3 Cities To Visit If You Want To Feel Like You're In 'Harry Potter'!

The books are completed and the film franchise is finished, but that doesn’t mean the Harry Potter universe has to end there! There are so many little ways to bring the magic back into your life, and one of those ways is to travel. Not only are there amazing Harry Potter filming locations all across the U.K., but there are also countless places that inspired the writing of the books, even if they didn’t make it on screen. Here are 3 cities to visit if you are looking for the best Harry Potter tourist destinations!

1. Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh, Scotland, looks as if it could be frozen in time, forever stuck in the medieval period. Despite it being the capital city, Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which means most of its buildings are preserved and cannot be torn down or replaced with contemporary ones. The city offers an abundance of great scenery and architecture dating back to the 12th century. The winding streets and old leaning buildings resemble the famous market street where Hogwarts students get their robes and books and wands for the upcoming semester. Edinburgh is not only a real-life Diagon Alley, but it is also home to various structures that inspired the author while writing the books. In Greyfriars Kirkyard, a gravestone for "Thomas Riddell" can be found amongst the many plots. This gravestone inspired Lord Voldemort's real name: Tom Riddle. In addition, the Scott Monument, a large towering structure in the city center built in honor of writer Sir Walter Scott, resembles the fountain in the clock tower courtyard on Hogwarts grounds featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. If you get tired from all the wandering around, stop in to The Elephant House, the cafe at which the author allegedly wrote the bulk of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. 

2. London, England

London may be a bustling city with modern skyscrapers and contemporary aesthetics, but that doesn’t mean it is free from Harry Potter easter eggs. The Millennium Bridge, which can be found near St. Paul’s Cathedral, was featured in the sixth film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when the Death Eaters take over London and begin destroying the city. Though damaged in the film, the real bridge still stands today and is a popular tourist destination. London also encompasses a multitude of suburbs that are home to neighborhoods resembling that of Privet Drive. The exterior shot of the Dursley’s home was filmed in the suburb of Bracknell, and similar homes can be seen throughout the outskirts of London. When exploring these areas, just be sure to not disrupt the muggles -- you know how they feel about wizards. The Dursleys home is not the only one to have its location in London, however. The home of Sirius Black, known as 12 Grimmauld Place, is located in the borough of Islington in the inner part of the city. The house's exterior was specifically shot on Claremont Square. However, unless you are a member of the Order of the Phoenix, you will not be seeing the exact house. While the identical row of houses on Claremont Square were featured in the film, 12 Grimmauld place was digitally added, as it is supposed to be a secret home that magically appears in between two existing homes on the square when a member of the Order beckons it to appear. And, of course, we can’t discuss Harry Potter locations in London without mentioning Kings Cross Station, home to the magical platform 9 ¾. Don’t forget to pack your wands in your school trunk! 

3. Durham, England

Durham, England, is another medieval town that inspired the Harry Potter series. Its castle and cathedral have been the backdrop of many scenes throughout the films. The castle, built in 1072, was the background of Hedwig’s first snowy flight in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Its halls and grounds were also heavily used during filming of the second movie in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Possibly the most famous Harry Potter scene to be filmed in Durham, however, took place at Durham Cathedral and was the scene where Ron Weasley throws up slugs after accidentally being hit with his own spell. As far as destinations that inspired the author and the set designers, special interest was placed in the cathedrals chapter house, which later became the main filming space for Professor Mcgonagall’s transfiguration classroom. In addition, it is said that the cavernous crypt at Durham University was the inspiration for Professor Snape’s potions classroom. No wonder Harry and Ron hated potions class so much -- crypts are spooky enough as they are without the added stress of having a frightening teacher!