When it comes to pop culture associated with London, Harry Potter is at the top of the list.
Not only does Harry journey to and through London throughout the 7 best-selling books, but numerous scenes from all 8 movies were also filmed right here in the capital of the U.K.
As a London tour guide, I am always getting questions about filming locations and places mentioned in the books.
So, I sat down with my fellow guide (and Potter fanatic), Alan, to interview him about his favourite Harry Potter locations in the city.
If you are headed our way, come and join us! We lead a Harry Potter walking tour of Harry Potter sights in London.
Or, you could visit all of those sites (and more) with my GPS-led audio tour.
Must-See Harry Potter Locations in London
I asked Alan for his list of the top 10 Harry Potter locations in London. He told me there are far more than 10 but we've tried to rank them for you below!
Oh, and there's even a Harry Potter-themed afternoon tea.
Platform 9 ¾ and the Hogwarts Express
Alan says, "Platform 9 3/4 has to be on the top of my list." I would agree!
By now the most famous station in the world, Kings Cross Station is the station that holds the magical Platform 9 ¾.
This is where Hogwarts students catch their train up to Scotland at the beginning of the term and travel back down when the school year is over.
It was actually on platforms 4 and 5 that scenes for the films were recorded but if you try hard enough, you can find the entrance to Platform 9 ¾...if you know where to go!
These days, the real-life entrance to the platform is located near the Harry Potter Shop.
And, you can get a photo of yourself pushing a luggage trolley through the barrier (but be ready to queue, the lines to do so can be quite long!).
Alan and I always recommend going later in the evening, when possible, as the queues will be shorter - or even non existent.
Also here you will find the grand Victorian St Pancras Station just next door.
The outer facade of St. Pancras was used for filming Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Harry and Ron decide to travel to school in a flying Ford Anglia when Harry cannot get through the barriers to the Hogwarts Express.
I also wrote a comprehensive guide to visiting Platform 9 3/4 that you might find useful.
Harry Potter Bridge (Millennium Bridge)
Watch out for Death Eaters as you make your way from the north to the south bank of the Thames over the Millennium Bridge.
Alan told me, "This is the stop on the tour I get asked about the most."
Originally intended to be opened in the year 2000, the bridge was not structurally sound and it had to be closed for a further 2 more years.
From 2002 it remained in place, spanning the river until a gang of Death Eaters battled on top of it and completely destroyed the entire structure!
Well...in the Harry Potter universe that is.
This bridge served as one of the scenes of the dramatic air-borne broomstick battle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Thankfully it was all movie magic, as we are able to take our guests across the bridge as part of our Walking Tour!
Diagon Alley
When I asked Alan about Goodwin's Court, he says that this is the location where his guests tend to get their favourite photographs.
I believe him, as I have taken quite a few myself!
And what is Goodwin's Court, exactly? Alan tells us, "This street is considered to be the Inspiration for Diagon Alley."
The Court here is lined with original Victorian shop fronts and last time I was there I also spotted a white owl and a very recognisable face in a wanted poster hung up in a shop window..!
Alan elaborates, "It is safe to say that Goodwin's Court has a touch of magic to it, easily believable as the entrance into Harry’s world on Diagon Alley."
He also adds that he likes to take guests to nearby Cecil Court as it's filled with occult shops that sell all sorts of fascinating magical books - as well as bank notes featuring the cast of Harry Potter.
Cecil Court is just off of Charing Cross Road, where Harry and Hagrid walk in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Whilst Harry is on the Knight Bus in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban he travels down Charing Cross, and Ministry cars drive down the road in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The Ministry of Magic
Home to Muggle politicians, Whitehall, Scotland Place, and Old Scotland Yard were all used to represent the magical counterpart to our muggle organisations.
Personally, this is one of my favourite parts of the crossover between the world of Harry Potter and ours.
I love the idea that our politicians are quietly (and obliviously) working alongside their Wizard counterparts.
Here you will find the exteriors used for the Ministry of Magic during filming for the Polyjuice potion scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Shots taken here are also used for the trip that Mr. Weasley and Harry Take in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
(Let Alan walk you to the Ministry of Magic in London in this clip of our virtual tour).
