When coming to London, many people take the opportunity to visit the Harry Potter Studio Tours. This experience requires leaving the city limits via train and then taking a bus to the studio lots, adding up to be quite a pretty when one totals the expense of tickets, transportation, and that £70 Weasley sweater in the gift shop. What if I told you there were many budget-friendly options for Harry Potter fans without even having to leave London? Use this as a guide to find some of the best-kept secret Harry Potter spots only the true fans know about.
Getting a Wand
Some of the most popular souvenirs at the Harry Potter Studio Tours are wands. But why pay £40 for a crummy plastic version of a character's wand when you get your own personal, one-of-a-kind wand for half the price in London? This is also one of the easiest to find locations in this guide, because Wasabi chain restaurants are practically on every corner in London. Go inside and grab a Prawn Tempura Tanmen soup and bring it to the counter. Before paying, tell the cashier you would like the specialty chopstick. The cashier will then tell you that it costs £20 extra, and ask, “Are you sure?” Confirm your order, and by the time your soup is ready, your own personal wand will be as well. The wand will be placed in your bag along with your soup.
There is a special man in every Wasabi Chain that sits in a side room next to the kitchen hand-carving wands while typically watching BBC TV. When a wand order is received, he looks at security footage and selects a wand (made that day) that fits the aura behind the purchaser.
“The wands speak to me, and through that process I am able to connect the wand to its destiny. After all, it is the wand who chooses the wizard,” says Bill Sefton, wand maker at the Waterloo Station Branch. Each wand is completely unique and can be made from any of 52 different types of wood. This is a much more personal souvenir than being one of the thousands of people who own Harry Potter’s 11 inch Holly wand.
The Real Leaky Caldron
To Muggles, this may appear as an average pub on Charing Cross Road, but a secret “Wizard” pub is hidden in the back room area. This pub is filled with people dressed as wizards, and it feels as if you have actually walked directly into the world of Harry Potter. Because of this realistic approach, one must be dressed for the part in order to gain access to the exclusive area (See: How to Dress in London: Wizard Edition). This is only a small part of the entrance process.
Once dressed to impress, walk confidently into the Muggle-area of the pub and head straight for the bar, where behind the counter lies a black door. Quickly nod to the bartender while walking swiftly towards the door, open it, and enter the kitchen. At this point the bartender will try to stop you. Keep going and promptly yell “EXPECTO PATRONUM!”. If the bartender does not believe your attempt to be successful in casting the spell, they will curse you out and say things such as: “Get the hellout of here you bloody idiot!” Do not let him get in your head, instead, try thinking of your happiest memory. Once you are successful, the bartender will grow silent, walk over to a black cabinet, unlock it, and then proceed to slip a chocolate bar in your hand and say, “Eat, it’ll help.”
Congrats, you have gained access to this exclusive pub! Continue through the kitchen and find the brown door labeled “Closet.” Once inside you will be met with a fairly empty brick closet. Now you must tap the bricks on the wall, opposite the door, in the corresponding order (The wall is actually an electronic screen, the brick code of the day will be found on the inside of the chocolate bar wrapper). When done correctly the door shall open, similar to an elevator door, giving you access to the Leaky Caldron.
Kings Cross Station
This famous train station is located on the Northern edge of Central London. One might remember it as the train station where Harry and his friends catch the Hogwarts Express to their School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The young wizards catch the train at Platform 9 ¾. Its entrance involves running directly into a brick wall between platforms nine and ten. If done successfully, one will run straight through the wall and disappear into the secret platform.
At the real King’s Cross Station, located in the main hub near platforms nine and ten, one can find a wall labeled Platform 9 ¾, below it a trolley filled with suitcases and an owl cage half disappearing into the brick wall. This is a great photo opportunity, but be warned: it draws quite the crowd. The massive queue is marked by barriers and a professional photographer will greet you at the end, ready to take your photo and usher you into the Harry Potter Gift Shop, where you can purchase a variety of items, including your new photo. The photographers will even provide a Hogwarts’ scarf, which can be thrown up at the last second, bringing the illusion of movement to the photo. The gift shop can be entered without waiting in the queue and is the best place in the city to buy Authentic Harry Potter Merchandise, which also makes it the most costly. There are items for every Hogwarts house and creature alike.
