From Hogwarts' Great Hall to the Hogwarts Express, the Harry Potter films were shot across castles, cathedrals, colleges and Scottish glens. Most locations are open year-round and many are free to enter.
Hogwarts Exterior
Alnwick is England's second-largest inhabited castle and stood in for Hogwarts exterior in the first two films. The outer bailey is where Harry first learned to fly. The castle runs broomstick training sessions for visitors in summer.
Hogwarts Express
The 21-arch concrete viaduct on the Mallaig line is famous worldwide for the Hogwarts Express scenes. You can ride the working steam train (the Jacobite) across the viaduct from Fort William, or hike up to the viewpoint to watch it pass.
Hogwarts Great Hall (inspiration)
The Great Hall at Christ Church was the visual reference for Hogwarts' dining hall. The film's hall was a studio rebuild, but the staircase under the tower (where McGonagall greets the first-years) was filmed on-site.
Hogwarts Corridors & Classrooms
The cloisters of this 13th-century National Trust abbey were used for many interior Hogwarts scenes in the first two films. The surrounding village of Lacock also appears as Godric's Hollow and the Slughorn house.
Hogsmeade Station
On the North Yorkshire Moors heritage railway, Goathland's stone platform doubled as Hogsmeade. The steam trains still run through Goathland today, and the moors around make a perfect day out.
Hagrid's Hut & Hogwarts Bridge
The vast green valleys around Glencoe stood in for the grounds of Hogwarts in Prisoner of Azkaban. The exact spot of Hagrid's hut was at Clachaig Gully — nothing remains, but the views are spectacular.
Trace the Wizarding World
Combine Oxford, the Cotswolds, Alnwick and the Scottish Highlands into a one-week film pilgrimage.
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