In the books – and the movies – there is a red telephone box outside the Ministry of Magic that wizards use to access the Ministry.
From the phone box, one must dial ‘62442’ and the phone booth acts as a lift, taking visitors down underneath the ground to the Ministry.
You'll notice that the streets look a little differently than they did on film.
Alan tells us why, "The red phone box used in the film was actually a prop brought in specifically for shooting so sadly, no journeys to the Ministry can be made any longer!"
The Leaky Cauldron
History lovers (like me) - this one is for you!
Leadenhall Market has sat in this location since the 14th century!
However, most of what you can see today dates from the late 1800s and served as another filming location for Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron.
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, this is the location that was used for the filming of Diagon Alley.
In fact, at 42 Bull’s Head Passage, you will spot a storefront for an optician.
However, this shop front – painted blue – was used to serve as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in the first Harry Potter film.
Alan tells me that this location is a bit out of the way for our regularly scheduled Harry Potter Tours but he'd be happy to take you there on a private tour.
Leaky Cauldron #2
In the muggle world, this is an incredible Mexican restaurant (one of my favourites, actually) with a prime location in the historic and popular Borough Market.
But as for the wizarding world...the exterior shots of the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, as seen in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, were filmed here.
It is just outside of this restaurant that the Knight Bus slams to a halt and drops Harry off (via Palmers Green and Lambeth) outside the pub on Diagon Alley, setting off a car alarm in the process!
For those of you hoping to go inside the Leaky Cauldron, we have bad news.
Alan elaborates, "The interior shots of the Leaky Cauldron were filmed on a soundstage, however, so it’s just the facade that was used during filming."
This is a stop on both our guided tour of Harry Potter film locations and our GPS-enabled audio tour, which you could take any time.
Although, I recommend trying to go when Borough Market is open so you can treat yourself to some incredible food.
Just read my post on my favourite places to eat in Borough Market for more information.
Westminster Underground Station
This is probably the location I see/use the most on this list.
Ane, if I am being honest, I always think about the film when I am going through the barriers!
It is to Westminster Tube Station that Mr. Weasley and Harry go to when visiting the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
At the station, Mr. Weasley struggles at the barriers, not sure how to work the exits properly – much like many of us during our first visit to London...
Alan reflected on the fact that, "This scene was actually filmed inside Westminster Underground Station - the first time Transport for London shut down a tube station specifically for filming a movie scene."
I guess when Harry Potter comes knocking, you can't say no!
St. Paul's Cathedral
When I asked Alan what surprises his guests the most on his Harry Potter tours, he mentioned the stop at St. Paul's Cathedral
(I would tend to agree, although there's another location coming that I think is even more unusual).
Few people know that the Divination Staircase featured in the Harry Potter films actually lies in the iconic St. Paul's Cathedral.
Known as the Geometric Squares, it is located in one of the front towers of the church.
If you'd like to see the staircase, Alan tells me, "It's normally not visible to the public but if you join one of the regularly scheduled guided tours, you'll get a chance to have a look for yourself."
So take his advice, and learn more about visiting St Paul's Cathedral.
12 Grimmauld Place
This is another location that we don't normally visit on our tours, although you can go on your own if you take my Harry Potter Audio Guide.
Tucked away on an unassuming street in Islington lies Claremont Square , the location of Sirius Black’s familial residence, Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
The house eventually is inherited by Harry and used as the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.
This square was used for filming on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The muggles that live in the square have long come to accept the mistake in numbering the buildings here, with 11 and 13 being right next to each other.
I actually don't live too far from Claremont Square and I walk through it constantly.
Although, sadly, I'm unable to see number 12...perhaps that's because it’s kept under wraps by the Fidelius Charm, meaning only Secret-Keepers can access the building.
(Or because the scenes were filmed at Nos. 23 - 29.)
Number 10 Downing Street
This is a stop on my Royal Westminster Walking Tour but also has significance in the Wizarding World.
You likely know that Number 10 is traditional the home of our Prime Minister.