If you don't feel like waiting in the queue, there is an alternative. This involves finding an alleyway outside of the station building on the right hand side. This dark, dirty, unassuming alley will lead you to a courtyard with an exact replica of the Platform 9 ¾ setup, except this one is all black and labeled Platform 3 9/4. It is said to be a Banksy work and supposedly very metaphoric. Before taking a photo of the art make sure to praise it very loudly and state how upset you are with the political or economic status quo. Rumor has it that Banksy hides in a bush nearby and will jump out and go on a political rant for hours: “Wizards don't pay taxes man, so why should I!”
Tottenham Court Road
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1, the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione land on Tottenham Court Road after apparating to escape the Death Eaters from Bill and Fleur's wedding. When Ron asks where they are, Hermione says she used to go shopping here with her family, and it was the first place to come to mind. Tottenham Court Road is indeed a real street in London with commercial shopping! Come here to shop like a young, carefree Hermione.
NOTE: In the movie, the gang actually lands on Shaftesbury Avenue, a much more crowded and touristy area of London. This street is near Piccadilly Circus and New Oxford Street. They begin in front of the Gap and then stroll down the street to a cafe that unfortunately does not exist and was a set. However, if you go to the Gap, you can purchase tickets to the shortest walking tour of London. For £5, a guide will show you the seven-minute route the actors took while filming this scene; not particularly the most exciting tour of London, but definitely the quickest.
This area just so happens to be where The Palace Theatre is located, which, starting July 30, will show a theatre production of J.K. Rowling’s co-authored play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. There are PotterHeads* dressed in costume queueing already. Police measures have been made as some of these campers have tried creating a fire on the street in order to “brew a potion out of their cauldron.” This campground queue is similar to that of the Quidditch World Cup, with tents lined up next to one another, but far smellier and more cramped.
Portrait Exhibition at The National Gallery
Located at Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery houses some well known portraits from the series. The museum is free but has a suggested donation of £5. The Harry Potter Portrait Exhibition is located towards the back of the museum behind the 17th century paintings on the 2nd floor. Most of the paintings have been donated from the film set, although a few have been commissioned by J.K. Rowling herself. Only a special few are magic (electronic) and actually move, sometimes even interacting with the patrons (Be careful to stand at least 6.5 feet away from the painting of the Blue Giant Squid). Some days (a projection of) the Bloody Baron can be seen making an appearance.
Perhaps you remember the brave bumbling knight Sir Cadogan. Introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Sir Cadogan’s portrait in Hogwarts was located on the way to the Divination classroom. It features him and his fat pony in a field. Sir Cadogan was a former Gryffindor and knight at King Arthur’s round table. His portrait is most notable for taking over for the Fat Lady as the Guardian of Gryffindor Tower after her attack (until he let Sirius Black inside and lost the position). His portrait is located at the back left of the National Gallery Exhibition; he is known to yell at the visiting guests and tries to challenge everyone who stares at him to a duel. He is also known to travel throughout various portraits, so don’t be alarmed if you see him elsewhere.
This brings us to one of the must-see portraits of the exhibit, The Fat Lady. The Fat Lady is a character well known throughout the series as she is the guardian of Gryffindor Tower. Gryffindor students must tell her the password before gaining access to their dormitories. At the National Gallery her job is even more special. On the 2nd Tuesday of the month The National Gallery hosts Harry Potter-themed raves.
