Finding Harry Potter in Edinburgh, Scotland
When my husband suggested that we spend a few days of our fall break in Scotland, I was very excited. I had never been to the medieval town of Edinburgh, but I was very eager to experience some fantastic Scottish culture and attractions. I also wanted to find all of the Harry Potter sites that I could while visiting Scotland.
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To tell you the absolute truth, I didn’t know much about Scotland before taking this trip, and I didn’t have much time to do a lot of research before we left for Scotland.
From my days of studying British literature in the university, I mostly could remember some of the kings and queens: Queen Mary, King James, Macbeth.
My family also has some Scottish ancestry, so I knew all about the tartans and kilts. I was excited to do some shopping for Scottish tartans and other cultural treasures.
At this point in time, you might be asking yourself, “What about Harry?” I’m getting to that! 🙂
Glimpses of the Magical World of Harry Potter
Just after arriving in Edinburgh, I noticed a very interesting, double-decker bus that looked very much like the night bus from Harry Potter. I didn’t think much of it, but when I passed a building that said it was the “birthplace of Harry Potter”, I started to get very curious. Was it coincidence that these were the first few images that caught my attention or was there magic in the air? Had I entered into the world of Harry Potter?
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After a bit of investigating, I found out that Edinburgh was one of the best places to find places having to do with Harry Potter! I had hit the jackpot and didn’t even know it!! Now, I only had to convince my husband that we needed to add a few extra sites to our Edinburgh itinerary to make this the best trip to Scotland!
Let me show you just what we found!
Knight Bus from Harry Potter
As I mentioned before, the wizards’ bus was one of the first Harry Potter things that my husband and I noticed when we got off the Airlink shuttle bus from the airport. We had arrived in the center of Edinburgh at Waverly Bridge, and though it was dark outside, the lights from the nearby shops gave us enough light to notice this black, double-decker bus.
To any unsuspecting muggle, this antique-looking bus would have just been seen as a tourist bus, since the words, “The Ghost Bus Tours” were easily visible on the outside. I wasn’t as fooled, since the only thing I could think of was that it looked very much like the Knight Bus from Harry Potter. I knew that the original one was a purple, triple-decker bus, but for some reason, the sight of this bus just made me think “Harry Potter”.
Not Your Average Double-Decker Bus
One other thing that I noticed right away was that there were tables with lamps on top of them within the bus. I was fully aware that the people on the bus were going on a tour of all the spooky aspects of Edinburgh, but it was fun to try to spot the occasional waving wand.
I loved that my first impression of Edinburgh was at night. It truly set the mood for the rest of the trip, and the sight of this spooky bus helped get me in the Harry Potter mood. I was on the lookout for wizards in long capes and witches with pointed hats.
Greyfriar’s Kirkyard
If you ever want an experience like the one Harry Potter had when he returned home to Godric’s Hollow and visited the cemetery near his home, you definitely could experience that at the Greyfriar Cemetery in Edinburgh, Scotland. This very old cemetery was located very close to where we were staying, but because it was situated behind a main street, we didn’t even know it was there until we went looking for it. We decided to check it out one morning in the cover of clouds as the morning fog was just beginning to lift.
To say this place was spooky was an understatement. A large gate separated the cemetery from life on the streets of Old Town Edinburgh. There was even a skeleton on the front of the main building to remind us just where we were entering.
Finding Professor McGonagall in Scotland
Near the main building of the cemetery is a very large sign with the names of the most important members of the cemetery, or at least, that is what the sign says. If you notice the very bottom of the sign, there is the name of a Scottish poet with the last name McGonagall.
This is the same last name as Professor McGonagall, one of Harry Potter’s strongest allies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I had never been to a graveyard quite like this, and the more we walked, the more we noticed how similar it was to things from Harry Potter’s world.
We were very sure to be quiet and respectful for those who were taking their final rest, but I have to say that it was kind of cool to walk down the same path that J.K. Rowling had taken on the day when she noticed these names. This place inspired her to create magic on paper. This was truly a unique, Harry Potter experience.
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Finding the Potter Family Graves in Scotland
We even found a stone that had quite a few names on it. One name in particular caught my attention. It was the last name “Potter”.
Now, I know that J.K Rowling got the last name Potter from a family friend. However, the fact that there were so many people in that cemetery who also had the last name Potter just seemed to be too eerie of a coincidence. Cool? Yes, but still a bit creepy!
