Are you a Harry Potter fan? If so, Edinburgh is a wonderful city to explore! Although the films weren’t shot here, J.K. Rowling lived in Edinburgh while writing much of the series, and several real-life locations around the city are said to have inspired characters and settings from the wizarding world.
In this guide, I’ll share the best Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh. From the café where Rowling sat to write the early books and historic streets that inspired Diagon Alley, there are plenty of places for Harry Potter fans to discover. I’m also going to share some top tips for visiting and a free map, so you can plan your own self-guided Harry Potter tour of the city.
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Harry Potter Edinburgh Locations You’ll Want to Visit
Below, I’ll share all you need to know about Harry Potter and Edinburgh, including the spots that inspired J.K. Rowling, plus some fun Harry Potter in Edinburgh activities.
You’ll find many options for Harry Potter Edinburgh walking tours in Edinburgh. We chose to do our walking tour with City Explorers; this was a free tour (although you are expected to tip your guide). This was a really fun and interesting experience, which taught us many interesting facts bout Happy Potter Edinburgh.
Further down in this guide, I have included a free map of all the Harry Potter locations. S,o you’ll be able to do your own self-guided tour if you wish!
The Elephant House Cafe
The Elephant House Cafe is one of the most famous Harry Potter Edinburgh locations. It is the self-proclaimed “place where Harry Potter began”. Rowling has previously stated the idea for the Harry Potter series came to her on a train ride from Manchester to London. However, when working on the earlier books, Rowling used to sit in this cafe and write. She would later go home and type up the stories on her old-fashioned typewriter.
So, maybe Harry Potter didn’t technically begin here, as the sign on the door says, but it has been confirmed as a cafe Rowling used to frequent often. The toilets have now become a shrine to the Harry Potter series, so make sure to check them out!
We visited here for breakfast, and the food was really good!
The exterior and toilet wall in the Elephant House Cafe.
The Balmoral Hotel
The Balmoral Hotel is one of the lesser-known Happry Potter spots in Edinburgh. It is actually the place where Harry Potter was finished. By the time JK Rowling was working on the last books, she was far too famous to sit in a cafe. So she went to the Balmoral Hotel. She planned to stay for a night and ended up being there for about 4 months!
The room she stayed in has now been renamed the J.K. Rowling suite. So, it is actually possible to stay in the exact room she wrote in. This, of course, does come with quite a large price tag!
Check current availability and prices of the Balmoral Hotel here.
View of the grand Balmoral Hotel.
Edinburgh City Chambers
In 2008, Rowling was awarded the Edinburgh Award for writing the Harry Potter series. Her golden “Hollywood Style” handprints can still be found outside. You’ll find them located outside Edinburgh’s City Chambers, which is just off the Royal Mile. Better still, this area is free to enter!
Edinburgh City Chambers and Rowling’s handprints outside.
Victoria Street
This historic street is thought to have been part of the inspiration for Diagon Alley. I loved Victoria Street because it has two levels. You can walk along the street or above it by the row of shops!
At the time Rowling lived in Edinburgh, Victoria Street was home to an old broom shop and also a joke shop. This could certainly have inspired Quality Quidditch Supplies (the broom shop) and Zonko’s joke shop. The broom shop has rebranded itself as a Harry Potter merchandise shop, and sadly, the joke shop has closed. You will also find a few other Happy Potter gift and souvenir shops on Victoria Street.
I also did a London Harry Potter walking tour and was shown another street which was said to be inspiration for Diagon Alley there as well. In my opinion, the one in London looked more Diagon Alley-esque, but I do believe she would have taken inspiration from more than one place.
Even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan, this is a beautiful street to check out!
Victoria Street in Edinburgh.
Greyfriars Kirkyard
Greyfriars Kirkyard is one of Edinburgh’s most intriguing Harry Potter locations. This historic graveyard is often associated with J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for some of the series’ character names, with visitors seeking out gravestones displaying names such as Thomas Riddell, William McGonagall and Elizabeth Moody.
The kirkyard is free to visit, but finding the graves can take a little time if you don’t know where to look! If you’d like help tracking them down and learning more about the connections to Harry Potter, you could join a Harry Potter walking tour, or I have shared a few photos below.
Grave Stones in Greyfriars Kirkyard, inspiring the names of some of the Harry Potter characters.
Potterrow Port
I’ll be honest; Potterrow Port isn’t the prettiest spot in Edinburgh! However, it’s an interesting stop for Harry Potter fans because it’s sometimes linked to the underpass where Harry and Dudley are attacked by Dementors in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
According to some accounts, J.K. Rowling and director David Yates visited locations in Scotland while exploring inspiration for the film, although the connection between Potterrow Port and the scene isn’t definitively confirmed. The underpass scene was recreated for filming, and the name Potterrow is generally considered a coincidence rather than a deliberate Harry Potter reference.
