Lady’s Magical Harry Potter Walking Tour in London

Today I want to share my free self-guided Harry Potter walking tour in London with you. The UK capital is famous for both its appearance in the novels and its use as a filming location for the movies. My walking route will take you to the best places in the city to see Harry Potter sites, including famous markets, iconic train stations, and hidden lanes. I’ve included a map as well.

Harry Potter Walking Tour

From the awe-inspiring expanse of Leadenhall Market to the secret Hogwarts Express platform in King’s Cross station, London has no shortage of places to discover on a self-guided Harry Potter walking tour.

This route will take you to many of the highlights and let you experience the magic of the books and movies firsthand.

My Harry Potter walk is an ideal way to get into the wizarding spirit, discover the side streets and secret spaces from J.K. Rowling’s fantasy world, and see some London landmarks and attractions at the same time.

If you want a guided tour, GetYourGuide offers a number of great Harry Potter walking tours as well. I’ve done excursions with them in the past, and I’ve always had a good experience. You can book a tour here.

You can also book a trip to the Warner Bros Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter to see where the movies were filmed. I’ve done it, and I highly recommend it. The sets are amazing to see up close. You can book a tour here.

Harry Potter Walking Tour in London

My self-guided Harry Potter walking tour starts at Westminster station. It has lots of public transport links, so you can arrive on the Jubilee, Circle, or District lines of the Underground, or by local bus, bike, scooter, or on foot from other central London areas.

Westminster station featured in the movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. When Harry is called to a hearing at the Ministry of Magic, he and Arthur Weasley navigate the tube barriers here before heading to his appointment.

After taking in the station, start this Harry Potter walk by heading up Parliament Street towards Trafalgar Square. Don’t miss the views of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and Parliament Square as you set off.

Walk up the west side of the street and continue as it becomes Whitehall. Soon you’ll reach Downing Street, where you can peer through the gates to see Number 10. This has been the Prime Minister’s residence since 1735.

In Harry Potter’s world, the muggle Prime Minister meets with his wizarding counterparts in his office here to discuss matters of national importance.

After checking out Downing Street, cross over Whitehall and continue your Harry Potter walking tour by going up the road until you reach Horse Guards Avenue. Turn right at the Old War Office Building and walk down the street.

Horse Guards Avenue was used as the filming location for the staff entrance of the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

At the end of Horse Guards Avenue, turn left into Whitehall Gardens and take in the pretty green space as you walk to the other end.

When you reach Whitehall Place, exit the gardens, turn left, and walk down to Scotland Place. Turn right and walk under the overpass to get to Great Scotland Yard.

Great Scotland Yard was used as the filming location for the visitors’ entrance to the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

Once you’ve explored the street, make your way back to Whitehall, turn right, and continue towards Trafalgar Square. Home of the National Gallery and Nelson’s Column, this is one of the most famous landmarks in London.

When you reach the square, you’ll be in the location of the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint walked down the red carpet here.

After you’ve taken in the square, continue your Harry Potter walking tour by making your way to the east side of it and turning left to walk up Charing Cross Road. You’ll pass the National Portrait Gallery as you go.

Charing Cross Road will take you past West End theaters near Leicester Square as you head up towards Cecil Court. Once there, turn right and walk down the beautiful pedestrianized street.

With its colorful antiquarian bookshops and other treasure troves, rumor has it this lane in Covent Garden was used as a model for Diagon Alley.

When you reach St Martin’s Lane, turn left, cross the street, and take a quick right to duck into Goodwin’s Court. This narrow Georgian alleyway is another place that’s thought to have been a model for Diagon Alley.

It’s also been said that it inspired Knockturn Alley, the shopping area off Diagon Alley that was filled with stores devoted to the Dark Arts.

When you get to the end of Goodwin’s Court, turn left onto Bedfordbury, then left onto New Row. Walk by the small cafes along the street (you can stop for a snack if you want to), then turn right and walk up St Martin’s Lane past the restaurants and theaters.

Continue as the street becomes Upper St Martin’s Lane, then turn left on West Street and follow it as it curves up to Cambridge Circus.

Once at Cambridge Circus, you’ll spot the Palace Theatre in Soho opposite you. This is the home of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a popular stage production in London. It’s a must for any Potterhead.

The play is set 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and it centers around Harry’s relationship with his son, Albus Severus.

Whatever you decide, continue your Harry Potter walking tour by heading north up Charing Cross Road.

On your left you’ll pass Foyles, one of the biggest and most famous bookshops in London. You can pop in to buy your favorite Harry Potter book, or continue your self-guided walking tour by going up to St Giles Circus.

When you reach it, cross over and continue straight as Charing Cross Road becomes Tottenham Court Road.

This is where Harry, Ron, and Hermione sit at a cafe in the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Ron says the word “Voldemort” and inadvertently reveals their location to the Death Eaters.

From here you have two choices. If you want a shorter walk, you can hop on the tube at Goodge Street and take the Northern line a few stops north to King’s Cross St Pancras station.

Alternatively, if you’re happy continuing on foot, you can walk through Bloomsbury to get there.

