Top 6 Harry Potter Spots in London for Every Potterhead to Visit (or Apparate to)
With “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” hot off the press, it’s time to grab a broomstick and fly to London for a visit to the magical locations that bring our favorite story to life.
#1 King's Cross Station
Begin your Potter pilgrimage somewhere between Platform 9 and 10 in King’s Cross Station, where you’ll find Platform 9 ¾, the magically concealed doorway to the Hogwarts Express. Refrain from trying to crash headfirst into the solid brick wall, and instead snap a pic in front of the luggage trolley. Getting the photographers there to take your picture is worth the wait—they offer scarves as props and even someone to hold it up for a windy effect. While the standard is the red-and-gold Gryffindor, you can always fulfill your inner Slytherin or Hufflepuff. Buy a memento in the Harry Potter Shop nearby, a treasure trove full of horcruxes and time turners.
Euston Rd., Longdon N19AL, United Kingdom.
#2 Piccadilly Circus
Remember when Hermione, Harry and Ron fled from Death Eaters and apparated in the middle of a bustling street in London’s West End, before being nearly run over by a double decker bus? That was Piccadilly Circus, a public space at the junction of Regent Street and Piccadilly, where giant illuminated signs wrap around the buildings in a bright neon spectacle. While you’re there, catch the new Harry Potter play at the Palace Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue—that is if you have the time to line up for tickets, released every Friday at 1pm.
Picadilly Circus, London W1D 7ET, United Kingdom.
#3 Australia House
Yes, we know it’s missing the roller coaster whizzing underground and the fire-breathing dragon, but the 98-year-old Australia House in London is the closest you’ll get to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. See if you recognize the giant crystal chandelier (which was smashed to smithereens in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”) inside the grandiose—albeit goblin-free—office of the Australian High Commission. While the building is not open to public, you can sneak a peek through the glass doors, and who knows, maybe the guard will let you in if you hypnotize him with your best Imperius Curse.
Strand, London WC2B 4LA, United Kingdom, (+44) 20-7379-4334.
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