In order to enter these raves, one must buy tickets from the busker located outside the Sainsbury Wing on the Monday before said event. The busker will be dressed like a Ghost Pirate and look melancholy. Ask the pirate for a photo and whisper “Pigsnout” in the Ghost’s ear whilst slipping 20 quid (per ticket) into their hand. The Ghost will then give you the ticket(s) and the password to the rave. On Tuesday stay in the museum until they announce closing. Then proceed into the Harry Potter Portrait Exhibition. Stand in front of the Fat Lady and when she asks for the password, in a clear voice, repeat what the Ghost Pirate has told you. The portrait should swing open, revealing a spiral stone staircase leading to the basement of the National Gallery. After 256 steps you should find yourself in a large room full of “Witches” and “Wizards” raving to the sounds of Wizard Rock.
PotterHeads
Many are familiar with this name for extreme fans that exist on the Internet. In London it is taken up a level. This is a group of people who have dedicated their lives to Harry Potter. Next to Euston Station is a small shop with a dark green awning, and outside are chalkboards with the words “Searching for purpose? Need stress relief? Come inside,” and “Free personality test.” Often there is, at minimum, one person standing outside handing out pamphlets to passersby while saying, “This book can change your life.”
Participants can come into the shop where they will be welcomed by the members to take a look at the books and to take the personality test. This test consists of 250 questions and will sort the participant into one of the four houses of Hogwarts. The results take 24 hours to process and therefore the participant must return to the shop another day. No matter the results, the members will recommend that the participants not only buy the seven essential books to fully understand themselves, but also the DVDs. They are encouraged to return the following day and take part in daily classes.
Even though celebrities such as John Travolta and James Franco are known PotterHeads, the group has a controversial history. The organization believes J.K. Rowling has revealed a true piece of wizard history and that Muggles should be grateful. Some even claim to be wizards themselves. The group appears to be loving and accepting of all, but there are mixed reports of a dark discipline within. Many feel members are brainwashed by this organization as all they talk about is reaching the status of “Chosen One.” They begin to limit interactions with friends and family who refuse to join them. Nobody outside of the organization really knows what this means, but members can spend as many as 12 hours a day studying the books and films to satisfy the organization. There have been claims that when one reaches “Chosen One” status, they are laid on a table and a lightning scar is cut into their forehead with a scalpel. This has yet to be confirmed because messy bangs are also cut as well. Regardless of what you believe, have you seen James Franco’s new bangs?
*Extreme Harry Potter fans who dedicate their lives to the series (See: PotterHeads, pg. 77).
Getting a Wand
Some of the most popular souvenirs at the Harry Potter Studio Tours are wands. But why pay £40 for a crummy plastic version of a character's wand when you get your own personal, one-of-a-kind wand for half the price in London? This is also one of the easiest to find locations in this guide, because Wasabi chain restaurants are practically on every corner in London. Go inside and grab a Prawn Tempura Tanmen soup and bring it to the counter. Before paying, tell the cashier you would like the specialty chopstick. The cashier will then tell you that it costs £20 extra, and ask, “Are you sure?” Confirm your order, and by the time your soup is ready, your own personal wand will be as well. The wand will be placed in your bag along with your soup.
There is a special man in every Wasabi Chain that sits in a side room next to the kitchen hand-carving wands while typically watching BBC TV. When a wand order is received, he looks at security footage and selects a wand (made that day) that fits the aura behind the purchaser.
“The wands speak to me, and through that process I am able to connect the wand to its destiny. After all, it is the wand who chooses the wizard,” says Bill Sefton, wand maker at the Waterloo Station Branch. Each wand is completely unique and can be made from any of 52 different types of wood. This is a much more personal souvenir than being one of the thousands of people who own Harry Potter’s 11 inch Holly wand.
The Real Leaky Caldron
To Muggles, this may appear as an average pub on Charing Cross Road, but a secret “Wizard” pub is hidden in the back room area. This pub is filled with people dressed as wizards, and it feels as if you have actually walked directly into the world of Harry Potter. Because of this realistic approach, one must be dressed for the part in order to gain access to the exclusive area (See: How to Dress in London: Wizard Edition). This is only a small part of the entrance process.