But, Alan loves letting people know that, "There is a portal from the wizarding world to that of the muggle world so that the Prime Minister of the U.K. and the Minister for Magic can occasionally speak."
In fact, it is inside the Prime Minister’s office that the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes place.
It is also here that Kingsley Shacklebolt works during his time as a bodyguard to the Muggle Prime Minister.
Take a virtual tour of 10 Downing St.
Gringotts Wizarding Bank
This location gets my vote for the most surprising stop on my Harry Potter Tour!
The longest continuously occupied diplomatic mission in the U.K. (and built entirely with marble shipped all the way from Australia), Australia House served as the setting for Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
Unlike others on our list, it is the interior of this building that served as the filming set.
Long rows of wooden benches and dozens of goblins working away under heavy, sparkling, and cob-webbed chandeliers are the site that greets Harry as Hagrid takes him to the wizarding bank for the very first time in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
The actual room used for filming is The Exhibition Room which is, unfortunately, not open to the public.
Alan also told me (quite confidentially) that, "A polite word with the security officers at the door may reward you with a peek through the windows..." But he hastens to add it is not always guaranteed!
I've never actually taken a look through those doors but I was delighted to find out that an exact replica has since be rebuilt on the The WB Studios Tour!
Lincoln’s Inn Fields
A charming square with buildings now occupied by lawyers and surgeons, Alan says that he, and many other Harry Potter guides believe that Lincoln’s Inn Fields "holds the real inspiration for the outside of Number 12 Grimmauld Place."
If you take a walk through the square, you may well feel convinced.
Of course, Muggles may have trouble viewing the house, as there are a number of charms placed on it to protect its’ exact location.
However, if you take a look near number 13 you may just see a glimmer out of the corner of your eye that will clue you into the houses’ precise location...
Trafalgar Square is probably one of the best known locations on this list, but not everybody knows about its' connecting to Harry Potter.
It was here in Trafalgar Square on the 7th of July 2011 that the final Harry Potter film began its’ premiere celebrations.
On a huge stage erected near Nelson’s Column stood Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, J. K. Rowling, and dozens of others who spoke to the crowd of thousands.
I had gone down to see it myself - but I wasn't early enough!
I could hear the cast and just about see the edge of a huge screen that had been erected where clips and trailers could be shown to members of the public.
From the Square, the cast and Rowling herself then walked the world’s longest red carpet to Leicester Square where the film debuted simultaneously at three different cinemas!
Trafalgar Square is also glimpsed during the opening flight battle of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as the Death Eaters fly over central London.
On the run from Death Eaters at Bill and Fleur’s wedding in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Ron and Hermione apparate straight to central London.
In the books, they arrive at Tottenham Court Road and go to a nearby restaurant.
For the Deathly Hallows Part, I film, however, the trio turns up right in front of a passing No. 19 bus in the middle of Piccadilly Circus.
(Hermione tells us “I used to come here with Mum and Dad.”).
They arrive at night with Piccadilly’s world-famous electric lights on display which lend a little magic of their own to this popular London destination!
Alan is able to tell me exactly where the filming took place, "Just off Piccadilly Circus up Shaftesbury Avenue, you can spot a row of stone pillars that the trio walk past as Hermione explains to the boys where they are.
Somewhere along this road is the cafe where the trio stopped to have a rest and ended up in a violent duel with Death Eaters...so mind your step!"
In addition to these major locations, there are a couple of smaller London locations in the Central and southwestern parts of London that are mentioned in the Harry Potter series.
In the book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, it is a local zoo that Harry is taken to for his cousin Dudley’s 11th birthday.
At the zoo, Harry comes face-to-face with a snake when the glass separating him from a boa constrictor disappears and the snake spills out onto the floor.
Harry accidentally causes the removal of the glass as well as speaking to the snake in the rare language known as parseltongue (although Harry has no idea about this until much later on in the series).
It is the reptile house at the London Zoo that was used during the filming of this scene.
I absolutely love that London Zoo has embraced their connection with the world of Harry Potter.
If you do visit (and I recommend you do - just read my post to find out more) you will see a small plaque placed inside the Reptile enclosure that commemorates the spot where the actual filming took place.
