Harry Potter Locations in London

The iconic spot where the Hogwarts Express departs. A trolley embedded in the wall marks the entrance to Platform 9¾, with a free photo opportunity and the official Harry Potter Shop next door.

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Free to visit and photograph. The queue for the photo op can be 30-60 minutes at peak times. A professional photographer operates 9am-9pm daily (£10-15 for prints), or friends can snap one free. Shop open Mon-Sat 8am-9pm, Sun 9am-9pm.

The stunning Gothic Revival facade of St Pancras was used as the exterior of King's Cross Station in the films. Harry and Ron fly the Ford Anglia from here in Chamber of Secrets, and the '19 Years Later' epilogue opens with this building. Formerly the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, rebranded in 2025.

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Free to view from outside. The hotel lobby and grand staircase are worth a peek. Right next to King's Cross — visit both in one trip.

This beautiful Victorian covered market doubled as Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The blue door at Bull's Head Passage (an optician's shop) served as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

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Free to visit. Best visited on weekends or outside weekday lunchtimes to avoid City worker crowds. Look for the blue door in Bull's Head Passage — it's the Leaky Cauldron entrance from the first film.

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron moved here. The Third Hand Book Emporium at 2 Stoney Street was transformed into the pub's entrance, where Harry is picked up by the Knight Bus.

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Free to visit. The market itself is a fantastic food destination. The filming location is at the Stoney Street entrance. Open Mon-Sat (hours vary), closed Sundays.

Where Harry first discovers he can talk to snakes in the Philosopher's Stone. The Burmese python scene was filmed here in November 2000. The actual enclosure used in the film is still there.

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Paid entry to the zoo required (adults ~£30-35, book online for discounts). The original Reptile House building is now 'ZooTown' (a children's play area) but the building and Harry Potter commemorative plaque remain. Reptile exhibits have moved to 'The Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians' nearby.

The opulent interior of Australia House — the Australian High Commission — was used for the interior shots of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Its marble halls and chandeliers made the perfect backdrop for the goblin-run bank.

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The interior is not normally open to the public as it's a working embassy. You can admire the exterior and occasionally gain access during Open House London weekend (September). Best viewed from outside.

In the dramatic opening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Death Eaters destroy the Millennium Bridge, sending it crashing into the Thames. The pedestrian bridge connects St Paul's Cathedral to the Tate Modern.

Free to walk across. Great photo opportunity with St Paul's Cathedral in the background. Connects the City (north bank) to the South Bank near Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe.

This Georgian square in Islington served as the exterior of 12 Grimmauld Place — Sirius Black's family home and headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. The square's terraced houses were digitally altered to show Number 12 appearing between Numbers 11 and 13.

Free to view from outside. It's a residential area, so be respectful of residents. The square is a short walk from Angel tube station. The houses are private residences.

The futuristic-looking Westminster tube station is where Arthur Weasley hilariously struggles to operate the ticket barriers in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix while taking Harry to his Ministry hearing.

Free to visit (you'll need an Oyster card or contactless payment to pass the barriers). The station's striking brutalist architecture by Michael Hopkins is worth seeing in its own right.

The geometric staircase inside St Paul's Cathedral served as the Divination Stairwell in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire. Its beautiful spiral design creates the perfect sense of ascending to Professor Trelawney's tower.

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Paid entry (adults £21-25, book online for discounts). The Geometric Staircase is NOT included with a standard ticket — you must book a separate Triforium Tour (around £15, 60 mins) to see it. Check the cathedral website for tour availability.

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Knight Bus hurtles across Lambeth Bridge and squeezes between two double-decker buses. The bridge's distinctive red paint scheme makes it immediately recognisable.

Free to walk across. The bridge offers views of the Houses of Parliament and MI5 headquarters. Closest tube stations are Westminster and Lambeth North.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Harry, Ron and Hermione apparate into the middle of Piccadilly Circus after fleeing the Death Eater attack on Bill and Fleur's wedding. They narrowly avoid being hit by a bus on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Free to visit. One of London's busiest intersections — best visited in the evening when the neon signs are illuminated. Piccadilly Circus tube station is directly underneath.

Great Scotland Yard in Westminster is where Harry and Arthur Weasley enter the Ministry of Magic via the visitors' entrance — a red telephone box — in the Order of the Phoenix. Also used in Deathly Hallows when the trio infiltrate the Ministry using Polyjuice Potion.

Free to visit. The red telephone box was a prop added for filming and is no longer there. The street is between Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue, a short walk from Charing Cross or Embankment tube.

Scotland Place, a small street near Charing Cross Station, was used in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for scenes showing Harry and Mr Weasley making their way to the Ministry of Magic for Harry's disciplinary hearing.

Free to visit. A quiet side street — easily combined with a visit to Great Scotland Yard which is just around the corner. Near Embankment tube station.

Trafalgar Square features in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as Death Eaters streak across the London sky, causing chaos below. The iconic square with Nelson's Column provides a dramatic backdrop for the dark wizarding threat arriving in the Muggle world.

Free to visit. One of London's most famous squares. Home to the National Gallery (free entry). Charing Cross tube station is closest.

This charming pedestrianised alley lined with antiquarian bookshops and curio dealers is widely believed to be J.K. Rowling's inspiration for Diagon Alley. The narrow lane with its old-fashioned shopfronts has a distinctly magical atmosphere.

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Free to browse. Connects Charing Cross Road to St Martin's Lane. Full of rare bookshops, print dealers and antique stores. Leicester Square tube is closest.

A four-storey gallery and shop showcasing the graphic art of the Harry Potter films and Fantastic Beasts, created by designers Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima. See original props including the Marauder's Map, Hogwarts acceptance letters, Daily Prophet newspapers and more.

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Free entry. Spread over four floors with each floor themed differently. Small shop on the ground floor selling prints and merchandise. Near Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus tube stations.

Home to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the official stage sequel to the Harry Potter series. The stunning Victorian theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue has been transformed with Harry Potter theming inside and out.

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Tickets from ~£15/part (£30 for both parts) up to £80/part. The original two-part production runs until 20 September 2026, then returns in a reimagined one-part format (~2h55m) from 6 October 2026. Book well in advance. Leicester Square or Tottenham Court Road tube.

The official Harry Potter shop at King's Cross Station, right next to the Platform 9¾ trolley photo opportunity. Packed with wands, robes, house merchandise, sweets and exclusive King's Cross items.

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Free entry (but you'll want to buy things!). Open Mon-Sat 8am-9pm, Sun 9am-9pm. Can get very busy — quieter early morning or late afternoon. Professional photo at the trolley costs £10-15 for prints.

The ultimate Harry Potter experience. Walk through actual film sets including the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, Dumbledore's Office, the Forbidden Forest and Platform 9¾. See real props, costumes, and the incredible Hogwarts castle model. Located in Leavesden, about 20 miles northwest of central London.

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Tickets must be pre-booked (adults from £56). Allow 3-4 hours for the tour. Shuttle bus runs from Watford Junction station (20 mins from London Euston). 2026 events: Magical Mischief (Jan-Apr), First Year at Hogwarts / 25th anniversary (May-Sep), Dark Arts takeover (Sep-Nov).