Once dressed to impress, walk confidently into the Muggle-area of the pub and head straight for the bar, where behind the counter lies a black door. Quickly nod to the bartender while walking swiftly towards the door, open it, and enter the kitchen. At this point the bartender will try to stop you. Keep going and promptly yell “EXPECTO PATRONUM!”. If the bartender does not believe your attempt to be successful in casting the spell, they will curse you out and say things such as: “Get the hellout of here you bloody idiot!” Do not let him get in your head, instead, try thinking of your happiest memory. Once you are successful, the bartender will grow silent, walk over to a black cabinet, unlock it, and then proceed to slip a chocolate bar in your hand and say, “Eat, it’ll help.”
Congrats, you have gained access to this exclusive pub! Continue through the kitchen and find the brown door labeled “Closet.” Once inside you will be met with a fairly empty brick closet. Now you must tap the bricks on the wall, opposite the door, in the corresponding order (The wall is actually an electronic screen, the brick code of the day will be found on the inside of the chocolate bar wrapper). When done correctly the door shall open, similar to an elevator door, giving you access to the Leaky Caldron.
Kings Cross Station
This famous train station is located on the Northern edge of Central London. One might remember it as the train station where Harry and his friends catch the Hogwarts Express to their School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The young wizards catch the train at Platform 9 ¾. Its entrance involves running directly into a brick wall between platforms nine and ten. If done successfully, one will run straight through the wall and disappear into the secret platform.
At the real King’s Cross Station, located in the main hub near platforms nine and ten, one can find a wall labeled Platform 9 ¾, below it a trolley filled with suitcases and an owl cage half disappearing into the brick wall. This is a great photo opportunity, but be warned: it draws quite the crowd. The massive queue is marked by barriers and a professional photographer will greet you at the end, ready to take your photo and usher you into the Harry Potter Gift Shop, where you can purchase a variety of items, including your new photo. The photographers will even provide a Hogwarts’ scarf, which can be thrown up at the last second, bringing the illusion of movement to the photo. The gift shop can be entered without waiting in the queue and is the best place in the city to buy Authentic Harry Potter Merchandise, which also makes it the most costly. There are items for every Hogwarts house and creature alike.
If you don't feel like waiting in the queue, there is an alternative. This involves finding an alleyway outside of the station building on the right hand side. This dark, dirty, unassuming alley will lead you to a courtyard with an exact replica of the Platform 9 ¾ setup, except this one is all black and labeled Platform 3 9/4. It is said to be a Banksy work and supposedly very metaphoric. Before taking a photo of the art make sure to praise it very loudly and state how upset you are with the political or economic status quo. Rumor has it that Banksy hides in a bush nearby and will jump out and go on a political rant for hours: “Wizards don't pay taxes man, so why should I!”
Tottenham Court Road
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1, the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione land on Tottenham Court Road after apparating to escape the Death Eaters from Bill and Fleur's wedding. When Ron asks where they are, Hermione says she used to go shopping here with her family, and it was the first place to come to mind. Tottenham Court Road is indeed a real street in London with commercial shopping! Come here to shop like a young, carefree Hermione.
NOTE: In the movie, the gang actually lands on Shaftesbury Avenue, a much more crowded and touristy area of London. This street is near Piccadilly Circus and New Oxford Street. They begin in front of the Gap and then stroll down the street to a cafe that unfortunately does not exist and was a set. However, if you go to the Gap, you can purchase tickets to the shortest walking tour of London. For £5, a guide will show you the seven-minute route the actors took while filming this scene; not particularly the most exciting tour of London, but definitely the quickest.
This area just so happens to be where The Palace Theatre is located, which, starting July 30, will show a theatre production of J.K. Rowling’s co-authored play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. There are PotterHeads* dressed in costume queueing already. Police measures have been made as some of these campers have tried creating a fire on the street in order to “brew a potion out of their cauldron.” This campground queue is similar to that of the Quidditch World Cup, with tents lined up next to one another, but far smellier and more cramped.