The Palace Theatre
Premiering on the 30th of July 2016 (Harry's birthday, naturally), the Cursed Child is the next chapter in the Harry Potter saga - although Alan and I actually have yet to see it!
This two-part play has been seen by countless sold-out crowds over the last few years here at the Palace Theatre in the West End and it shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
The producers have been very keen on keeping the special effects a secret so there will be no spoilers here but if you've ever wanted to see real-life wizarding magic - this is the way to do it.
I am quite impressed by the lengths that true fans of the series have gone to in keeping the special effects secret...even my sister-in-law wouldn't tell me a thing!
However, with a total run time of over 6 hours, this is one for the dedicated fans only.
Clapham
This one is located in a more residential district, so you may find it a bit out of your way while you're here.
At No. 2 Laburnum Gardens in Clapham, south London, lives Sturgis Podmore, a member of the Order of the Phoenix and part of the Advance Guard that helps Harry escape from Privet Drive in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
For some extra info, Alan tells me, "Clapham is also where J. K. Rowling lived after she graduated from the University of Exeter and moved to London!"
Elephant & Castle
A location investigated by Mr. Weasley in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as the site of exploding toilets; a prank pulled on muggles by a man named Willy Widdershins.
This is another spot that likely isn't on your itinerary and I'm not sure I would say it's worth the effort to get there, but I wanted to keep the list comprehensive so it's here.
Lambeth Bridge
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Knight Bus squeezes between two oncoming double-decker buses as it travels along the wrong side of the Bridge, with Harry being jostled around inside.
Vauxhall Road
It is from a shop on Vauxhall Road that Tom Riddle buys his diary – which would eventually become a Horcrux - as detailed in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
I love a bit of trivia that Alan shared with me, "Actually, nearby Vauxhall Road there used to be an orphanage that was built in the 1800s - perhaps the location of the orphanage that Riddle grew up in."
West Ham
An area in eastern London, West Ham is home to West Ham United F.C., a popular muggle football club.
I'm not a huge football fan and Alan is from Liverpool originally so this only has a spot on our list because Dean Thomas, in Harry’s year at Hogwarts, is a big fan of West Ham United and hangs football posters of the team in their dormitory.
Ron was seen poking at some of the pictures of West Ham players on the walls in an effort to try to get them to move which I think is delightfully charming!
Bethnal Green
In the East End of London, Bethnal Green is mentioned in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as a location where Mr. Weasley is sent to work.
There he investigates a series of exploding toilets, charmed by Willy Widdershins to prank unsuspecting muggles!
Although we don't visit Bethnal Green on our East End Street Art or East End Food Tours, both are excellent experiences that will give you a taste of the area!
The BT Tower (Seen from the flying Ford Anglia)
581 feet (177 meters) tall, the BT Tower is a communications tower that has stood here since 1964.
The tower features prominently in a scene from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Ron and Harry fly past the tower in their Ford Anglia.
In the books, it is reported in the Evening Profit that the boys were seen as they flew through London.
Paddington Station
Alan says, "I think Paddington Station is primarily associated with Paddington Bear, but there is a Harry Potter connection here."
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Harry is dropped off at Paddington Station by Hagrid so that he can catch a train back to the Dursley’s house in Little Whinging where he will stay before his term at Hogwarts begins.
While Hagrid and Harry are waiting for the train to arrive, Hagrid hands Harry his ticket for the Hogwarts Express and kindly buys Harry a hamburger from a nondescript restaurant within the station.
This scene was completely omitted from the films, however.
Harrow School (Professor Flitwick’s Classroom)
Potentially only for the most potty of Potter-heads (simply for its' distant location) is Harrow School, the filming location for Professor Flitwick’s Classroom in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Located in northwest London and founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1572, Harrow still operates as a well-respected school for boys.
It is in the oldest classroom here, the Forth Form Room (dating back to 1615) that the wingardium leviosa feather-levitating scene was shot (one of my favourite scenes from the first film!).
Although a bit of a trek outside the northern parts of London, it is possible to book a visit with the school by writing ahead of time to request to join one of their tours - which is honestly fascinating in its' own right, even if you aren't a Harry Potter fan.
