Harry Potter London Film Locations Private Guided Tours

Magical places to visit

London played host to many of the Harry Potter films' settings. Here's a list of the most popular Harry Potter movie locations, many of which are visited by tour guides. It would take a while to visit all the film locations but many tour companies will design a day tour based on your particular favourite Harry Potter movie moments.

Australia House - Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Australia House in London's Strand was used for the filming of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. This grade II listed building was opened by King George V in 1918 and is home to the diplomatic mission of Australia in the UK. Fine marble was imported from Australia for much of the interior - it really is as grand as in the Harry Potter movies, though it's quite unlikely you'll see any goblins. Or is it?

The real life location of the Leaky Cauldron can be seen at Number 7 Stoney Street, just under the bridge at a flower shop called Chez Michele though originally one of the shops in the Leadenhall Market was used as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. The shop front at Number 8 Stoney Street is recognisable in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as the Third Hand Book Emporium where Harry first met Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. It's actually The Market Porter - a traditional Victorian pub. And just outside the pub is where the Knight Bus dropped Harry off after its exhilarating journey with an anxious Harry on board.

Cecil Court - Diagon Alley

This quaint little shopping street with its eclectic shops and overhanging signs is thought to have been the inspiration for Diagon Alley - the magical shopping street full of wizarding supplies - it's easy to see why with its independent shops selling art, antiques, books and curiosities. The shop fronts have magically stayed pretty much the same for over a hundred years!

Claremont Square - 12 Grimmauld Place

Islington's Claremont Square is where you'll come across the ancestral home of Pure-Blood wizard and Hogwarts alumni, Sirius Black. Just a short walk from King's Cross Station (of Platform 9¾ fame). Being in a Muggle neighbourhood, the house is guarded by the Fidelius Charm, which only allows those belonging to the magical world to see it. So if you can see it - you must be magic!

A red London telephone box was used in the films to gain entry to the Ministry however this was a prop as no phone box exists there. Nothing a bit of creative Photoshopping can't cure on your tour snaps though!

The Harry Potter Shop is also here - it's where you can view and purchase your official photos. Styled to resemble Ollivander’s Wand Emporium, you can buy time turners, horcruxes, and games, as well as Hogwarts school jumpers in the four house colours and even full sets of robes.

Lambeth Bridge - Knight Bus

In The Prisoner of Azkaban Lambeth Bridge appears in the Knight Bus scene where it squeezes its way between 2 normal 'Muggle buses' on it's perilous journey taking Harry to the Leaky Cauldron. We hope you don't have such a bumpy ride!

Lincoln’s Inn Fields - 12 Grimmauld Place

Although the filming of 12 Grimmauld Place (the ancestral home of Sirius Black) took place at Claremont Square in London's Islington, it's thought by some Potterheads that the inspiration for the magically hidden house came from the Georgian buildings at Lincoln’s Inn Fields. J. K. Rowling lived in a London flat at Clapham Junctiion whilst working for Amnesty International. Here she penned a few chapters of the first Harry Potter book.

Although the book was written after the Millennium Bridge was constructed there is no mention of it. In fact there is only the news reported destruction of the the Brockdale Bridge as part of the list of terrible acts taken by the Death Eaters. However, it was decided by the film's director that a scene in the movie to show the consequences of the Death Eaters and their impact on the Muggle world would serve the plot better. Thus the Millennium Bridge, a well known London landmark was chosen for the film and the fictional Brockdale Bridge was subsequently never mentioned.

In reality the Millennium Bridge was nicknamed the 'Wobbly Bridge' after it developed a sway on its opening day in 2000. It took two years to remedy the problem - only to be trashed by Death Eaters three years later!