Harry Potter in London: The Best Walking & Bus Tours plus FAQs, Tips & Facts

There’s no denying that for many people, experiencing Harry Potter while in London is an absolute must. Even if you’ve been to the Harry Potter studios in Hertfordshire or ridden the ‘Hogwarts Express’ in Scotland, seeing some of the London locations used in the books and movies is an unmissable experience. 

Which is exactly why we’ve written this guide!

In it you’ll find seven (the most magical number) of the best Harry Potter walking tours of London – as well as some options by bus. We also cover a few facts about the locations, some frequently asked questions and our top tips for making the most of the experience. 

Let’s begin! If you want to get the best out of your time, we recommend taking a Harry Potter walking tour in London. These are very affordable, as they’re led by entertaining and informative guides, you can make sure you don’t miss any key sights or interesting snippets of information along the way.

Harry Potter in London – Tour Quick Picks

7 of the best ‘Harry Potter in London’ tours

‘Magical London’ Harry Potter walking tour

• Duration: 2.5 hours

• Destinations: The Leaky Cauldron, Knockturn & Daigon Alleys, Gringotts 

• Departure point: Southwark View Point, Minerva Square, London

• What’s included: Boat trip (if option chosen), tour guide

• What’s not included: Underground ticket

• Means of transport: Boat or tube + walking

This fully interactive walking tour of Harry Potter places in London immerses you in the wizarding world for a morning or afternoon. You can pick between taking a boat trip on the Thames or a ride on the London Underground, and the tour includes fun activities to take part in as well as seeing the sights.

Whether you take the tube or boat, the itinerary takes in other key locations in addition to the likes of the Leaky Cauldron in London, including Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market, the Golden Hinde, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Millennium Bridge and the London Eye.

Harry Potter & Platform 9 & ¾ walking tour

• Duration: 3 hours

• Destinations: Ministry of Magic, The Leaky Cauldron, Platform 9 & ¾

• Departure point: Opposite Platform 9 & ¾ Potter shop, London

• What’s included: Tour guide

• What’s not included: Extras

• Means of transport: Walking

This three hour tour is conducted on foot so you can see the sights up close and personal. Setting out from the Harry Potter shop in London, you’ll visit the real locations used when writing the books and filming the movies – including the famous Kings Cross Harry Potter sign marking the fictional platform 9 & ¾. 

As well as key Harry Potter sites in London you’ll get to see other London landmarks like Borough Market, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Millennium Bridge, Leadenhall Market and the Tate Modern art gallery as you walk from north to south. Your knowledgeable guide will also share some intriguing facts with you along the way.  

Harry Potter locations walking tour & exploration game

• Duration: 3 hours

• Destinations: Harry Potter locations & ‘World of Wizards’ game

• Departure point: Westminster tube station (self-guided game start point)

• What’s included: Smartphone game

• What’s not included: Extras

• Means of transport: Walking

This one’s a little different to other walking tour Harry Potter tickets available in London, as it comprises a self-guided game that you play via your smartphone. (So make sure your battery is fully charged before setting out!)

Starting out at Westminster Station, you’ll receive clues via the app to solve alone, as a group or in teams. Locations visited include places like Downing Street, Trafalgar Square, and other places featured in the Harry Potter series, as well as author Charles Dickens’ favourite London pub. 

Private Harry Potter walking tour for up to 5

• Duration: 2 hours

• Destinations: Kings Cross station, Ministry of Magic

• Departure point: Outside Platform 9 & ¾ Potter shop, London

• What’s included: Tour guide

• What’s not included: Underground ticket

• Means of transport: Tube + walking

This private tour has been designed with families and groups in mind. For up to five people, it will take you from the iconic platform 9 & ¾ at King’s Cross station to experience other Harry Potter things to do in London, including seeing major London landmarks as well as locations that were used during filming. 

Setting off from the famous platform 9 & ¾ at King’s Cross, your guide will entertain guests young and old with fascinating facts about Harry Potter and the wider wizarding world. In addition to places like the Ministry of Magic, you can see St. Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben and the London Eye en route.

Harry Potter bus tour of London locations 

• Duration: 3 hours

• Destinations: Kings Cross station, Grimmauld Place, Gringotts, Ministry of Magic

• Departure point: St Pancras station, London

• What’s included: Luxury mini coach transport, tour guide

• What’s not included: Extras

• Means of transport: Minibus + walking

This three hour tour is taken aboard a luxury mini coach, so it gives you more time to see extra filming locations than when walking. As well as the usual sites such as King’s Cross, the Leaky Cauldron and Gringotts, you can also see the real-life site that inspired the fictional Grimmauld Place and the spot where the Knight Bus famously passed between two red double-deckers. 