The Harry Potter Shop
Located at King's Cross Station, the Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4 has any and everything wizarding-related you want to get your hands on!
Here you can buy wands and uniforms, chocolate frogs, school supplies...the list is endless!
My favourite thing about this shop is that they have everything in all four colours for all four Hogwarts Houses.
Those of you in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff in particular may want to make your way here.
I go into detail about the shop in my post on visiting Platform 9 3/4.
Find out more on their website.
The Warner Brothers Studios: Harry Potter Studio Tour
This is the ultimate destination for any Harry Potter fan: The Warner Bros Studio Tour!
Here you can walk through the sets where the Harry Potter movies were filmed.
You'll get to walk through the Great Hall, visit the Gryffindor Common Room, see the Forbidden Forest as well as the Hogwarts Express and you'll even get to explore Diagon Alley!
Finish it all up with a glass of butterbeer (too sweet for me but my niece loves it) and a trip to their incredible gift shop.
For any Harry Potter lover, this one is a do-not-miss!
Alan and I have each been here multiple times.
They are constantly adding exhibits, releasing new props, and building additional museum space so if you think you've seen it all - think again.
POTTER LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF LONDON
If you’re prepared to travel to capture the magic of the world of Harry Potter, I’ve got what you need.
What follows is an overview of Harry Potter locations easily accessible from our capital city!
We also offer Harry Potter Tours in Edinburgh.
1. Privet Drive, Little Whinging
[Picket Post Close in Berkshire (Martin’s Heron Station) and the Warner Bros.’ Studios in Watford]
Little Whinging is actually named after a small village in Gloucestershire that J. K. Rowling visited as a child, however, Little Whinging in the Potter books is located in Surrey.
Filming for Little Whinging in the first movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone actually took place in an area called Martins Heron in Berkshire.
To be specific, external scenes were shot at a house in Picket Post Close (Number 12 standing in for 4 Privet Drive).
Potter film crews found shooting on location was impractical, so Little Whinging and Privet Drive were partially re-created at the Warner Bros Studios in Watford, where all subsequent Little Whinging shots were filmed.
Walking down Privet Drive at the WB Studios was probably one of the most surreal moments of my life!
2. The Forbidden Forest
[Black Park in Iver (Langley Station), Ashridge in Hertfordshire (Berkhamstead Station) and Swinley Forest, Bracknell (Martin’s Heron)]
Ashridge, a 1581-acre country estate served as the filming location for many outdoor scenes in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Black Park, a 560-acre reserve used for filming scenes set in the Forbidden Forest during the filming of the first three Potter films.
All scenes taking part in Hagrid’s Hut were filmed here as well as the scene where Harry finally tames Buckbeak in Prisoner of Azkaban, and the scene where Hagrid shows Harry the dragons before the next task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament in Goblet of Fire.
A large portion of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts I and II takes place in the countryside of the U.K.
Most of these scenes were filmed in Swinley Forest in Surrey.
Notable scenes are the one in which Ron leaves the trio, then Scabior and the gang of Snatchers turn up, and the scene where Neville faces a large crowd of Snatchers and Death Eaters at the covered bridge.
I love a nice nature walk so I'd recommend Swinley forest even if you're not a Potter fan.
3. Hogwarts [Numerous]
Film scenes set in Hogwarts have been filmed literally all over the country.
From courtyard shots to exteriors, classrooms to cloisters, the halls and walls of Hogwarts are made up of dozens of different locations throughout the U.K.
Here is a list of the ones you can visit.
And I will mention again that most of these locations are beautiful and worth visiting even outside of the Harry Potter connections - Oxford specifically.
3a. Hogwarts Great Hall
[Christ Church College, Oxford (Oxford Station) http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/visiting]
Established in 1546, Christ Church College in Oxford served as the set for many parts of Hogwarts – interiors, stairways, and halls.
But the primary location recognized by fans of the series will be the Great Hall.
Christ Church’s Great Hall was entirely recreated on set at Warner Bros. Studios to create Hogwarts Great Hall.
