The BookTok Guide to Travel: Harry Potter Edition
Step into the wizarding world IRL. From Platform 9 ¾ to the cafes where the story was born, here’s your BookTok-approved guide to Harry Potter’s London & Edinburgh.
I have a confession: I did not read the Harry Potter books until high school (like. I get it). I was one of those who LOVED the movies and had never read the books. Once I did finally read them, I could not put them down. I would obsess over them, watch the movies repeatedly (but especially on Christmas morning), and yes…read all the fanfictions (say what you want but they slayed).
So, the first time I actually stood in London’s King’s Cross Station or walked down Edinburgh’s Victoria Street, it felt surreal, like the books that had such an impact on my childhood had quietly spilled into the real world. When you’re here, it’s not just about finding the filming locations (though those are fun, too). It’s about stepping into the places that built Harry’s world, the cafés and cobblestones that shaped the stories, and realizing that little flashes of magic are tucked into these cities if you know where to look. Each nook was a reminder of every late night spent reading under the covers, every time I thought “just one more chapter.” So, if you’re ready to trade the pages for the real thing, here’s my fully geeked-out guide to our Harry Potter-inspired trip to London & Edinburgh.
London: Welcome to the Wizarding World
King’s Cross Station (Platform 9 ¾)
Yes, it’s touristy. And yes, you should 100% go anyway. The trolley half-embedded into the wall makes for the perfect photo op, and the Harry Potter shop next to it feels like a mini version of Diagon Alley. Pro tip: go early in the morning if you want to skip the long line.
Leadenhall Market
This Victorian market is all high-arched glass and cobblestone charm, and it doubled as Diagon Alley in the first film. The Leaky Cauldron’s entrance? That’s actually an optician’s shop here. Grab a pint, wander the alleys, and let yourself imagine Hagrid stomping through.
Millennium Bridge
You probably remember it from Half-Blood Prince when Death Eaters ripped it apart. Spoiler: it’s perfectly safe, and no Death Eaters will come to get you (hopefully). Crossing it gives you those sweeping London views, the Thames glittering below, St. Paul’s Cathedral in the distance, and it feels like stepping into a movie scene...because you are.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour
If you do only one thing in London, make it this. It’s a Harry Potter tour on steroids. You’ll walk through the Great Hall, peek inside the Gryffindor common room, wander down Privet Drive, and yes, you can drink Butterbeer (which is…controversial, but worth trying once). And on top of all of that, there’s a cafe with all your favorite treats from the books, and a gift shop that is better than any other you’ve ever been to.
St Paul’s Cathedral
You know that dizzying spiral staircase Professor Trelawney always swept down? The “Divination Staircase” was filmed in the southwest tower of St Paul’s Cathedral. It’s a real architectural gem, and standing there you can’t help but picture students nervously climbing up for their turn at tea leaves (fingers crossed no grim).
Piccadilly Circus
If you’ve ever rewatched part one of The Deathly Hallows a hundred times (guilty), you’ll remember the moment Harry, Ron, and Hermione escaped Bill and Fleur’s wedding and Apparate right into the chaos of central London. Yep—that all went down at Piccadilly Circus.
Islington
A short walk from King’s Cross takes you to Sirius Black’s family home: 12 Grimmauld Place. In real life, it’s Claremont Square in Islington, a quiet, tucked-away street that looks nothing like the dark magic hiding behind its movie version. But knowing what it represents in the books makes it feel a little eerie when you’re standing there.
Edinburgh: The City That Built Hogwarts
Victoria Street
This colorful street drew the inspiration for Diagon Alley IRL. The mismatched buildings, the rainbow shopfronts, the quirky little bookstores, it’s all here. If you’re the type of reader who can’t resist a good Pinterest moment, this is your spot.
The Elephant House Cafe
Even though it’s under renovation right now, this cafe is legendary. J.K. Rowling wrote here in the ’90s while piecing together early chapters of Harry’s story. Fans still leave notes on the walls outside, and huge plus: they have great coffee!
Greyfriars Kirkyard
Among these weathered gravestones, you’ll find names like McGonagall, Thomas Riddell (yep, like Voldemort’s birth name), and even Potter. The names of some of our favorite characters were pulled straight from these headstones.
George Heriot’s School & Edinburgh Castle
Stand in front of George Heriot’s School and tell me it doesn’t scream “Hogwarts.” Pair that with the looming Edinburgh Castle above the city, and suddenly the whole skyline is giving a mysterious school in the Scottish Highlands.
Department Of Magic
At Edinburgh’s secret cocktail bar, you can brew your own bubbling, smoking cocktails in a potion-making class that feels straight out of Hogwarts. Spell sheets included.
Going to London & Edinburgh in search of Harry Potter lore isn’t about ticking film locations off a list. It’s sipping a flat white where Harry’s first lines were scribbled, running your hands along the cobblestones that became Diagon Alley, and realizing that magic might not just belong in books.
And honestly? For the best gift for book lovers, it doesn’t get better than this trip. Forget mugs or another tote bag—give someone the chance to live their favorite story. Better yet, make it your next book club pick (because let’s be real, Harry Potter is still one of the best books for book club).
At the end of the day, BookTok is about more than reading—they’re about belonging. And whether you’re wandering Victoria Street or sipping Butterbeer at the studios, you’ll feel like you’ve found your people: readers, dreamers, and maybe even a few witches and wizards at heart.
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