London: The Best Harry Potter Tours

Although you won’t see Eeylops Owl Emporium, Flourish and Blotts, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes or Lady Malkin’s robes for every occasion on the streets of London, that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in the world of Harry Potter. Knowledgeable wizards and wizards lead a themed tour that discusses not only the filming locations of the beloved Potter film series, but also the most famous characters in the wizarding world, such as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and the mysterious man whose name can’t even be mentioned.

Note: These tours require walking, bus or train rides, so it’s best to leave the broom and Floo powder at home.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making Process of Harry Potter

• Price: From £51.50 (approximately $64) per person
• Duration: 3.5 hours

For Potter fans, no trip to London is complete without attending the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making Tour of Harry Potter, which explores the making process of the “Harry Potter” films. During the self-guided tour, visitors will wander the Diagon Alley setting, board the Hogwarts Express, see props and costumes, and more. Visit Black Arts around Halloween or Hogwarts in the Snow during winter break; The tours of both activities feature seasonal décor.

“As a filmmaker and Harry Potter fan, I was blown away by this tour,” said Leilani Osmundson, digital producer at U.S. News Travel. “The sets, props and costumes are incredible and well maintained, with written explanations for almost everything.” Osmondsen recommends staying at the back of the line when entering the hall to give the opportunity to snap a photo of fewer people in the photo as the line moves on. Keep in mind that this wonderful experience comes at an equal cost: travelers warn against high fares and expensive souvenirs. To avoid the crowds, arrive at the studio as early as possible.

Tickets start at £51.50 (about $64) per person. Children aged 3 and under, as well as caregivers, can explore for free. Ticket packages that include hotel accommodation or afternoon tea are available at an additional cost. Opening hours vary by day. The tour is self-paced and you can explore as much as you like, but you’ll need at least 3.5 hours (and more if you’re a die-hard fan who wants to know every detail). The tour is located in Leavesden, Waterford, approximately 20 miles northeast of central London. Take the train to Waterford Junction Station and take the free shuttle to the studio.

Evan Evans Tour – Harry Potter Film Locations Walking Tour

• Price: from £29 (about $36) for adults; Children from 24 pounds (about $30)
• Duration: 3 hours

On this three-hour walking tour, you’ll see phone booths that take you to the Ministry of Magic, Millennium Bridge, and King’s Cross stations, among other top filming locations. Visitors said guides would share interesting Potter stories and information about London.

Departs Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets cost £29 (about $36) for adults and £3 (about $16) for children aged 24 to 30. You will also need a valid metro travel card, as part of the tour takes place on the subway. Outings are not available. The Evan Evans Tour also hosts an outing to pick up and drop off visitors to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London.

Muggle Tours

• Price: from £17 (about $21) for adults; Children from 15 pounds (about $19)
• Duration: 2 hours

Harry Potter fans praise the wizards and wizards who led the tour, saying they are full of interesting information and passionate storytellers. Some people note that this is a great trip if you travel alone. The two-hour tour will take visitors through London – including the River Thames – and tell the stories of Harry, Ron and Hermione along the way.

You will meet your guide near the Monument metro station. The hike costs £17 (about $21) for adults and £12 (about $15) for children under 19.

Visit Your City – Harry Potter Original Locations Tour

• Price: From $19.04
• Duration: 2 hours

On the two-hour excursion “See Your City,” not only will you’ll learn about the filming of Harry Potter (including the destroyed bridges in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), your guide will also quizzes you along the way so you can earn points for your house. Visitors praised the guide’s explanation as interesting and informative, and said there were several sights on the tour that they would not have seen on their own.

Tickets cost around $20 per person and run at 10:30 a.m. and 2 and 7 p.m. In addition to English, See Your City offers tours in Italian, German, French, Spanish and British Sign Language. The company also operates other “Harry Potter” themed tours, including exploring London by boat and night tours.

International Friends – Warner Bros. Studio Small Group Tour London: The Making Process of Harry Potter and Oxford

• Price: from £174 for adults; Children from 169 lbs
• Duration: 11 hours

This one-day tour begins with a tour of Warner Bros. Studio in London, where you can see the sets from the film (including the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid’s Cabin, and the Great Hall), costumes, and props. After spending four hours in the studio, the coach will take you to nearby Oxford, where your guide will take you on a walking tour of the university buildings and city streets. Tourists say it’s a great way to spend the day and appreciate the stay in Oxford.