My favorite route is to turn right from Tottenham Court Road onto Bayley Street, walk past the eye-catching buildings in Bedford Square, continue straight on Montague Place alongside the British Museum, and go around Russell Square.

From the northeast corner of the square, walk down Bernard Street, turn left on Marchmont Street, and follow it all the way up to Euston Road. You’ll pass by lots of cafes and shops as you go. If you want to, you can stop for a snack or meal.

When you get to Euston Road, turn right and take in the British Library and the stunning facade of St Pancras International as you make your way to King’s Cross station.

St Pancras featured as a filming location in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. When Harry and Ron get locked out of Platform 9 3/4, they fly a Ford Anglia to school instead. As they take off, the facade of St Pancras can be seen in the background.

When you reach King’s Cross station, enter the building and head over to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.

There’s a disappearing luggage trolley and a sign for Platform 9 3/4. It marks the spot where Harry and his classmates entered the magical world to take the Hogwarts Express to school.

There’s also a famous Harry Potter shop right next to Platform 9 3/4, so after taking a photo you can pick up some souvenirs if you want to.

Afterwards, continue your self-guided Harry Potter walking tour by exiting the station and turning left to walk east down Pentonville Road until you reach Claremont Square.

This pretty place on the border of Clerkenwell and Islington was used as the filming location for 12 Grimmauld Place in two of the movies.

12 Grimmauld Place was the home of Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black. It served as the headquarters of the Order of Phoenix as well.

Claremont Square stood in for Grimmauld Place in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

After you’ve taken in the houses around the green space, continue down Pentonville Road, take a left on Islington High Street, and catch the Northern line of the tube from Angel station to Bank station.

When you get off the tube, exit the station and walk east down Cornhill. Turn right on Gracechurch Street, then left into Leadenhall Market.

This Victorian covered market was used as a filming location for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The entrance to The Leaky Cauldron pub was an optician’s shop in the market’s Bull’s Head Passage.

Once you’ve explored Leadenhall Market, continue your self-guided Harry Potter walking tour by exiting the same way you entered and turning left on Gracechurch Street.

Follow it down to Lombard Street, turn right, and walk past the historic buildings in the City of London.

Stay on Lombard Street as it curves around to take you back to Bank Station, then turn left on Poultry and continue down it as it becomes Cheapside.

Eventually it will lead you to St Paul’s Cathedral. This famous church stood in for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

The spiral staircase the students took up to Professor Trelawney’s Divination classroom was actually the Dean’s Staircase in the church (it’s also called the Geometric Staircase). If you want to go in, you can book tickets to St Paul’s Cathedral here.

Whether you go inside or not, continue your Harry Potter walking tour by exiting via the front of the church and turning left to walk east down the street called St Paul’s Churchyard.

When you reach Center Lane Gardens, turn right and walk along the pedestrianized Peter’s Hill to get to the Thames.

When you arrive at the river, you’ll be in front of Millennium Bridge. It replaced Brockdale Bridge in the opening scenes of the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. A pack of Death Eaters targets the bridge as they wreak destruction on London.

Walk across the bridge, then turn left along the river when you get to the South Bank and Tate Modern.

Follow the Thames Path along Bankside, passing icons like Shakespeare’s Globe as you go. When you reach Bank End, turn right, then make a quick left on Clink Street.

Walk under the railway bridge and past The Clink Prison Museum, then turn right on Stoney Street. This narrow road will take you down to Borough Market, London’s most famous food market.

Borough Market was used as a filming location for the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron pub in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The facade featured in the movie is the site of a (now closed) flower shop called Chez Michele.

From Borough Market, make your way past Southwark Cathedral on Green Dragon Court, then walk up the stairs to Borough High Street.

Cross the street where it’s safe, then take a right on Duke Street Hill. Follow it as it becomes Tooley Street. You’ll pass by London Bridge station as you make your way to Hay’s Galleria.

When you get there, turn left to go into the galleria. You can admire the eye-catching ceiling and sculpture in the middle as you walk out to the Thames. When you get to the river, turn right on The Queens Walk and head towards the HMS Belfast ship.

The HMS Belfast featured in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. As Harry and members of the order fly on broomsticks from 4 Privet Drive to 12 Grimmauld Place, they go over the Thames in London. On the way they pass the famous navy warship.

As your Harry Potter walking tour continues along the river, you’ll find yourself in More London, the area around City Hall. This place has great views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.

Like the HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge featured in the scene from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix where Harry and his friends fly over the Thames.

Your self-guided Harry Potter walking tour ends here, but you can continue exploring the area or head across Tower Bridge to pick up the tube at Tower Hill station.

Walk Details and Map

Harry Potter Walking Tour

I hope my Harry Potter walk has made you look forward to seeing locations from the books and movies as you discover London on foot. It’s the perfect way to explore the UK capital and experience the magic firsthand.

If you want more ideas, you can see additional self-guided walks and maps on my London walking tours blog post. And if you’d like to be enchanted, take a look at my list of magical places to visit in the UK. Happy wizarding!

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