Harry Potter filming locations in London: A Complete List

Even though much of the magical world you see in the Harry Potter films is thanks to CGI and the elaborate stage sets at Warner Bros London Studios, many of the most memorable scenes were actually filmed on location at different sites across London.

Nearly all of the Harry Potter filming locations are free to visit throughout the year, but you have to know what you’re looking for. Some of the sites have small plaques indicating that a scene of the Harry Potter franchise was filmed there. However, most of the time, it just looks like a normal side street in London.

In this helpful guide, you’ll find the most complete list of Harry Potter filming locations in London, plus a few extra places that should be on the must-see list of any Potterhead visiting the foggy city. 

There are over 20 filming locations to check out from well-known landmarks in the city to little-known cul-de-sacs and storefronts featured briefly in pivotal scenes. Here’s a useful map of all the Harry Potter filming locations in London described below.

1 - The Reptile House of the London Zoo

First on the list is the Reptile House of the London Zoo. This is where it all began. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), Harry Potter discovers his magical powers when a Burmese Python starts speaking to him. However, this actually took place at the London Zoo’s Black Mamba enclosure, where you can see a small plaque about Harry Potter

The London Zoo is located in Regent’s Park, which is only a 10-minute walk from Camden Town Station if you’re traveling by metro. Otherwise, you can take the 274 bus to the Baker Street bus stop, which is also a 10-minute walk.

2 - Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station

Next, you can jump back on the Tube at Camden Town Station and head to what is probably the best known Harry Potter filming location in London — Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station where Harry Potter catches the Hogwarts Express. 

In the films, the magical platform is located between Platforms 4 and 5. However, in real life, you’ll find Harry Potter’s trolley disappearing into a wall outside at the main concourse of the station right next to the Harry Potter store. It’s a great spot for a photo, but be prepared to wait in line at least half an hour.

Once a year, there’s a special announcement for the departure of the Hogwarts Express for Hogsmeade. If you happen to be in London on September 1st, be sure to get to the station before 11 AM to hear this special announcement.

3 - St. Pancras International Station

Right across from King’s Cross Station you’ll find St. Pancras International Station. In the Harry Potter films, the exterior of St. Pancras International Station stands in as the façade of the train station instead of King’s Cross.

St. Pancras International Station serves as the background during the pivotal moment in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) when the Ford Anglia car first takes flight after Harry and Ron fail to board the Hogwarts Express.

4 - The Order of the Phoenix Headquarters

Since a flying car isn’t an option, your next best bet is to hop back on the Tube at King’s Cross and head towards the Thames to Holborn Station. A short 3-minute walk will take you to Lincoln’s Inn Fields, which inspired 12 Grimmauld Place — home of Sirius Black and headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.

However, the exterior of 12 Grimmauld Place was actually a film set specially constructed for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010).  The terraced housing at 23-29 Claremont Square also served as a model for the façades constructed for the film set.

5 - Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Continue towards the Thames to the Strand and you’ll reach the Australia House. This impressive building served as the interior for Gringotts Bank, which has elaborate marble decor that certainly gives it a magical vibe.

This area of London known as the Strand is filled with cafés, theaters and plenty of other historic buildings to check out, so it’s the perfect place for a coffee break and stroll to see some of the most iconic edifices in London.

6 - St. Paul’s Cathedral

Now that you’re right in the heart of London, you have lots of Harry Potter filming locations around the Thames River. If you head east along the river and start in a clockwise direction, the next site is St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is worth a visit whether you’re a Potterhead or not.

The most notable feature for Harry Potter fans will be the winding stairs that go down like a corkscrew and served as Hogwarts Divination Stairwell in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and Goblet of Fire (2005).

If you’re up to the challenge, you can hike up the 538 stairs to the top of the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. From here, you’ll have a panoramic view of London and can pinpoint the next Harry Potter filming locations to tick off your list.

7 - Millennium Bridge

Due south from St. Paul’s Cathedral, you’ll find the pedestrian-only Millennium Bridge. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, a Death Eaters attack causes the bridge to collapse into the Thames River while the Muggles hide inside City Hall.

In the books, the Death Eaters destroy the fictional Brockdale Bridge. However, the filmmakers decided to go with the newest bridge to span the Thames in London. 

One fun fact about this bridge is that Londoners nicknamed it Wobbly Bridge after it first opened because it would sway heavily with the wind and weight of walking pedestrians. However, it has since been fixed, so there’s no need to worry about any bridge collapse, as long as there aren’t any Death Eaters around.

