Top Harry Potter Filming Locations

As a UK-based production, as well as a story set in Scotland, it makes sense that the producers scouted most of their locations throughout the United Kingdom. This blog will be divided by location within the UK.

Harry Potter filming locations in London

Warner Bros Studio

This is an obvious answer, as most of the sets discovered in the movies were built and filmed there. You can find many classrooms, the Great Hall, some professors’ offices (namely Dumbledore’s), and many more sets and props. This studio was also used to build large set designs to add to the realism of the movies, such as a large model of Hogwarts castle, used to film exterior wide shots of the school, or a large model of the train.

The studio is located outside of London, near Watford. It offers tours, from £58 (≈ €68). They also offer packages that include transport or food, depending on how extensive you want your visit to be.

Although most of the filming for the 8 movies was done at this studio, Elstree Studios in Borehamwood were also used for some scenes for the last 2 movies (Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2). These are unfortunately not open to the public, as Elstree Studios is used by many production companies to shoot their projects.

Central London

Several places within London were used to film prominent scenes throughout the movie franchise. If you wish to visit them throughout one day, walking tours are available. Here are a few great locations to visit on your trip to London if you’re a fan:

Australia High Commission: In the first movie (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone), the inside shots of Gringott’s bank were shot here. This building is not accessible to the public, but you can look at the outside. It is a 5min walk from the Temple tube stop.
King’s Cross Station: Naturally, this is the place where they filmed the train station scenes for all of the films. The iconic Platform 9 ¾ does not actually exist, but the shots were filmed between the real platforms 4 and 5 of the station. There is a photo spot where they installed a trolley going through a wall if you wish to take pictures. The closest tube station is King’s Cross St. Pancras.
Millennium Bridge: This bridge features in the opening sequence of the 6th film (Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince). It is located in central London, a 7 minute walk from the Blackfriars tube station. It is a beautiful bridge to walk across, with the Tate Modern museum on one side, and St Paul’s cathedral on the other.
Great Scotland Yard: On the junction of Great Scotland Yard and Scotland Place, you will find the place where Harry Potter and Mr Weasley enter the phone box to go to the Ministry of Magic in the sixth installment of the franchise. However, there isn’t actually a phone box here, it was set up as a prop during filming and taken down after filming was completed. The closest tube station is Embankment, which is a 4 minute walk away.
Claremont Square: This is the filming location for the exterior shots of Grimmauld Place, in the 5th and 7th film (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I respectively), which housed Sirius Black’s house and the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. Claremont Square’s closest tube stop is Angel, which is a 5 minute walk away.
Leadenhall Market: This beautiful marketplace in central London was used as the location for the exterior of Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron in the 1st movie (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone). It is located a 3 minute walk from the Monument tube stop.
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel: This was used in the second movie (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) to film the exterior of King’s Cross Station. This hotel is located a 5 minute walk from King’s Cross St. Pancras tube station.You can visit both this and King’s Cross Station at the same time.
London Zoo: This is where they filmed the scene in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone where Harry discovers he can talk to snakes. Specifically, the reptile house was featured in the film. The zoo is in Regent’s Park, and there is a tube station at the park (Regent’s Park station).

If you plan on flying to London to visit these epic Harry Potter filming spots, remember London has some of the biggest airports in the world, yet many of their airports get significant delays. For example, 12% of flights at Gatwick are delayed. If you are planning a trip to London, or have previously experienced one of these delays, make sure to check your flight with our free claim calculator to see if your flight is eligible for compensation. You could get up to 600 euros back!

Check my flight

Harry Potter filming locations in Southern England

Here is a list of filming locations that were used throughout the franchise that are in the South of the country.

Virginia Water: This lake, located about 1h30 minutes from City of London is the lake where they filmed scenes for both the third and fourth installments of the franchise (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire respectively). This lake is where Harry rode the Hippogriff in the third movie, and where Hermione passes messages between Harry and Ron in the fourth movie. It can be accessed by train, just head to the Virginia Water train station.
Oxford: Oxford was a huge inspiration to the author when writing the books, and therefore featured heavily throughout the franchise. Several key locations were featured throughout the entire franchise, specifically the Bodleian Library, which was used for many of the library shots. Oxford’s New College was used as a filming location for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Specifically, the scene where everyone is wearing their “Potter Stinks” badges. Oxford is easily accessible by train, it has a central train station, and New College is about a 1 mile (1.6km) walk from the station. Some of the hallways of the school were shot in Oxford as well, but these are spread out throughout the different campuses. Christ Church Hall is also a key location in Oxford for Harry Potter fans. It is the main inspiration for the Great Hall, and you may also recognise the main staircase, as it is heavily featured in the franchise.
Ashridge Wood: This is the place where they filmed the woods for the Quidditch World Cup. It is about 20 miles away from Oxford, but it is not easily accessible. It is a beautiful forest, but perhaps should not be top of your list if you want to visit Harry Potter filming locations.
Lacock Abbey: Before the set was built in the Warner Studios, Lacock Abbey was used as the location to film scenes in Professor Snape’s classroom. One of the rooms in the abbey features a built-in cauldron. The abbey was used for the first and second movies. The town around Lacock Abbey is also featured in the films, namely for Lily and James Potter’s house, and where Professor Slughorn is hiding in the sixth movie.
Gloucester Cathedral: This cathedral is the backdrop for many of the hallway scenes throughout the franchise. Visiting the cathedral will make you feel like you are walking the halls of the school. There is a train station 10 minutes away from the cathedral if you wish to visit. It is also easily accessible by car, being an hour’s drive away from Birmingham on the M5, or about a 2h30min drive from London via the M4.
Seven Sisters Country Park: These seven cliffs provide the gorgeous background for the scene where Harry walks up the hill that takes him to the boot that brings him to the Quidditch world cup in the fourth movie (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).

