Top 10 Harry Potter Experiences Around the World
Deep in the Scottish Highlands, it is rumored there exists a mysterious school for young witches and wizards. However, you needn’t go traipsing into the Scottish wilds to experience a bit of magic for yourself.
Across the globe, there are a plethora of spell-binding attractions and experiences aimed at bringing the wonderful world of Harry Potter to life. So have your broomstick at the ready, prime your Floo powder, and practice your Apparition skills to check out these top 10 Harry Potter experiences worldwide.
Jump aboard the Hogwarts Express
Few motifs get Harry Potter fans’ hearts a-fluttering like the crimson-red Hogwarts Express steaming across the Glenfinnan Viaduct. If you’re yet to receive your Hogwarts letter, don’t worry; you can still make this iconic journey with a return trip on Scotland’s Jacobite Steam Train – the same company that provided the actual steam engine and carriages used in the films.
Setting off from Fort William, this 84-mile round trip will whisk you through familiar filmic landscapes from the viaduct itself to Loch Shiel, which featured as Hogwarts’ eerie Blake Lake.
Go behind the scenes of the movies
The Warner Brothers Studio Tour, located 20 miles outside London, is the ultimate experience for any Harry Potter fan. Incredible special effects, surprise reveals, large chunks of set, and thousands of props and costumes tell the story of how a visionary team brought the movies to life. You can poke your nose into the Gryffindor common room, wander the foggy Forbidden Forest, or marvel at the splendor of Gringotts Bank, before grabbing a bubbling butterbeer and hitting the gift shops for an astounding array of Harry Potter merchandise. Visit during the holidays for themed events and to see “Hogwarts in the Snow.”
Browse a Diagon Alley boutique
Step foot inside Porto’s Livraria Lello bookshop, and you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported straight into a Diagon Alley boutique. The neo-Gothic interior, stacked floor-to-ceiling with glossily bound books, is an impressive illusion: what appears as intricately carved wood is actually painted plaster, dappled by a magical light from the magnificent stained-glass ceiling. The pièce de résistance has to be the scarlet staircase that winds like a two-headed snake to the store’s mezzanine level.
As you browse the bookshelves – avoiding the restricted section, of course – it’s easy to see how J.K. Rowling was inspired by this interior when she worked in Porto as an English teacher between 1991 and 1993. There is a $5 entry fee, which can be redeemed when you purchase a book.
Witness the magic live on stage
The magic of the eighth Harry Potter story comes to life in the world-renowned stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, playing in theaters in London, Hamburg, Melbourne, New York, San Francisco, and Toronto. The story follows Harry’s youngest son, Albus, as he wrestles with the burden of his family’s legacy, jumping between past and present. Performed in two parts, the play enchants with special effects and a cast of familiar characters.
Spend a night in magical surrounds
Ever dreamt of spending a night in a Hogwarts dorm room? You can, with a stay at London’s Georgian House Hotel. While the outside may look unassumingly muggle, inside, concealed behind a bookcase down a portrait-lined passageway, you’ll find the spell-binding Wizard Chambers. Faux-Medieval tapestries and stained-glass windows create a gothic castle feel, while trunks, cauldrons, and curious artifacts – as well as a Gryffindor-esque four-poster bed – bring the magic to life.
While in London, stop by Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station or participate in a walking tour to visit city sights that starred in the films. For more magical accommodations, Airbnb features stunning options like the spectacularly designed Wizarding Room in Melbourne, Australia.
Adventure through the wizarding world
With four locations in Los Angeles, Orlando, and Osaka, Japan, you’ll need a Time-Turner to fit everything in at Universal Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Explore your favorite facets of Hogwarts and beyond on rides like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure before wand shopping at Ollivanders and dining at the Leaky Cauldron.
There’s an extra touch of magic in Orlando, where the two parks, which separate Diagon Alley (Universal Studios Florida) from Hogwarts and Hogsmeade (Universal’s Islands of Adventure), are connected by a working replica of the Hogwarts Express. To access both parks and the Hogwarts Express, you’ll need a Park-to-Park admission ticket or Annual Pass.
Enroll in wizarding school
Though not technically Harry Potter-themed, the College of Wizardry at Czocha Castle in Poland offers an epic live-action role-play experience. You’ll spend three nights at the 14th-century castle under the guise of a pre-assigned wizarding character. After being sorted into one of five houses – Faust, Molin, Sendivogius, Durentius, and Libussa – spend your days attending alchemy lessons, meeting magical creatures, exploring the castle’s hidden passageways, or dancing the night away at the Witchard’s Ball. Tickets include all meals, robes, and a school handbook; participants must be 18 or older.
Learn to make spell-binding sweet treats
If you’ve ever found yourself salivating at the thought of Hogwarts house tables groaning under the weight of enticing dishes, you’ll love a Harry Potter-inspired cookery class. Under the guidance of the Belfast Cookery School, you’ll master magical skills needed to create treats like Pumpkin Pasties and Harry’s favorite dessert, treacle tart with vanilla ice cream. Ideal for Harry Potter fans of all ages, you can join the next class or plan a private event with the school.
Hang out with Hedwig and friends
From Buckbeak to Aragog and Norbert the baby dragon, J.K. Rowling’s magical creatures often stole the show; none more so than Harry’s beloved owl, Hedwig. Get an up-close encounter with these captivating winged creatures at the Herring Green Farm Falconry Centre in Bedford, England. Their annual “Harry Potter tea with owls” events give visitors the chance to fly, handle, and interact with the birds – including the spectacular snowy owl – before enjoying a scrumptious Potter-themed spread of tea and cake. Tickets grant you access to explore the rest of the center, as well as other “Harry Potter weekend” events.