8 - The Leaky Cauldron Pub

Stay on the north side of the Thames and continue heading east to Leadenhall Market. There’s an optician’s shop at 42 Bull’s Head Passage, which is the façade of the Leaky Cauldron Pub and the entrance to Diagon Alley.

If you remember from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), this is where Hagrid took Harry shopping for school supplies. However, this isn’t the only location in London that was used for the entrance to Diagon Alley. Subsequent films shot at two other London locales.

9 - A Second Leaky Cauldron Pub

Make your way across London Bridge and turn slightly right until you reach the Borough Market, which was the filming location for the entrance to Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).

The crew had to change the filming location to Borough Market due to the fact that the double-decker Knight Bus wouldn’t fit in the covered Leadenhall Market. You can see the real-life Chez Michele flower shop where Harry disembarks from the Knight Bus.

The entrance to the Leaky Cauldron Pub in this film is the El Pastor Mexican Restaurant on Stoney Street, which is in the southwest corner of Borough Market near the Market Porter Pub. After a photo-op, why not stop in for some tacos?

10 - A Third Leaky Cauldron Pub

To reach the next filming location, you could walk along the river and cross at Waterloo Bridge or you can take the Tube to Leicester Square. Along Charing Cross Rd, you’ll find the entrance to Diagon Alley featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).

Likely, the filming was moved to this location to give the Death Eaters plenty of space to wreak havoc from Trafalgar Square and along this street until reaching the Leicester Square Underground Station.

As you walk along Charing Cross Rd, keep your eyes peeled for the narrow alley behind a gate where the Death Eaters entered Diagon Alley to continue their destructive rampage.

11 - Death Eaters’ Rampage

Turn left onto Great Newport St to continue following the path of the Death Eaters’ rampage. Right around the corner from Charing Cross Rd at 12 Great Newport St, you can see the large alleyway where the Death Eaters traveled through in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009).

On that same corner, you’ll find the charming Donutelier. It has nothing to do with Harry Potter filming locations, but it’s the place to go if you want to let your sweet tooth go on a rampage. Across the street, you have The Porcupine if you’re looking for some substantial British fare.

12 - Harry Potter Statue

Continue down Charing Cross Rd and turn right at Cranbourn St to reach Leicester Square. Although this isn’t a Harry Potter filming location, you’ll find a bronze statue of Harry Potter flying atop his trusty Nimbus 2000. Also, the Odeon Cinema across the street is where the movie premieres for all the films took place.

If you walk around the square, you can check out other statues representing iconic characters from the big and small screen — from Mary Poppins and Charlie Chaplin to Indiana Jones and Bugs Bunny. You can even take a seat next to Mr. Bean on one of the park benches.

13 - J.K. Rowling’s Inspiration for Diagon Alley

Head back to Charing Cross Rd and across the street you’ll see a big marquee for Lipman & Sons. If you walk past this building, you’ll enter a cozy land of antique shops known as Cecil Court. 

Rumor has it that this was J.K. Rowling’s favorite street in all of London and was her main inspiration when describing Diagon Alley. Although this was never used as a Harry Potter filming location, it’s a great place to window shop and appreciate the atmosphere

14 - J.K. Rowling’s Inspiration for Knockturn Alley

From Cecil Court, if you continue to St Martin’s Lane and turn left, keep walking while looking out to the right for stairs and a small hidden passage. This easily overlooked alley takes you to Goodwin’s Court. 

This alleyway is known for its historic cottages and gas lit lamps. Notice how the window panels bulge out towards the street. This atmospheric lane wasn’t used as a Harry Potter filming location, but it’s easy to imagine how J.K. Rowling found inspiration for Knockturn Alley here.

15 - Piccadilly Circus

Now go back past Leicester Square until reaching Piccadilly Circus. Besides being one of the most visited areas in London, it is also the site of a pivotal scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010).

When the Death Eaters descend on Bill Weasely and Fleur Delacour’s wedding, this is the spot where Harry, Ron and Hermione appear and nearly get hit by the nº19 bus.

One of the roads connected to this intersection is one of the few Harry Potter filming locations mentioned by name on screen. Hermoine recalls that she used to walk with her parents along Shaftesbury Avenue to attend the theater.

16 - Ministry of Magic

Although you won’t find the magical phone box on Scotland Place or the public toilet in the middle of the road as you may remember from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), you can still check out the Whitehall government offices, which composed the Ministry of Magic in the Potter Universe.

