Done watching the much-awaited Harry Potter reunion special? It’s time to make your ultimate Hogwarts bucket list of top Harry Potter filming locations worth visiting!
Harry Potter isn’t just a fantasy franchise, it is an emotion. Potterheads have surely cried buckets of bittersweet tears through the recently launched Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts reunion special. From reading the books a hundred time over to catching a first-day, first-show every time a new part released, and even showing up at Halloween parties in a pair of broken specs and Gryffindor scarf, the fantasy fans have done it all. But if you wish to take it a notch higher and scout out all the magical Harry Potter filming locations that you can visit in real life, you must have had the magic potion of Felix Felicis because you are in luck! Here’s the top filming locations in England where Harry Potter parts were filmed.
5 Harry Potter filming locations Potterheads must visit:
Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester
What better way to start the list with a location that served as the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry itself! The seventh-century Gloucester Cathedral is one of the oldest architectural gems that appeared as Harry Potter filming locations. A number of its sections, including the cloisters and halls were featured in the first, second, and sixth films of the franchise. With a Gothic architecture, open corridors, and fan-vaulted ceilings, the place played the perfect backdrop for scenes like the one where Harry overhears Professor (Severus) Snape and (Draco) Malfoy talk the Unbreakable Vow in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)!
Durham Cathedral, Durham County
The imposing Durham Cathedral is a 12th-century UNESCO World Heritage Site done in Romanesque style. Just like the cloisters at Gloucester Cathedral, the one at Durham also made several appearances in the films, noticeably as the training centre for the young wizards at Hogwarts. This is where Harry sets Hedwig flying free in the first part and Ron throws up slugs in the second one! The cathedral has been in continuous use for over 900 years and offers guided tours to the visitors.
King’s Cross Station, London
For a real thrill, fellow Potterheads, visit the King’s Cross Station, or do I say, Platform 9¾? One of the most crucial and popular Harry Potter filming locations, as it is here from where the amazing trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione embarked on their life-altering journey onboard the magical Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. And several years and eight parts later, the same incredible journey came to an emotional end as the three dropped their kids off to begin their own in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. You will even find ‘the wall’ marked as Platform 9¾ of the station concourse!
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
The second largest inhabited one in the entire United Kingdom, Alnwick Castle located in Northumberland was presented as different parts of Hogwarts. The Outer Bailey here end used as a backdrop for the time when Harry and his friends first learn how to fly broomsticks with Madam Hooch. And who can forget those nail-biting matches of the Quidditch world cup wizarding tournament! Other than that, Lion Arch here stands as the gate of the wizards’ school that led to the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid’s home.
The Warner Bros. Studio, Leavesden
If you truly wish to walk in the footsteps of Harry, visit The Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden where you can explore the wonders of the Wizarding World. Step onto iconic sets like the Great Hall and Diagon Alley, spot your favourite props from the films, and see up close the intricate detail hidden in every costume. A tour of the studio also takes you through the making of the franchise, educating you about how the special and visual effects teams made Harry and his friends ‘do magic’ and how magical creatures were brought to life on screen.
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