17 Harry Potter things to do in London

Have a magical Harry Potter day out with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Harry Potter films at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. See sets, costumes and props used in the Harry Potter films, and step inside film locations like the Great Hall, Dumbledore's office, Diagon Alley and the Forbidden Forest. Don't miss seasonal themes, including the Dark Arts at Halloween and Magical Mischief in spring.

Get your hands on tickets for the award-winning Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Part One and Part Two shows at the iconic Palace Theatre in the West End. A must-do Harry Potter experience in London, the spellbinding story is set 19 years after the final novel, following the adventures of Harry and his friends as adults.

Be thrilled and chilled as the Harry Potter film sets are given a creepy makeover in time for Halloween during Dark Arts at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Explore the Great Hall decked out with floating pumpkins, cauldrons of sweets and a spooky feast. Afterwards, test out your wand techniques in a duel with Death Eaters. A Harry Potter experience not to be missed!

Embark on an enchanting Harry Potter walking tour in London on The Wizard Walk of London. Meet your enthusiastic muggle guide and explore iconic Harry Potter film locations, admire London's famous landmarks and take advantage of the picture-perfect photo opportunities along the way.

Delve into a world of witchcraft and wizardry as you mix your own potions during an immersive cocktail experience at The Cauldron. Step into an enchanted forest and sip on a welcome drink of Poetic Mead before using your newfound powers to craft two molecular cocktails at this quirky Dalston bar.

Join a world where magical spells and potions are the norm as you delight in the spellbinding Wands and Wizard Exploratorium afternoon tea. Upon arrival, find your wand (it is the wand that chooses its wizard, not the other way round), learn to cast spells and experiment with the art of magical tea brewing, while you savour a selection of delicious scones, freshly made sandwiches and extraordinary desserts.

Stay in the Wizard Chamber at the Georgian House Hotel for a spellbinding experience. Wander a candlelit passageway to the chamber rooms, which are concealed behind a bookcase door. Rooms feature faux castle details such as stained-glass windows and four-poster beds, while cauldrons and tapestries complete the scene. At weekends, enjoy a magical afternoon tea or concoct bubbling cocktails.

Find out whether you have Harry Potter's gift of Parseltongue (being able to talk to serpents) at London Zoo. The Reptile House is home to some of the world's biggest snakes, as well as lizards and crocodiles. It's here that a python speaks to Harry for the first time and also where Harry uses his magical powers to trap his cousin Dudley behind the safety glass. Follow the sign to see where it was filmed.

Step inside the visual world of JK Rowling’s wizardry stories at House of MinaLima, one of the best free Harry Potter things to do in London. Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, the designers behind the movie artworks of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, showcase their magical designs in this free exhibition. Find four levels of prints and graphics and take a closer look at Harry Potter museum items including authentic movie props.

The Hogwarts Express departs from King's Cross Railway Station. Visit platforms four and five, which were used for filming, and take a photo pushing a trolley through to a magical world at the wall marked Platform 9¾. Don't forget to visit the Harry Potter Shop, built to resemble Ollivander's wand shop.

See broom to broom with Harry Potter as the wizard glides through the air on his Nimbus 2000 broomstick. Replicating the momentous scene from Potter's first Quidditch tournament, the bronze sculpture can be found at Scenes in the Square in Leicester Square, a trail of famous British movie characters from past 100 years of film.

In The Order of the Phoenix, Harry flies along the Thames and over Tower Bridge on his broomstick. Millennium Bridge is another of the Harry Potter filming locations – the famous bridge is destroyed by Death Eaters. And Lambeth Bridge is where the Knight Bus squeezes between two doubledeckers. 

Another recognisable favourite among Harry Potter places in London, the neogothic exterior of St Pancras International Station featured as the train station where Harry boards the Hogwarts Express. The producers thought the station photogenic for the franchise. Harry and Ron park the Weasleys' Ford Anglia in the corner of the courtyard during The Chamber of Secrets and later fly off over the station towards Hogwarts after missing their train.

Explore Leadenhall Market, a covered Victorian market in the City of London. Home to a selection of stalls and shops, it features in several Harry Potter films, including as Harry Potter's Diagon Alley. Sharp-eyed fans will also recognise the blue door of the opticians in Bull's Head Passage as the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron.

Walk in the footsteps of the three main characters at Piccadilly Circus. At this iconic Harry Potter London location, Harry, Ron and Hermione flee the wedding of Ron's older brother Bill to Fleur Delacour after learning Death Eaters are on their tails in Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

Head inside the Tube station that was one of the main Harry Potter London locations used by Harry when travelling in The Order of the Phoenix. Accompanied by Arthur Weasley and ecstatic about using muggle underground trains, Harry uses the Underground to attend a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic. Westminster Tube had to be closed for a whole day during filming.

For a real treat, head to the lovely village of Lavenham in Suffolk, just two hours from London. This idyllic spot boasts more than 340 listed buildings, including the gorgeous De Vere House, which you may recognise as the birthplace of Harry Potter. The Grade I-listed property featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as the house in Godric's Hollow where the young wizard's parents were killed by Lord Voldemort. Today, you can not only visit the quaint medieval village but also stay in the house itself, with two rooms available on Airbnb!