Ready for a magical journey? Pack your cloaks, potions and wands, and set off on a Harry Potter locations tour through Scotland.
In the northernmost part of Great Britain, a huge amount of exterior scenes from all eight Harry Potter films were shot – one of the most successful film sagas of recent decades. But unlike England, Scotland can also boast having given birth to the literary saga of the famous young wizard himself, the seven bestselling books from which the films were adapted.
Scottish locations include some key places from the series such as the legendary Hogwarts Express train, Dumbledore’s tomb and Hagrid’s hut, while for the literary version, the must-see places are the café where it all began and the hotel where the final word was written.
Let yourself be captivated by the magic: you’ll discover fairytale landscapes of lochs, mountains, valleys, moors, canyons, charming villages and city attractions that will enchant you with their literary atmosphere. Whether you’re a devoted fan, simply curious or hopelessly in love with Scotland, a Harry Potter itinerary is a truly unique experience.
Don’t forget your little owl at home!
A journey aboard the Hogwarts Express is one of the most thrilling experiences for any fan of the bespectacled young wizard travelling through Scotland. And yes: the Hogwarts Express exists, it’s operational and it’s in Scotland. Except it’s not called the Hogwarts Express – it’s called the Jacobite Train.
The train used for filming interior and exterior scenes in which the characters travel aboard the Hogwarts Express is a heritage steam railway that connects the two towns of Fort William and Mallaig. Operating since 1984, it runs only from April to October with one or two services a day depending on the month.
The one-way journey is 75 km long and takes approximately two hours. The scenery passing before passengers’ eyes during the journey is breathtaking: you’ll see enchanting lochs, forests, mountains and the charming villages of Glenfinnan, Lochailort, Arisaig and Morar.
Created specifically to boost tourism in the area, the Jacobite Train couldn’t have asked for better publicity than the Harry Potter films. Today it’s one of Scotland’s most popular attractions and to secure a first-class ticket to travel in the compartments where Hogwarts students journeyed, you’ll need to book well in advance.
All exterior shots of the Hogwarts Express were filmed in Scotland, except for the departure and arrival stations which were filmed in England – in London and Yorkshire respectively.
The locomotive of the Jacobite Train used during filming is no longer in operation: it’s housed at the Warner Bros Studios in London and can be seen during a guided tour. The locomotives used today for Jacobite Train services are very similar to those used in the film.
What are the must-see stops for a Harry Potter-themed trip to Scotland? Here they are!
There’s only one experience that matches the emotional intensity of a journey aboard the Hogwarts Express: viewing the Glenfinnan Viaduct from a distance. The ultimate thrill is catching sight of the viaduct as the steam train passes over it!
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is the vertiginous stone bridge that spans an enchanting valley along which the Hogwarts Express travels on its journey to the school of magic. The iconic image of the Hogwarts Express, belching steam as it thunders along the curved bridge, is one of the most beautiful shots from the entire saga and certainly close to every fan’s heart.
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is 416 metres long and has been in operation since 1901. The best viewing points are along a path starting from a car park in Glenfinnan village: just 10-15 minutes’ walk will give you a good view, though you can continue further and walk the entire path in about an hour and a half.
Glencoe is a volcanic valley in the Scottish Highlands with a magical atmosphere. It’s long been a favourite with hikers for the wonderful walks available in the area and with photographers for the exceptional opportunities for stunning shots; in recent years, the number of visitors has increased dramatically.
The reason is that this enchanting valley has become famous as the location of Hagrid’s hut. It’s also where the celebrated and much-applauded punch Hermione landed on the arrogant Draco Malfoy was filmed.
Unfortunately the set was only temporary and you won’t find the hut anymore, but you’ll have no trouble recognising the setting in which it appeared. Moreover, Glencoe represents one of Scotland’s most fascinating areas, making it truly an unmissable stop.
Loch Eilt is a sort of pilgrimage destination for Harry Potter fans, who come here to pay symbolic homage to one of the most beloved characters in the series: the wise Professor Albus Dumbledore.
The peaceful small island of Eilean na Moine emerging from the loch’s waters is indeed the place where Dumbledore is buried; it’s seen again in the next film when Voldemort comes to steal Dumbledore’s wand. The evocative Loch Eilt was used as a backdrop in several films of the saga.
With a walk of around an hour and a half up the Glen Nevis gorge, you can reach the feet of the dramatic Steall Waterfall, which served as a spectacular backdrop for the duel between Harry and the Hungarian Horntail during the Triwizard Tournament and for numerous Quidditch matches.
Rannoch Moor is an expansive moorland not far from Glen Coe: a desolate wasteland dotted with small lochs beneath a clear sky. Surviving in such environments is difficult, yet Rannoch Moor is surprisingly rich in flora and fauna.
This place, at once alluring and spectral, was filmed for the scene in the seventh film where the Death Eaters board the Hogwarts Express in search of Harry.
A quick glimpse of Rannoch Moor can be had during a journey on the Jacobite Train or a West Highland Line train, but it’s best appreciated on foot during a walking excursion.
Who doesn’t remember Harry’s adrenaline-fuelled escape from the dragon during the Triwizard Tournament? The dramatic canyon where this memorable scene was filmed is the Black Rock Gorge at Evanton, a location about 20 km from Inverness. Carved from red sandstone, the gorge extends for 1.5 km in length and 36 metres in depth.
Black Rock Gorge can be admired on a walk of around an hour and a half starting from Evanton village centre; the walk is manageable for most, though sturdy hiking boots are necessary as the terrain is slippery. You’ll cross two bridges along the route – these offer the best vantage points of the gorge.
