Looking for harry potter places in london to add to your trip? Start with the Platform 9¾ trolley, colorful market arches and a theatre with a giant winged nest above its doors.
You can plan around the film connections or leave time for a few pretty detours.
Save your favorites to a “london travel places harry potter” inspiration board. These 20 photos include repeat stops rather than 20 separate destinations.
The studio set is outside central London. The outdoor Gringotts dragon is in Orlando, so keep that one for another trip!
Harry Potter Stops and Photo Ideas to Save
a group photo at Platform 9¾
We’re starting off strong with this fun trolley photo at King’s Cross. The stacked trunks and striped scarves are such good details, but the pretend dash through the wall is my favorite part.
Bring your friends into the picture if you want to try something similar. One person can reach toward the wall while the others gather behind the trolley.
red and gold market arches
How gorgeous is Leadenhall Market? I love the red shopfronts and gold-colored details beneath that curved roof.
The market was used for the Leaky Cauldron approach in the first film.
If you want a photo like this, leave plenty of room for the arches and hanging lanterns above you.
Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s
Recognize this bridge? Millennium Bridge appears in the dramatic opening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
This view has St Paul’s dome straight ahead, with people stretching along the walkway.
Walk toward the cathedral if you want to keep that lovely view in front of you.
crooked Diagon Alley shopfronts
I am obsessed with these shopfronts. The rounded windows and purple lighting are so pretty, especially with the bright orange shop farther down the street.
This is the Diagon Alley set at Warner Bros. Studio Tour near Watford, not a street in central London.
Plan it separately from your city walking route.
a dragon above Gringotts
That dragon is quite the rooftop decoration! Its wings stretch down over the curved Gringotts frontage, with a pointed tower beside it.
This photo needs to stay off your London itinerary. It shows the outdoor Gringotts scene at Universal Orlando.
Save it for a separate trip if you love the look.
the Reptile House entrance
Remember Harry’s trip to the zoo? London Zoo’s Reptile House was used for the snake scene in the first film.
Here, the green lettering sits above two doorways with a pale column between them.
Check the zoo’s current visitor information before planning around this stop. An older entrance photo doesn’t confirm access today.
the red House of MinaLima
How cute is this red storefront against the pink brickwork? I love the gold-colored lettering and all the envelopes filling the left window.
House of MinaLima showcases graphic design from the wizarding films. This is its former Greek Street storefront, so check its current location rather than following the address in the photo.
a flying scarf trolley pose
This is another Platform 9¾ photo, but the pose is a little different. The trailing scarf and feet lifted behind the trolley make it so playful.
That little white owl beside the handle is adorable too.
For your own version, try looking back toward the camera with one foot raised.
Piccadilly Circus after dark
I love this nighttime view with the bright screens and red double-decker. Piccadilly Circus appears in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 after the trio escape the wedding.
Try an evening visit if you like the glowing signs. Take your pictures from the pavement rather than stepping into the road.
the Westminster station steps
Even a Tube stop can belong on this trip! Westminster station appears in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix during Harry and Arthur Weasley’s journey to the Ministry.
This photo looks up toward the Underground sign between ornate railings. It’s a lovely angle to try if you can take it without blocking the steps.
a narrow passage by Bedfordbury
If you’re looking for a little old-London atmosphere, this one is for you. The curved window, hanging lantern and narrow passage are so pretty together.
The Bedfordbury sign helps place this around Goodwin’s Court. Treat it as an atmospheric detour rather than a confirmed Harry Potter filming location.
prints and hanging shop signs
Don’t want every stop to be a big attraction? This Cecil Court view offers something a little quieter to look at, with red hanging signs and prints displayed outside the shops.
Add it to a bookish walk if that appeals to you. It’s not a confirmed Diagon Alley filming location.
the shop at Platform 9¾
The trolley isn’t the only thing to look for at King’s Cross. This photo peeks into the Harry Potter Shop, with display tables below round lamps and hanging cage-shaped decorations.
I especially love those lights! Pair a browse here with your trolley stop rather than making a separate journey.
tall townhouses and black railings
These townhouses might look a little familiar. Claremont Square provided the exterior setting for Grimmauld Place.
The tall windows, black doors and white lower walls are the details to notice here.
Keep this a respectful pavement stop. These are homes, so leave the steps and doorways clear.
a closer look at the trolley
Want a photo without a pose? This view lets the stacked brown trunks and tall cage do the work.
The Platform 9¾ sign sits just above them on the brick wall.
The picture includes bus-tour wording, but it doesn’t show an operator or itinerary. Use it as photo inspiration rather than confirmation of what a tour includes.
the winged theatre nest
How striking is that winged nest above the entrance? I love the orange-lit frontage of the Palace Theatre with the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child sign below it.
This is a stage-show stop rather than a film location. Check the performance schedule and ticket availability if you want to go beyond a photo outside.
bunting beneath the market roof
I know we’ve already seen Leadenhall Market, but those arches deserve another look. The pale bunting and glowing lanterns are so pretty above the red and green shopfronts.
Save this as another angle for the same stop. Include a little of the cobbled street if you want to follow this composition.
St Pancras and the flying car
There’s the flying car! This comparison pairs the real St Pancras frontage with its appearance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
The pointed clock tower and long rows of arches are gorgeous on their own too. St Pancras is beside King’s Cross, so you can pair the two on your route.
a sweeping red staircase
I am obsessed with this staircase. The red walls have repeating gold-colored motifs, with stars across the vaulted ceiling and a patterned runner following the curve of the steps.
This appears to be the grand staircase at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Save it as architectural inspiration rather than a confirmed Potter filming spot.
Check visitor access before going inside.
a little London inspiration board
Last but definitely not least, this collage brings together market arches, an ornate entrance, a trolley pose and shelves of boxed wands. I love the colorful stacks in the bottom-right picture.
Use it to choose what you’d enjoy most: architecture, a playful photo or a shop visit. It brings several ideas together rather than adding four new stops to your route.
Just a little note - some of the links on here may be affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you decide to shop through them (at no extra cost to you!). I only post content which I'm truly enthusiastic about and would suggest to others.
And as you know, I seriously love seeing your takes on the looks and ideas on here - that means the world to me! If you recreate something, please share it here in the comments or feel free to send me a pic. I'm always excited to meet y'all! ✨🤍
Xoxo Emily
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