber of Secrets’. You can stop at a nearby car park and walk up to the viaduct to watch the Hogwarts Express train traverse the bridge mid-morning or afternoon.

Not only that, you can look the other way and view the stunning Loch Shiel which is the backdrop for many scenes in the movies of Hogwarts School added using CGI. Glenfinnan also has a monument, a moving tribute to Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite uprising. The tiny island of Eilean na Moine where Professor Dumbledore is buried can be seen if you follow alongside the railway line to Mallaig by road.

You can take the train from Fort William to Mallaig and enjoy a cream tea aboard the Hogwarts Express. This is known as the Jacobite Line. Make sure you book well ahead and sit on the left side for the best views – Link.

Some more comprehensive tours of the area are also available such as here – Link

It is possible to catch a regular ScotRail service from Fort William to Mallaig which crosses the viaduct and will be much cheaper. Journey time is about an hour and half. Also, do not forget you can catch the ferry from Mallaig to visit the beautiful Isle of Skye.

You will need about 3-4 hours to drive to Glenfinnan from Edinburgh and Glasgow but it is well worth it. Plenty of other things to see and do on the way too including the UK’s highest mountain Ben Nevis near Fort William, and picturesque Loch Lomond.

Glencoe – Scottish Highlands

Many will agree this is one of the most stunning landscapes to enjoy in the whole of the UK. If you are driving to Glenfinnan you will almost certainly pass through Glencoe.

Glencoe, in particular the ‘Three Sisters’, is often used as a backdrop for Hagrid’s Hut especially in later movies. Most notably the Three Sisters can be seen in the background when Hagrid carries Harry’s ‘dead’ body into Hogwarts during ‘Deathly Hallows Pt.2’.

The same Three Sisters appear in the movie ‘Skyfall’ when James Bond drives to Scotland with M in his vintage Aston Martin car.

Writing Venues – Edinburgh

It is well known around these parts that J.K. Rowling wrote much of the Harry Potter books in various coffee shops or cafes around the centre of Edinburgh. Today, you can visit some of these cafes and even stay at the hotel where she completed the final book.

Nicolson’s Cafe, now called Spoon, is where J.K. Rowling wrote much of the first Harry Potter book, ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’, after arriving in Edinburgh. This is possibly where she also worked following her move to Edinburgh as it was then owned by her brother-in-law. I have not been to this cafe and so I will leave you with the link to TripAdvisor.

The Elephant House, which has a sign proclaiming itself as the “birthplace of Harry Potter”, is believed to be where J.K. Rowling wrote the later Harry Potter novels and is probably the best known of the writing venues in Edinburgh. The cafe is also believed to have been visited by a number of other local writers such as Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall-Smith. I have enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea here several years ago. However, at the time of writing, the venue is no longer open due to a catastrophic fire in 2021. You can, however, still see the original frontage if you walk by.

J.K. Rowling finished the final book ‘Deathly Hallows’ in the Balmoral Hotel, a very large and picturesque building, and is the outstanding attraction if you arrive into Edinburgh Waverley train station. There is now a suite (Room 552) dedicated to the room she was in when completing the seventh book in 2007. The iconic clock tower outside the hotel is always showing the time 3 minutes fast to ‘help’ travellers catch their trains on time. The hotel is not within everyone’s budget but well worth a visit for a cocktail or dinner.

For other places of interest in Edinburgh for Harry Potter fans go to this Link.

Kings Cross Platform 9 3/4 – London

Talking of trains.

The movies often depict the outside of Kings Cross station using the actual frontage of St Pancras station next door which is where you catch the Eurostar train to Paris. Platform 9 3/4 is located inside Kings Cross.

In my humble opinion this particular attraction is singularly disappointing – it is a ‘fake’ sign located in the central area of Kings Cross and not on an actual platform. It is popular, however, if only for the photo opportunity and to visit the gift shop. You will often see folk fully dressed in Hogwarts School uniforms leaving nearby hotels to have their photo taken at Kings Cross – Link.

That said there are plenty of other more appealing attractions in London for Harry Potter fans. These include Leadenhall Market, the Millennium Bridge, and Piccadilly Circus. Try a Harry Potter walking tour and enjoy all the sights.

Wizarding World Theme Park – Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida

This is where us muggles can enter the world of Harry Potter and enjoy a fabulous holiday in Florida together – Link

Step inside the Universal’s theme park where you can visit the iconic Hogwarts Castle and explore Hogsmeade village. You can enter Diagon Alley to enjoy a multi-dimensional thrill ride, magical experiences, and more. Get ready to imagine living in more of Harry Potter’s world than ever before. You can board the Hogwarts Express and travel between both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. There are plenty of gift shops in Hogsmeade to buy your wand, or school scarf, and you can even try Butter Beer.

I went about 8 years and the park seems far bigger now than even then. I was ‘dragged’ along by my two teenage kids both big Harry Potter fans, and before I was. I can confidently say muggles of all ages will enjoy the experiences.

Studio Tours – Warner Brothers, North London

I have listed this attraction at the end as I have never been. I understand, however, it is fabulous and very highly rated on Tripadvisor. I will leave a link here for more information – Link.

A slight word of caution to those not familiar with London that the WB Studio is quite a way out from the central tourist areas of the capital. A full day of enjoyment here is expected.