Potterrow Port underpass.
Edinburgh Castle
While Edinburgh Castle wasn’t referenced by our walking tour guide as one of Edinburgh’s Harry Potter locations, I don’t think Rowling could have lived in Edinburgh and not taken at least some inspiration from this glorious castle when thinking of Hogwarts. We visited the castle during our stay in Edinburgh, and it gave me such Hogwarts vibes!
Again, I do believe she will have taken inspiration for Hogwarts from multiple places. Of course, some of it will be her own invention!
I have shown two of the best views of Edinburgh Castle in the photos below. If you’re looking for more great views in Edinburgh, read this detailed guide next.
Views of Edinburgh Castle.
More Harry Potter Attractions in Edinburgh
As I mentioned earlier, we did a Harry Potter walking tour while visiting Edinburgh. It was a great way to discover the locations associated with the books.
If you have more time, you could also venture into the Scottish Highlands on this Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe and Highlands tour. The tour visits the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, which you may recognise as the route taken by the Hogwarts Express in the films, as well as the dramatic Highland scenery featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
We didn’t do this trip as our youngest was only two at the time, and the tour isn’t suitable for children under five. It’s still on my bucket list for a future visit!
Harry Potter Gift Shops in Edinburgh
If you’re hoping to take home a magical souvenir, Edinburgh has several shops selling Harry Potter merchandise, from wands and house-themed gifts to collectables and film-inspired artwork.
Many of the shops are on Victoria Street, which I mentioned above. So, it’s easy to combine a browse around the shops with a visit to this popular photo spot.
One shop worth looking out for is Museum Context, which sells officially licensed Harry Potter merchandise, including wands and other wizarding gifts. There’s also a second Museum Context shop on Cockburn Street, close to the Royal Mile.
For something a little different, visit House of MinaLima on Cockburn Street. The design studio created many of the graphic props and printed artwork seen in the Harry Potter films. Its gallery and shop are well worth considering if you love the visual details of the wizarding world.
I’ve marked the Harry Potter gift shops on the map below with a shopping bag symbol.
Map of All the Harry Potter Locations in Edinburgh
Below is a map of all the Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh that I have mentioned in this post. This is an interactive map; simply click on the top right-hand corner to open it in Google Maps.
The stars are the main inspirational locations, and the shopping bag symbol shows the Harry Potter shops in Edinburgh. You can use this map to plan a self-guided Harry Potter walking tour route.
Should you wish to venture a little further from Edinburgh, I’ve also pinned a train symbol. This is where the Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe & Highlands Tour begins. This bus tour takes you on a journey through the Scottish Highlands, where you can see the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct. This is where the Hogwarts Express was filmed crossing the arches, and the dramatic scenery of Glencoe, which featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban films.
FAQs on Harry Potter Edinburgh
No, the Harry Potter films weren’t filmed in Edinburgh, although J.K. Rowling lived in the city while writing much of the series, and several locations are associated with inspiration for the books. However, some filming for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban took place in the Scottish Highlands, a few hours from Edinburgh.
Victoria Street is often associated with Diagon Alley because of its colourful shopfronts, curved layout and historic character. Although it’s frequently compared to the famous wizarding shopping street, there is no definitive confirmation that it was the direct inspiration for Diagon Alley.
We really enjoyed our Harry Potter walking tour in Edinburgh! Our guide shared lots of interesting information about both the Harry Potter books and the city itself. This made it a great way to discover Edinburgh’s connections to the wizarding world while learning more about its history. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves Harry Potter and wants to explore the city on foot.
Final Thoughts on the Harry Potter Edinburgh Locations
Edinburgh is a wonderful city for Potterheads to explore. From the places J.K. Rowling sat to write the books, to the colourful shops on Victoria Street. There are plenty of places to discover the city’s connection to the wizarding world.
Whether you choose to explore independently or join a guided Harry Potter walking tour, I hope this guide has helped you find the best Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh and inspired you to add a little magic to your visit!
Don’t forget to save the map above to help you plan your route !
Read More About Edinburgh in These Guides:
Our Complete Guide to Edinburgh
The Best Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
Other UK Destinations You’ll Love:
Looking to explore more of the United Kingdom? Read our travel guides about these destinations next:
London – The Cotswolds – Cambridge
Thank you for reading my post on Harry Potter locations to visit in Edinburgh, Scotland. I hope it has helped you find some interesting places to see on your trip.
Happy Exploring,
A London mum sharing stylish, family-friendly travel guides.
I In our travel guides, I show you that you can still travel as a family and create beautiful memories, even when trips aren’t full of kid-centric activities.
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