On 4th November 2001, the wizarding world of Hogwarts was brought to life on the silver screen, detailing the life of Harry Potter. Two decades later, there are eight films detailing his life, alongside Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, as well as a whole army of lifelong fans of the fictional tale.

In celebration of the 20-year anniversary, we delved into the data to reveal the top Harry Potter filming locations across the UK where you can walk in the footsteps of your favourite characters. So, grab your Marauder's Map and your floo powder and get ready to be transported to the film set*.
*Disclaimer: floo powder may not be the most efficient mode of transport for muggles.
The UK’s top Harry Potter filming locations

1. Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden
All eight films feature scenes filmed at these iconic studios, with one of the most memorable being those of the Quidditch World Cup. What makes it such a fantastic place to visit for fans is the chance to take the full studio tour, where you can marvel at the beauty of the Great Hall, sit in the Weasleys’ flying Ford Anglia and so much more. Totting up over 320,758 hashtags on Instagram, it’s an incredibly photogenic place to be!
2. Glenfinnan Viaduct, Lochaber
This well-known filming location is iconic for being a key setting for journeys on the Hogwarts Express. Many loyal fans have visited the location to get the feel for its natural beauty in real life, and more than a third (34%) of its TripAdvisor reviews mention Harry Potter!
3. Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester
Gloucester Cathedral was used for many scenes throughout Hogwarts, including the hallways and exterior scenes. The great cloister has appeared in a number of films including the Philosopher’s Stone and the Chamber of Secrets. You may remember this as the wall where ‘the chamber has been opened’ was found written in blood... no wonder more than 20% of the reviews mention Harry Potter.
4. Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
Not only was Alnwick Castle used as the filming location for Madam Hooch’s broomstick flying lesson, but lessons are still available there today for excited visitors. The castle also formed the background for Harry and Ron’s crash landing in Arthur Weasley’s car, resulting in a terrifying howler from his mother! The castle is well known for many reasons, but almost 20% of the reviews on TripAdvisor mention Harry Potter.
5. Glencoe, Argyll
This stunning Scottish nature reserve is also home to Hagrid’s Hut, which you can still see today on a visit: just be careful of the hippogriffs. Glencoe also formed the background for many quidditch matches and elements of the Triwizard Tournament.
6. Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire
This 13th-century abbey is another place where the iconic Hogwarts hallways were filmed and nearly 30% of the TripAdvisor reviews refer to Harry Potter. Most memorably, the scene where McGonagall has been blown away by Harry’s skills on the broom and insists he joins the quidditch team was filmed here. He’s also spotted here in his invisibility cloak, only just avoiding being seen by Snape.
7. Oxford University
The beautiful setting of Oxford University doubles as a number of Hogwarts’ rooms, including the Bodleian Library as the Hogwarts Library, where Harry sneaks around in his invisibility cloak, and New College providing shots for the hallways where Mad-Eyed Moody turns Draco Malfoy into a ferret.
8. Durham Cathedral, Durham
Professor McGonagall’s classroom is set at Durham Cathedral, the location where Ron also gets the dreaded slug vomiting curse. It’s one of a number of locations that played a part in the Hogwarts hallways, with Harry’s owl, Hedwig, spotted in this particular hall.
9. Black Park, Buckinghamshire
Black Park in Iver Heath doubles as the Forbidden Forest, a place which, despite being off limits to unaccompanied students, Harry Potter visited a total of eight times. One of these times he is accompanied by Hagrid, who shows him the dragons and provides a hint as to what the next challenge in the Triwizard Tournament may be.
10. Reptile House, London Zoo, London
The Reptile House at London Zoo is where Harry discovers his ability to speak Parseltongue (the language of snakes). On this trip with the Dursley family, Dudley falls through the glass which magically disappears, leading him to fall in and giving the opportunity for the snake to escape. If there’s one scene that everyone remembers frame by frame in the first film, it has to be this one.
Scotland’s top Harry Potter filming locations
Discover the filming locations in the magical country of Scotland; with dramatic landscapes and architecture; it was the perfect setting for some of Harry Potter’s most memorable scenes.
- Glencoe, Argyll - Quidditch matches, Triwizard Tournament and Hagrid's Hut
- Glenfinnan Viaduct, Lochaber - Scenery of the Hogwarts Express
- Loch Shiel, Highlands - Hogwarts' Black Lake
- Loch Eilt, Scotland - Hogwarts grounds and Dumbledore's Grave
- Glen Nevis, Scotland - Quidditch scenes
- West Highland Railway Line - Hogwarts Express swcener
- Cape Wrath, Scotland - seen in the Half-blood prince due to a Confundus charm
- Loch Arkaig, Highlands - Dumbledore's resting place

Want to see even more iconic locations from film and TV while you're visiting Scotland? There are even more wonderful filming locations in Scotland worth visiting too, from the backdrops of Outlander to classic James Bond scenes.
London’s top Harry Potter filming locations
London is home to a number of memorable filming locations such as the geometric moving staircase, and of course the zoo where Harry discovers that he can talk to snakes. These iconic destinations are a must-visit on your next trip to the big city.
- Reptile House, London Zoo - where Harry talks to a snake in the Philosopher's Stone
- Leadenhall Market - doubles as The Leaky Cauldron pub
- St. Paul's Cathedral - the moving geometric staircase
- Piccadilly Circus - fleeing the Death Eaters
- King’s Cross Station - Harry crosses to Platform 9 3/4
- Millennium Bridge - opening sequence of the Half-blood prince
- Green Lanes - travelling on the Knight Bus
- Australia House - doubles as Gringotts Bank
- Harrow School - Professor Flitwick's Charms classroom
- Scotland Place - doubles as the Ministry of Magic
- 8 Stoney Street - exterior of the Leaky Cauldron

In addition to naming the top filming locations, we took a look at the films which were nominated for and received the most awards, alongside viewers' rating data to see which films HP fans and critics adored the most. Findings showed that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 stole the top spot, which had a total of 94 nominations and 46 wins. Take a look at the full ranking below:
- Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows: Part 2
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Whether you’re a Harry Potter fan looking to explore the Scottish filming locations or ready to take on a road trip across the UK to tick all the top spots of your bucket list, take a look at our cottages to rent to ensure you’ve got a place to rest up at the end of every adventure.
*Data collected between July-September 2021 from sources including IMDB, TripAdvisor, Instagram and Rotten Tomatoes.