You won’t spend all 3 hours on board the coach, however; there are various opportunities during the morning or afternoon to take a walk to explore the locations more closely while taking advantage of the superb photo opportunities offered. Iconic sights like the London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral can also be seen during the trip.  

Private Harry Potter walking tour of London

• Duration: 3 hours

• Destinations: Ministry of Magic, The Leaky Cauldron, Death Eater bridge

• Departure point: Westminster tube station, London

• What’s included: Tour guide

• What’s not included: Extras

• Means of transport: Walking

If you’d like to take a private Harry Potter tour tailor-made for just the two of you, this is a great option as you can avoid the crowds. During the three hours, you’ll visit places that inspired J K Rowling, plus locations that were featured in the movie franchise.

Your expert guide is full of interesting facts about the Harry Potter series, and as you won’t be part of a larger group there’s no chance of missing out on anything that’s being said. 

Again you’ll see other notable spots like Leadenhall and Borough Markets, the Millenium Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tate Modern gallery in addition to the sights relating to the Wizarding World in London.

‘A Muggle’s Guide to London’ walking tour

• Duration: 2.5 hours

• Destinations: King’s Cross, The Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley

• Departure point: Temple tube station, London

• What’s included: Tour guide

• What’s not included: Underground ticket

• Means of transport: Walking

Including the King’s Cross Harry Potter themed experience of seeing Platform 9 & ¾ and looking for the real-life versions of Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron, this guide to London for muggles (non-magical folk) even includes a specially devised Harry Potter test.

Guests will see a whole new side to London as they explore the city under expert guidance, learning all about the locations that inspired J K Rowling. You can also find out which of the magical houses at Hogwarts you belong to, or indulge in some retail therapy at the Harry Potter shop in Kings Cross. 

Seeing Harry Potter in London: Top Tips

If you want to explore the Harry Potter wizarding world in London in-depth, it’s best to come prepared. Here are some of our top tips to keep in mind when booking your Harry Potter tour in London. 

Revisit Harry Potter

Before you go looking for that Harry Potter street in London as seen in the movies, read all about it – or at least watch the movies once before ahead of your visit. That way exactly what to look for will be fresh in your mind.

Book up early

If you want to take one of these tours, don’t forget where the Hogwarts Express goes from in London and all the other locations are immensely popular sights. So do book as early as you can.

If you opt for one of the Get Your Guide tours suggested above, you can even cancel up to 24 hours before to receive a full refund if necessary. 

Dress for the occasion

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin or Ravenclaw t-shirts or backpacks are of course optional but do make sure you’re suitably dressed. All of the above options bar one are Harry Potter walking tours, and as such involve a lot of time on your feet.

Even when taking the bus trip you’ll spend a lot of time getting on and off the mini-coach, so dress for comfort as well as style. 

Shoes you can walk for hours in plus an umbrella or rain jacket are musts. Also avoid carrying too much around with you, unless you want to feel weighed down. There are shops everywhere in London for picking up any essential supplies during the day. 

Ask questions

Your guide will surely love meeting people, chatting and showing them around their native or adopted city, so if you do have any questions make sure you take the opportunity to ask.

The chances are they’re just as much of a Potterhead as you are!

Don’t overspend

If you visit the shop at King’s Cross or even Borough Market during your Harry Potter tour, it may be wise to set yourself a spending limit.

Those tasty treats and themed merchandise are all very attractive, but you don’t want to get a nasty shock later on when the credit card bill lands on your doormat or in the mailbox!

Harry Potter places to visit in London – FAQs

Which Harry Potter London tour is best? 

Which tour is best for you really depends on your timings, what you want to see – and how much walking you want to do.

Six of the seven tours detailed in this article are led by entertaining guides, helping you make the most of whatever time you have and leading you to the sights you want to see most, while one is a self-guided option taking the form of a fun treasure-hunt style game.

The one to go for is entirely down to your personal preferences. 

Where does the Harry Potter walking tour start? 

The tours begin at various points in London, including Westminster, King’s Cross, St Pancras and Temple stations and more. Check out the details given above, where the starting point for each tour is clearly stated. 

Is the Harry Potter tour self-guided?

If the idea of a self-guided tour appeals, take a look at the exploration game and walking tour listed. You can take this at your own pace, and as it’s offered at a very affordable price this is also a great option for those on a budget.

Where is Diagon Alley in London?

The scenes featuring Diagon Alley were shot at Leadenhall Market on Gracechurch Street in the City of London area.

Is The Leaky Cauldron a real place?

A real-life optician’s store in Leadenhall Market was used as the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron. The shop can be found on Bull’s Head Passage in the market. 

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• What to see and do – Complete London bucket list with guide to all the top sights and attractions & Guide to the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

• How to purchase tickets for London attractions – Guide to purchasing tickets for the lost popular London attractions & Best London bus tours reviewed

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