The Harry Potter movies were filmed in 19 real locations spread across England and Scotland. From central London to Scottish castles, including historic train stations and traditional markets, these places are the genuine settings of the series. For fans, visiting these sites allows you to walk in the footsteps of the characters and see the memorable scenes from the movies. London plays a key role in the filming history. King's Cross St. Pancras station is the starting point where Harry and his friends board the Hogwarts Express. Leadenhall Market, with its cobbled streets and old arches, becomes Diagon Alley. The Millennium Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Piccadilly Circus also appear on screen, often changed by special effects but still familiar to those who know the films well. Walking through these neighborhoods, you can see how filmmakers used real buildings to portray the magical world. Beyond London, other sites in Scotland and across England complete the list. These places show how the crew used authentic British buildings to create the Harry Potter world. Visiting them helps you see how real life and film come together to bring this story to life.
London, United Kingdom
King's Cross St. Pancras is one of the main filming locations from the Harry Potter films. This historic London train station is where the famous Platform 9 3/4 scene was shot, showing Harry and his friends heading to the Hogwarts Express. The station displays typical Victorian architecture with its high vaults and brick walls. Fans can visit the same spot today and imagine the wizards pushing their trunks through the barrier and boarding the train.
London, England
Australia House is an impressive building in the heart of London that appears in scenes from the Harry Potter films. This stately neoclassical structure with its distinctive exterior served as a filming location for key moments in the movie series. Visitors can view the building from outside and explore the spot where scenes were shot.
London, England
Regent's Park is a royal park in London where several outdoor scenes from the Harry Potter films were shot. This park offers green spaces and open areas that filmmakers used for different scenes. Visitors can walk along the same paths where cameras captured moments from the series. The park shows how real London locations were transformed into the cinematic world of the wizard.
London, England
The Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian bridge in London that crosses the Thames. In the Harry Potter films, it appears in the scene where the Death Eaters attack. Visitors can see this location where the filmmakers combined real London architecture with special effects to bring the magical scenes to life.
London, England
City Hall is London's modern municipal building that served as a filming location in the Harry Potter films. This distinctive glass-domed structure was used by filmmakers to bring contemporary London architecture into the wizarding world. Visitors can see this location where scenes were shot that highlight London's role in the story.
London, England
Great Scotland Yard is a historic street in London where the famous British police force is based. This street appears in the Harry Potter films and is part of the shooting locations that fans can visit to see where scenes from the series were filmed. The street connects real London architecture with the cinematic world of Harry Potter.
London, England
St. Paul's Cathedral is a grand building that rises above the Thames with its distinctive dome shaping London's skyline. It served as a filming location for the Harry Potter films. The cathedral offers a space of considerable architectural beauty where scenes were created and later transformed with special effects, yet remain recognizable to those familiar with the series.
Claremont Square, England
This square in northern London features typical 18th-century Georgian facades that line its perimeter. In the Harry Potter films, Claremont Square served as a filming location, and it remains a quiet residential area with classic British architecture. The symmetrical buildings and paved walkways give the space a sense of historical continuity, reflecting how London's neighborhoods developed over centuries.
London, England
Piccadilly Circus is a busy square in the heart of London that appears in several Harry Potter film scenes. The square is known for its large glowing advertising screens and attracts visitors throughout the day. Fans can see the spots where filming took place, though they were changed with special effects in the movies. The square shows how filmmakers used modern London as a backdrop for the magical world of Harry Potter.
Leadenhall Market, England
Leadenhall Market is a covered market in London featuring stone vaulted passages. In the Harry Potter films, this location was transformed into Diagon Alley, the hidden shopping street where wizards buy their magical supplies. The narrow lanes with their Victorian architecture give visitors a chance to walk where these famous scenes were filmed. Fans can explore the same passages that appear in the series.
Oxford, England
Christ Church College is a university college in Oxford that appears in multiple Harry Potter films. Its Gothic courtyards and cloisters served as filming locations for Hogwarts scenes. The college combines medieval architecture with centuries of tradition. Visitors can walk through the same corridors where the film crews worked and admire the beauty of the ancient stone walls and vaulted ceilings.
Oxford, England
Oxford University played an important role in the Harry Potter film series. Its historical colleges and Gothic buildings served as the backdrop for various scenes. Visitors can explore the real locations where scenes from the series were filmed and understand how filmmakers integrated these actual buildings into the magical world of Harry Potter.