If you can remember the first time Harry enters Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the scene of the first years climbing the steps to come face-to-face with McGonagall outside the Hall was filmed here at the College.
For those who can’t make it out to Oxford, there is an additional Potter-related location in London: Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament.
Westminster Hall was built in 1097 and its’ famous hammer-beam roof (the largest one in northern Europe!) was completed in 1399.
This magnificent hall and its’ roof were used as inspiration when it came to designing sets for Hogwarts’ Great Hall.
In fact, there is a model of the roof at the Warner Bros Studio in Leavesden that was used during the production of the Hall set.
I used to guide tours at the Houses of Parliament so seeing the model was a highlight for me.
The intricate detailing and the perfect reconstruction were absolutely mind-blowing!
(Note that you can visit Westminster Hall and see that hammer-beam roof for free while you are here in London!)
3b. Hogwarts Library
[Bodleian Library, Oxford (Oxford Station) http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/bodley]
Both Hogwarts Library and the Hogwarts Hospital Wing scenes were filmed here at the Bodleian Library, which is the primary research library for the University of Oxford.
The actual parts of the Library used are the Duke Humfrey’s Library (Hogwarts Library) and the Divinity School (Hogwarts Hospital Wing).
Any shot showing Hogwarts students in the library was filmed in this location.
3c. Hogwarts Corridors
[New College, Oxford (Oxford Station) and Gloucester Cathedral (Gloucester Railway Station) http://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/]
The cloisters at New College served as the backdrop for a number of Hogwarts scenes.
The most notable of which is the scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when Mad-Eye Moody turns Draco Malfoy into a ferret!
Gloucester Cathedral served as a set depicting Hogwarts corridors and passages leading to the Gryffindor Common Room in both Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as well as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Filming here caused much controversy as many people felt the theme of the Potter films was unsuitable for a church!
Notable scenes here include the Fat Lady portrait from Philosopher’s Stone and the writing on the wall from Chamber of Secrets.
Ghost-hunters among you should keep a keen eye out as well since it was also here at Gloucester Cathedral that the scenes containing Moaning Myrtle were filmed...
3d. Hogwarts Cloisters and Professor Quirrel/Lockhart’s Rooms
[Lacock Abbey, Lacock, Wiltshire (Melksham Station) http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock/]
The scene in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Harry leaves Professor Lockhart’s room and heads the basilisk in the wall was filmed here in the early 2000s.
In 2007, for four days, Lacock was also used to film footage for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
In addition to this, Warner Bros’ says that any scenes set during ‘spooky nights’ in Hogwarts were all recorded here as well.
The remarkable scenes in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone where Harry, and later Dumbledore and Ron, gaze into the Mirror of Erised were filmed here as well.
Note that some outdoor Hogwarts scenes, such as when Harry flies a broom for the first time, were filmed at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland.
It's a fair distance to go but is a beautiful building with some amazing architecture.
I also love the landscape in Northumberland, and it's on the way from London to Scotland so I sometimes make a stop off on my way north. I would suggest you look at doing the same.
4. Godric’s Hollow
[Lavenham, Suffolk (Sudbury Station)]
Lavenham, a small village in Suffolk dating back to the 11th century served as the setting for Godric’s Hollow in the Harry Potter films.
The entirety of the Godric’s Hollow scenes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I were shot here as well as the scenes from Severus Snapes’ memories in Deathly Hallows Part II.
The village itself is small but it has a lovely old-world feel and visiting the incredible Kentwell Hall (followed by a drink at the Lord Melford Swan) is one of my favourite things to do.
5. The Potter’s House and Budleigh Babberton
[Lacock Village, Wiltshire (Melksham Station)]
This tiny but beautiful village has served as the backdrop for a number of films and it was here that the Potter’s house and a nearby church were filmed for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
The village also served as Professor Slughorn’s temporary Budleigh Babberton home in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Whenever I am taking friends or family to Stonehenge, I like to combine our journey with another stop or two along the way.
Lacock Village isn't too far from Stonehenge so if you are planning a trip out there consider a stop off in Lacock.
When I'm there I like to treat myself to a lovely light lunch at the Lacock Abbey Tea Room.