Portrait Exhibition at The National Gallery
Located at Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery houses some well known portraits from the series. The museum is free but has a suggested donation of £5. The Harry Potter Portrait Exhibition is located towards the back of the museum behind the 17th century paintings on the 2nd floor. Most of the paintings have been donated from the film set, although a few have been commissioned by J.K. Rowling herself. Only a special few are magic (electronic) and actually move, sometimes even interacting with the patrons (Be careful to stand at least 6.5 feet away from the painting of the Blue Giant Squid). Some days (a projection of) the Bloody Baron can be seen making an appearance.
Perhaps you remember the brave bumbling knight Sir Cadogan. Introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Sir Cadogan’s portrait in Hogwarts was located on the way to the Divination classroom. It features him and his fat pony in a field. Sir Cadogan was a former Gryffindor and knight at King Arthur’s round table. His portrait is most notable for taking over for the Fat Lady as the Guardian of Gryffindor Tower after her attack (until he let Sirius Black inside and lost the position). His portrait is located at the back left of the National Gallery Exhibition; he is known to yell at the visiting guests and tries to challenge everyone who stares at him to a duel. He is also known to travel throughout various portraits, so don’t be alarmed if you see him elsewhere.
This brings us to one of the must-see portraits of the exhibit, The Fat Lady. The Fat Lady is a character well known throughout the series as she is the guardian of Gryffindor Tower. Gryffindor students must tell her the password before gaining access to their dormitories. At the National Gallery her job is even more special. On the 2nd Tuesday of the month The National Gallery hosts Harry Potter-themed raves.
In order to enter these raves, one must buy tickets from the busker located outside the Sainsbury Wing on the Monday before said event. The busker will be dressed like a Ghost Pirate and look melancholy. Ask the pirate for a photo and whisper “Pigsnout” in the Ghost’s ear whilst slipping 20 quid (per ticket) into their hand. The Ghost will then give you the ticket(s) and the password to the rave. On Tuesday stay in the museum until they announce closing. Then proceed into the Harry Potter Portrait Exhibition. Stand in front of the Fat Lady and when she asks for the password, in a clear voice, repeat what the Ghost Pirate has told you. The portrait should swing open, revealing a spiral stone staircase leading to the basement of the National Gallery. After 256 steps you should find yourself in a large room full of “Witches” and “Wizards” raving to the sounds of Wizard Rock.
PotterHeads
Many are familiar with this name for extreme fans that exist on the Internet. In London it is taken up a level. This is a group of people who have dedicated their lives to Harry Potter. Next to Euston Station is a small shop with a dark green awning, and outside are chalkboards with the words “Searching for purpose? Need stress relief? Come inside,” and “Free personality test.” Often there is, at minimum, one person standing outside handing out pamphlets to passersby while saying, “This book can change your life.”
Participants can come into the shop where they will be welcomed by the members to take a look at the books and to take the personality test. This test consists of 250 questions and will sort the participant into one of the four houses of Hogwarts. The results take 24 hours to process and therefore the participant must return to the shop another day. No matter the results, the members will recommend that the participants not only buy the seven essential books to fully understand themselves, but also the DVDs. They are encouraged to return the following day and take part in daily classes.
Even though celebrities such as John Travolta and James Franco are known PotterHeads, the group has a controversial history. The organization believes J.K. Rowling has revealed a true piece of wizard history and that Muggles should be grateful. Some even claim to be wizards themselves. The group appears to be loving and accepting of all, but there are mixed reports of a dark discipline within. Many feel members are brainwashed by this organization as all they talk about is reaching the status of “Chosen One.” They begin to limit interactions with friends and family who refuse to join them. Nobody outside of the organization really knows what this means, but members can spend as many as 12 hours a day studying the books and films to satisfy the organization. There have been claims that when one reaches “Chosen One” status, they are laid on a table and a lightning scar is cut into their forehead with a scalpel. This has yet to be confirmed because messy bangs are also cut as well. Regardless of what you believe, have you seen James Franco’s new bangs?
*Extreme Harry Potter fans who dedicate their lives to the series (See: PotterHeads, pg. 77).