Loch Eilt isn’t the only Scottish loch to feature in the Harry Potter films. Of Scotland’s more than 30,000 lochs, quite a few appear somewhere in the saga films, usually filmed only for very brief linking scenes between more important sequences or as backdrops.
There are so many that you could do a Harry Potter-themed tour of Scotland based solely on lochs, but there’s one thing worth bearing in mind. Many fans are disappointed by the so-called Harry Potter lochs because the view before their eyes looks very different from the image they remember from the film. Some even claim they’ve been misled by the tourism board.
Real lochs appear very different from what you see in the films because without the characters, props and images added or altered with computer graphics, the effect is much more… modest. They look like simple lochs, nothing more.
Simple, however, doesn’t mean uninteresting. If you visit without expecting to find the exact same image you have in your memory, you’ll be able to enjoy highly atmospheric places. Remember that film productions are very selective when choosing locations, so if they filmed there, they’re certainly fascinating places.
Among the most famous Harry Potter lochs in Scotland are:
The city of Edinburgh was never used as a filming location for the Harry Potter films and doesn’t appear in any scenes, yet die-hard fans consider it an unmissable stop on any Harry Potter tour of Scotland.
The reason is straightforward. J.K. Rowling, author of the books on which the hugely popular films are based, lived in the Scottish capital for many years. The views, hidden corners and other places throughout the city captured her imagination and inspired the creation of the fictional locations featured in her narrative.
Diagon Alley, the legendary shopping street for Hogwarts student witches and wizards, was reportedly inspired by Victoria Street, a distinctive cobbled street in Edinburgh’s city centre lined with a series of colourful shops and inviting window displays.
Another cult location for fans is Greyfriars Kirkyard, a gloomy cemetery where writers, famous personalities and one Thomas Riddle Esquire are buried.
Rowling apparently spent time wandering the shadowy paths of the cemetery seeking peace. During one of these solitary walks, something must have caught her attention at Tom Riddle’s grave, convincing her that this was the perfect name for the villain of her saga.
If you look carefully in the cemetery, you’ll also find the graves of Moodie and McGonagall (the latter is Professor McGonagall’s surname in the original English version).
Another reason why true fans consider a visit to Edinburgh essential is that the opening and closing pages of the saga were written in this city.
Urban legends—now accepted as absolute fact—tell of Rowling beginning to write the first book in an Edinburgh café to save on her electricity bills at home.
Today, Rowling certainly doesn’t need to be penny-pinching, so there’s no chance of spotting her hunched over a table composing passages for books that would go on to sell millions of copies. Yet there remains a romantic allure to imagining her seated at those tables, lost in her world of fantasy and literature.
But which tables exactly?
There are differing opinions about which is the “real” Rowling café. The Elephant House loudly stakes its claim to this title and has become something of a shrine for every fan visiting the capital. Whilst it’s widely accepted that Rowling wrote here, some argue that the opening pages were actually penned elsewhere—at the charming Spoon café, which was called Nicholson during Rowling’s time.
Our advice is to visit both: they’re perfect for an afternoon snack and a relaxing break. The first is more popular with tourists and boasts a splendid view of Edinburgh Castle; the second is quieter and encourages lingering over a book—perhaps a Harry Potter novel in the original English, freshly purchased from one of the capital’s delightful independent bookshops.
Three’s a charm? Then treat yourself to another coffee at the luxurious Balmoral Hotel, where Rowling retreated to write the final chapter of the last book. The leap from a modest neighbourhood café to this opulent five-star hotel housed within an elegant Victorian building epitomises how the Harry Potter phenomenon transformed its creator’s life.
If your budget allows, you can even stay in the hotel’s princely rooms (expect to pay around £150–£230 per night), or simply enjoy a coffee or cocktail at the bar.
The city of Edinburgh has paid tribute to the author of Harry Potter by casting her hands in bronze, similar to the honour bestowed on Hollywood stars.
They’re preserved at the Edinburgh City Chambers, the stately building that houses the city’s administrative offices.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
We’ve highlighted all the locations worth visiting for their significance in the Harry Potter story or their extraordinary natural beauty. If you’re a devoted fan, however, you can continue exploring Harry Potter’s Scotland with these additional attractions:
The best way to enjoy a Harry Potter-themed itinerary in Scotland is to hire a car. Some locations are accessible by bus and train, but many require a car; besides, bus and train stations are often far from filming locations and involve long walks.
With your own car, you can create a personalised itinerary, deciding which stops to make and how long to spend at each. Organised tours are a good alternative to car hire.
The Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh can be visited on foot, and boat trips are available on some of the lochs.
Following the enormous international popularity of this film series, demand for themed tours has been exceptionally high. Today you can choose from a wide variety of guided Harry Potter tours in Scotland.
Harry Potter tours in Scotland are perfect for those who don’t want to spend time planning an itinerary and for those who want more than just to see locations—they want to hear stories and behind-the-scenes tales.
If your holiday is limited to the capital, you can take a two-hour walking tour of Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh.
With a few days available, you can join a Harry Potter tour of Scottish locations, choosing from 2, 3, 5-day or even week-long tours. The most popular tours are those that include a journey on the Hogwarts Express train.
Is your group a mix of die-hard fans and those less interested in the saga? Some Highlands tours, whilst not specifically Harry Potter-themed, include visits to some of the most beautiful locations where film scenes were shot. These tours keep everyone happy!
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