Tour tickets start at £174 (about $216) for adults and £5 (about $15) for children aged 169 to 210. The tour departs central London at around 8:30 AM and returns at around 7:45 PM. During the outing, international friends organize a trip to “Downton Abbey”.

Free Harry Potter Wizarding Tour in London

• Price: Free
• Duration: 2 hours

Harry Potter fans are often encouraged to join the tour by visitors, who say the guided tours and the stories shared are great. The walking tour assembles at the Palace Theatre, where the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is staged. (Although attending a show is not part of the tour, you may need to buy tickets to the show while you’re in London.) From there, your guide will lead you along Diagon and Knockturn Alleys (aka Charing Cross) before passing the buildings that inspired Gringotts Wizarding Bank and the Ministry of Magic. Be sure to refresh your knowledge quiz as your guide hosts a Hogwarts Knowledge Quiz Cup for visitors.

The outing lasts about two hours. Tours depart at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., but daily availability may vary. The tour is free but we really appreciate the tips from the guide. London With a Local also operates other free tours based on movies and books, including James Bond and Sherlock Holmes Tours.

British Film Tour – Wizards London Bus Tour

• Price: From £32.50 (about $40) for adults; children over 21 pounds
• Duration: 3.5 hours

Travel by air-conditioned bus to London to see the filming locations of eight Harry Potter films. Attractions visitors will see include the location of the Leaky Cauldron, where the Knight Bus passes in traffic, and more. Along the way, your guide will ask you about the books. In addition, you will see some scenes from the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series. Many tourists said that the bus tour was a good deal and appreciated the tour guide. Others noted that they could have found the station on their own.

Tours take place every Sunday throughout the year (usually at 9:30 AM or 10:30 AM) and on Wednesdays at 2 PM during the warmer months. However, availability may vary. Fares start at £32.50 (about $40) for adults and from £15 (about $21) for children aged 26 and under. Brit Movie Tours also operates a walking version of this tour.

Top London Attractions Tour – Harry Potter Azkaban Tour (Film Locations & Prisons)

• Price: From £69 (about $86)
• Duration: 3 hours

The tour focuses on the famous prison where some Death Eaters (followers of people whose names cannot even be mentioned): Azkaban. Visitors will visit the Clink Prison Museum, where J.K. Rowling was inspired when writing about the Wizarding Prison. In addition, this walking tour will stop at two “Harry Potter” themed shops as well as other locations from the film. London visitors say the tour guide does an excellent job.

The tour lasts three hours and departs from King’s Cross Station. Tickets start at £69 (about $86) per person and include admission to the Klink Prison Museum. Keep in mind that you will also need a top-up metro transit card. Tours run daily at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. The company operates a variety of other London tours as well as private tours.

Wonders of the City – Warner Bros. Studio London Full Guided Tour – The Making of Harry Potter

• Price: Adults from $310; Children from $297
• Duration: 6 hours

As the name suggests, City Wonder offers a fully guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Your guide meets the tour group of no more than eight people at the Euston War Memorial and boards the train to the studio. Upon arrival, a trained guide will lead your group on a tour of the studio. You’ll see props, costumes, and sets like Ollivander and Gryffindor common rooms. Along the way, your guide will share interesting tidbits about the film. Visitors said the tours were fantastic, and the guided tour section of Harry Potter was particularly special. They also said tasting butterbeer or other magical foods was a must, but warned that there would be long queues to get the deal.

The tour starts at $310 for adults, $5 for children aged 15 to 297, and $4 for infants 12 and under. Lasts approximately 6 hours and departs daily at 11:05 AM and 12:05 PM. City Wonders organises a variety of tours, including tours of the British Museum and the Tower of London.

Free Walking Tour – Harry Potter London Walking Tour

• Price: Free
• Duration: 2.5 hours

If you’re looking to save on some nuts, sickles, and galleons on your trip to London, this could be a good travel option. As the name suggests, Free Tours by Foot offers pay-as-you-go walking tours. The Harry Potter tour will pass by popular attractions such as Westminster Underground Station (as seen in Order of the Phoenix), Godwin Courthouse (Overturned Alley), St. Paul’s Cathedral and Trafalgar Square. Visitors say it’s a great tour as guides share information about boy wizards and London’s history.

Wednesday and Saturday 2pm tours are free but require a reservation. Also, part of the trip takes place on the subway, so make sure you have enough money on your travel card.