Harry Potter filming locations in Wales

Wales was used once to film a specific series of scenes: the cottage scenes where Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour live. They filmed the backdrop for the cottage at Freshwater West Beach in Wales. Perhaps some of you may also recognise this location as the burial site for Dobby the elf.

Harry Potter filming locations in Northern England

Certain areas in the North of England were also scouted as filming locations for the franchise. Let’s take a closer look.

Hardwick Hall: This is the main setting for the Malfoy Manor, featured in the 7th and 8th installments of the franchise (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I and Part II). You can get there by train and then coach, or drive there, where a 600-car parking lot is available.
Malham Cove: This location is featured in the seventh film (Deathly Hallows Part I), where Harry and Hermione are camping out in the wild, hiding from Voldemort. You can get here by train or by car, but it is not necessarily very easily accessible. Roads up to the cove are narrow, so not ideal for cars.
Goathland Train Station: One of the most recognisable locations throughout the whole series is the Goathland Train Station. This is the setting for Hogsmeade village and Hogsmeade train station. As the setting indicates, Gothland does indeed have a train station, and it has regular trains running to and fro.
Durham Cathedral: Durham Cathedral was used to shoot many exterior and interior shots of Hogwarts for the first three films. Durham is a big city in the UK, so it is easily accessible. Durham has an airport and a train station. Once you get to Durham, there is a regular bus that takes you from the main train station to the cathedral.
Alnwick Castle: In the first two movies, Alnwick Castle was used to shoot exterior shots of the school. It is most famous for the first Quidditch training session that Harry had in the first film. The castle is located about 35 miles from Newcastle upon Tyne (about a 45 minute drive). The castle is only open for certain periods of the year, so it is best to plan ahead if you wish to visit the castle. There are buses from the town of Alnwick to the castle.

Harry Potter filming locations in Scotland

Scotland was also essential to filming the franchise, especially as the school is located in Scotland in both the books and the films. Let’s take a look at some of the notable scenery.

Loch Etive: This Loch features in the seventh film (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I). The northern part of the lake is used to film the camping scene with Harry, Hermione, and Ron when they are moving around the country. The closest town is Taynuilt. You can get there by train from Glasgow, which would take you 2h36min. You can also drive to Loch Etive. From Glasgow, it would take around 2h - 2h15min.
Glencoe: This location was used for many parts of the franchise, namely most of Hagrid’s Hut scenes, the bridge leading up to Hogwarts, and the lake nearby was used for certain scenes throughout the franchise. The nearest train station is Fort William, that you can get to from Glasgow, and from Fort William, take a 40min bus to Glencoe.
The Jacobite Steam Train: Also one of the most iconic visuals throughout all films: the Hogwarts express train. You can take a ride on the train and experience part of the Hogwarts Express trip. The train is called the Jacobite Train and runs from Fort William, with an adult day return ticket costing £69 (79 EUR) for standard class. It only runs during certain periods of the year, so just like Alnwick Castle, you need to plan ahead for this particular trip. The Jacobite Steam Train takes the route through the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which features in several of the films. There is a viewpoint at the viaduct where you can watch the train go by.
Loch Arkaig: This lake featured in the final film, specifically for the shots of the dragon flying over the lake. You can hike around the lake, however many of the paths have been reported to be quite tough, so if you are not a fan of hiking, this may be a location to skip. It is also not easily accessible, having no nearby train stations. It is about a 3h30min drive from Glasgow.
Loch Eilt: This lake was used for exterior shots of the Hogwarts grounds, and also features the island upon which Dumbledore’s grave sits. As with many other Scottish Lochs, it is not easily accessible by transport. It is about a 3h15min drive from Glasgow.

Harry Potter filming locations in short

To conclude, there are quite a few Harry Potter filming locations to visit throughout the UK. Hopefully, this has given you a clear idea of where each location is and how to organise a Harry Potter-themed trip. Our highlights would be:

The Warner Bros Studios - London
King’s Cross Station - London
The Millenium Bridge - London
Oxford
Goathland Train Station - Goathland
The Jacobite Steam Train - Fort William
Glencoe

If you have planned a Harry Potter-themed trip, and are scared your flights will get delayed or cancelled, do not worry! You could get up to 600 EUR compensation for your troubles. Check your flight with our free claim calculator, and see if you are eligible!

Check my eligibility

We wish you happy and safe travels, and hope you found this information helpful!