If you try, you can even find the grave of Thomas Riddell. For me, I like to call him, “He Who Should Not Have a Picture of His Grave Taken!” 😉
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J.K. Rowley’s Handprints
Another place in Edinburgh, Scotland where you can actually see where J.K. Rowling has been would be at a certain section of High Street. Here, you can find the author’s hands imprinted into the stone pavement.
Much like the Greyfriar’s Kirkyard, these handprints would easily go undetected if you weren’t looking for them. This is mostly because the handprints weren’t on the main part of the sidewalk, but they were, instead, located just on the other side of a gate to the City Chambers.
It isn’t just J.K. Rowling who has handprints in this location. There are other famous Scots who have received the Edinburgh Award, an award given to a member of the city who has made a considerable contribution. I thought it was neat to see many professors in J.K.’s company on the pavement. Very cool, Edinburgh!
The Elephant House (the Birthplace of Harry Potter)
The next stop on the Harry Potter hunt was the Elephant House cafe. This building is very easy to find, since it is located on George IV Bridge, one of the main streets in the older part of Edinburgh.
We walked down this street many times on our way back to our hotel. However, it would have been very hard to miss this brightly-painted building. There were many signs on the front of the building stating that it was the “birthplace of Harry Potter”. That helped us know we were in the right spot!
Take a seat in the same booth J.K. Rowling sat in when thinking up characters and plot twists. You would think that they serve magic in their tea with the excitement such a feeling can give.
Finding Harry Potter on Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland
One place that is just too pretty to miss when you are visiting Edinburgh is Victoria Street. Not only is this one of the prettiest and most colorful streets in all of Edinburgh, in my opinion, but it is also J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley.
Walking down this street gives you the feeling that you have stumbled upon a secret and, dare I say, magical city. The shops and restaurants along this street are equally as unique and well worth a visit. Two specific shops are actually mentioned below as other worth-while, Harry Potter sites.
The Boy Wizard Store
If the name on the front of this shop doesn’t interest your curiosity, what is inside will definitely impress you. You can get glimpses of the wizardry world just by peeking inside the window of The Boy Wizard shop. However, if you don’t go in, you will regret it.
Everything you could ever imagine to find in a Harry Potter store and more is located in The Boy Wizard. The hard part is deciding what to get! They have clothing items, dolls, books, wands…you name it! They have it! It is truly the paradise of a die-hard Harry Potter fan!
Museum Context
Another shop on Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland is the Museum Context. When The Boy Wizard is great for Harry Potter fans, the Museum Context is more for real wizards shopping on Diagon Alley.
This shop has many items that are more from the “spooky” category if you ask me. Shopping here will make you feel like you are really shopping for magical items on Diagon Alley!! The experience is one that you can’t pass up.
Opening the Chamber of Secrets in Edinburgh
If you manage to work your way upstairs in the Museum Context, you will so glad you did. Here you will not only find a great photo opportunity. You will also see some items that will make you feel like you have just stepped into the second Harry Potter book: The Chamber of Secrets. Beware the basilisk!!
Guest Entrance to the Ministry of Magic
Now, I know full well that the original, red telephone booth that was the guest entrance to the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter was actually in London, but who is to say that there aren’t any magical booths in Edinburgh?
We were certainly willing to find out! Lucky for us, these bright, red booths can be found all throughout the older part of Edinburgh!
Hidden Alleyways / Closes of Edinburgh
One thing that I thought to include in this post is the “closes” of Edinburgh. Though they don’t have an major, Harry Potter significance, they really reminded me of the dark alleyways off of Diagon Alley from the movies.
We loved them for all the charm that was secretly hidden. You may find a restaurant, flower shop or kilt shop.
There are even tours that you can take of the different “closes” or alleyways. I could see them being hidden passages for those magical people who wouldn’t want to be seen, but perhaps, that is just me being a bit dramatic! 🙂
Making Magical Memories in Scotland
If you are hoping to find Harry Potter on your next trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, this is easy to do. I can tell you truthfully that it won’t take much planning or searching to see all of these sites. Just follow this itinerary! We also had no problem seeing many other non-Harry Potter sites. We managed to fit it all in to our itinerary and had an amazing time!!
If you are thinking of expanding your trip to Scotland to experience the Scottish Highlands, be sure to check out my video of our trip in search of the Loch Ness Monster! It will inspire you to get out an explore this wonderful country.
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