To get here from Piccadilly Circus, you just need to walk south towards St James’s Park and then turn left before reaching the lake right at Guards Memorial. Since the toilet to the Ministry of Magic is not operational, you’ll need to satisfy yourself with appreciating the façades of these historic buildings.

17 - Westminster Underground Station

The most scenic route to get to the Westminster underground station from the Ministry of Magic is to continue towards the river and take a southward stroll through the Whitehall Gardens. Once you reach the next bridge, Westminster will be on your right.

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Harry and Mr. Weasley exit this station on their way to a hearing at the Ministry of Magic. You may remember Mr. Weasley struggling to figure out how the ticket barriers work until Harry enlightens him.

18 - Lambeth Bridge

You have another scenic route to follow along the Thames to reach the next Harry Potter filming location — Lambeth Bridge. After passing Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, continue your walk through the Victoria Gardens until reaching the bridge.

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), this is where the triple-decker Knight Bus squeezes between two Muggle buses. For the best vantage point, you can cross the bridge and head to the jetty near the Lambeth Fire Station.

Only for the die-hard Potterheads

The next three Harry Potter locations are only for true Potter fans, only for those who are willing to journey beyond the center of the city and tick off all the Harry Potter locations in the London metropolitan area.

19 - The Birthplace of Harry Potter

In a private flat near Clapham Junction train station in the Battersea district of London is where J.K. Rowling first wrote down the name Harry Potter and started describing the magical universe that so many have come to know and love.

Although there isn’t much to see in the area besides what would be expected in a typical suburban London town, die-hard Potterheads will be pleased to see a particular street sign just down the road from Rowling’s former residence — Severus Rd.

20 - Hermione Granger’s House

If you’re willing to head northwest past the Hampstead Heath, you can see the exterior of Hermione Granger’s house from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). This is the site of the tragic scene where Hermoine must obliviate her Muggle parents to protect them.

The exact house from the film is located on the corner of Heathgate and Meadway in the Hampstead Garden suburb near the Saint Jude on the Hill Anglican Parish Church.

21 - The Real Hogwarts Classroom

The classroom in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) is a real classroom at a real school outside London. If you go to the Four Form Room in the Old Schools building at Harrow School, you can see where Harry, Ron and Hermione hit the books and learned about magic and potions.

This is a fully-operational private school, so you can’t just walk in. However, the school does offer public and private tours during certain times of the year. For more information on how to book a tour, you can check out the Harrow School website.

Only for the hungry and thirsty Potterheads

Galavanting around London all day, whether on foot, by Tube or flying broomstick, is sure to work up quite the thirst and appetite. There’s no shortage of food and drink options in London and if you want to keep the Harry Potter theme going, here are some of the best places to sip on a butterbeer or indulge in Harry’s favorite dessert — treacle tart!

22 - The Cauldron

If you’re itching to make your own potions with a real-life working magic wand, The Cauldron awaits with a world of molecular mixology, science and technology. Whether you prefer your cocktails with or without alcohol, you can blend your own bubbling concoctions.

The Cauldron is located northeast of central London and Dalston Kingsland is the nearest underground station. If you’re traveling with kids, be aware that they can take part in this experience, but only on specific days outside of peak times and happy hours.

23 - The Wands & Wizard Exploratorium

Brought to you by the creators of The Cauldron, The Wands & Wizard Exploratorium offers the same potion making experience. However, there is much more on its five magical floors. You can also join a magic wand making class or enjoy a wizardy afternoon tea.

Just off Shaftesbury Avenue, you can easily add this stop after visiting Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square. If you’re traveling with kids, this is a better option than The Cauldron as the magic wand experience and afternoon tea always welcomes all ages.

24 - Cutter & Squidge

Cutter & Squidge is another great option for a Potter-inspired afternoon tea in the Soho London area. You can buy an afternoon tea voucher valid for 12 months to reserve a “squishy seat” in their elegant Common Room.

You can choose to have scones the classic way with clotted cream or the savory way with cream cheese and chutney. Then, you can while the afternoon away with an assortment of finger sandwiches and mini desserts. Besides the tea, you can even add-on a glass of Prosecco.

Final Thoughts

Now you have all the information you need to make your way around the city and visit all the most important Harry Potter filming locations in London. If you prefer to do a guided tour to many of these spots and not worry about logistics, there are plenty of Harry Potter guided tours in London.

However, don’t forget that Warner Bros London Studios is the only place where you can experience the actual sets, props and costumes used in the Harry Potter movies. If you want the complete Harry Potter experience, be sure to check out both Warner Bros London Studios and the dozens of scenic Harry Potter filming locations in London.