Durham, England
Durham Cathedral is a medieval structure perched on a hill overlooking the city. In the Harry Potter films, it serves as a visual backdrop showcasing English Gothic architecture. Visitors can see the imposing stone walls and historic structure that has drawn pilgrims and tourists for centuries. This building is part of the filming locations for the Harry Potter saga and allows fans to explore the real settings of the series.
Alnwick, England
Alnwick Castle is a medieval fortress in Northumberland with massive stone towers. In the Harry Potter films, it serves as the exterior of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Visitors can explore the locations where scenes were filmed and see the real architecture that filmmakers used to bring the wizarding world to life.
Lacock, England
Lacock Abbey is a medieval abbey that served as a filming location for the Harry Potter films. This abbey has been transformed into ruins surrounded by greenery. Visitors can see the real places where scenes were shot that fans recognize from the movies. The abbey shows how filmmakers blended actual architecture with cinematic magic.
Gloucester, England
This Gothic building appeared in several Harry Potter films. Its vaulted cloisters and stone facades served as the backdrop for Hogwarts scenes. Visitors can see the real locations where filmmakers captured their magic.
Goathland, United Kingdom
Goathland Station is a small rural railway station in Yorkshire that became famous through the Harry Potter film series. Here, the iconic scene of the Hogwarts Express was filmed, showing Harry and his classmates boarding the train to travel to their magical school. The station retains its Victorian character and allows visitors to see the actual location where this memorable scene was shot.
Mansfield, England
Hardwick Hall is an Elizabethan manor house that served as a filming location for the Harry Potter films. The building is characterized by its large windows and overlooks expansive grounds. This location shows how filmmakers used real English architecture to bring the magical world to life. Visitors can explore the manor and see where specific scenes were shot.
Oxford, England
The Bodleian Library in Oxford was used for the Hogwarts library scenes in the Harry Potter films. Its vaulted ceilings and ancient reading rooms provided the perfect setting for these magical moments. Visitors can walk through the same spaces where the actors filmed their scenes.
Fort William, Scotland
Steall Falls is a striking waterfall in the Scottish Highlands near Fort William. It appears in the Triwizard Tournament scene. These falls were chosen as a filming location for Harry Potter to capture the natural beauty and wild character of the Scottish landscape. Visitors can walk where the actual filming took place for this famous movie series.
Watford, England
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is where all eight Harry Potter films were made. Visitors can walk through the real film sets, see the costumes and props used in the movies, and discover the special effects that brought the magical world to life. The studio shows how filmmakers turned the story of Harry Potter from books into cinema.
Oxford, England
The Divinity School in Oxford is a historic room with impressive vaulted ceilings that served as Hogwarts' hospital wing in the films. This location shows how filmmakers used real architecture to bring the magical world to life. Visitors can see the exact room where memorable scenes were filmed.
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Freshwater West is a wide sandy beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, where the filmmakers shot the Shell Cottage scenes for the final Harry Potter film. The golden sand and crashing waves provided the perfect backdrop for this climactic location in the story. Visitors can walk the same stretch of beach where Harry and his friends took shelter.
Highlands, Scotland
This lake in the Scottish Highlands appears in the Harry Potter films. The waters here provided the setting for a scene where Sirius Black flies overhead on a hippogriff. The lake sits surrounded by mountains in remote terrain that filmmakers chose to show the magical world. Visitors can walk through the locations where these scenes were filmed.
Highlands, Scotland
Glen Etive is a valley in the Scottish Highlands where Harry, Ron and Hermione camped in scenes from the Deathly Hallows films. This landscape with its mountains and open spaces served as the setting for moments when the characters were on the run. Visitors can walk through the same terrain where these scenes were filmed.
Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire served as the filming location for the spectacular Quidditch World Cup in the Harry Potter films. This estate was chosen to portray the grand arena and the surrounding tent encampments for the international tournament. Visitors can explore the location where this significant scene was shot and see the expansive grounds and buildings that became part of the movie.
United Kingdom
The Hermione Granger house is one of the filming locations used in the Harry Potter movies across the United Kingdom. This house shows where one of the main characters of the story lives in the films. Fans can visit the real building and see how filmmakers used authentic British houses to create the magical world. The house represents the connection between real locations and the movie's narrative.
