Harry Potter tourism
Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels, written by J. K. Rowling, and made into a series of eight films from 2001 to 2011.
UnderstandThe Harry Potter stories are set in a fictionalised version of the United Kingdom in the late 20th century, where some locations are inaccessible or invisible to muggles (people without magical abilities).
Get inAt J. K. Rowling's insistence, the original eight films were produced almost entirely in the United Kingdom.
Themed attractionsAll these themed locations are home to souvenir shops where you can purchase Harry Potter memorabilia. All of these also sell a real-world version of butterbeer, a drink that is featured in the books and movies.
Film locationsAll of these sites are in northern Scottish Highlands with the nearest major city being Glasgow. It is recommended to fly into Glasgow Airport and hire a car to reach these.
Edinburgh inspirationJ.K. Rowling lived in Edinburgh while writing many of the books, and several locations in the city may have provided inspiration, especially around the historic Old Town.
TheatreHarry Potter and the Cursed Child is a two-part play performed at the Palace Theatre in London and the Lyric Theatre in New York. There are also performances in Hamburg and Tokyo.
BuyThe Warner Bros. Studio Tour and Universal Studios attractions have gift shops. There are also these two stores in London:
LearnParseltongue, the language spoken by the various characters when talking to snakes, is, perhaps surprisingly, not just gibberish but an actual language that was constructed by University of Cambridge linguistics…
See alsoJ. K. Rowling maintains the Pottermore website dedicated to the Harry Potter universe with several fun activities to keep fans occupied.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Harry Potter tourism" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0