A practical guide to all Harry Potter things in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and together with Glasgow the most visited city for those who want a taste of Scotland. Known for its rich history and Scottish culture, it is no surprise that Edinburgh attracts millions of visitors each year. But among Harry Potter fans Edinburgh is also known for something else: the city is often quoted as being the birthplace of Harry Potter. Being a huge Harry Potter fan myself, of course, I had to see this city with my own eyes.

Why is Edinburgh so important for Harry Potter fans?

It is widely accepted among fans that Edinburgh is the birthplace of Harry Potter. However, if we dig deep enough, we find that that’s not entirely true.

In 2020, J.K. Rowling revealed that the true birthplace of Harry Potter was actually a flat on St John’s Road in Clapham Junction, southwest London. That is if you define birthplace as the spot where she first put pen to paper to write about the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Another location that often pops up as the birthplace of Harry Potter is a delayed Manchester-London train in 1990. This is where Rowling first got the idea of an orphaned wizard boy who sets out to have great adventures in his wizarding school.

Wherever the true birthplace of Harry Potter may be, Edinburgh is still an important city for many Harry Potter fans. Rowling said about the city that “Edinburgh is the place where Harry evolved over seven books and many, many hours of writing in its cafés.”

Many landmarks claim to be an important part of the inspiration for the author, but unfortunately, that is something only Rowling herself knows to be true or not. That doesn’t change the fact that Edinburgh does have some amazing spots to visit for true Harry Potter fans. After all, it’s in the reader’s imagination where the magic truly comes to life, so why not cast a little magic around this beautiful city?

The Elephant House

Probably the most famous café in Edinburgh when it comes to Harry Potter must-see locations. The Elephant House is a little café located right by the National Museum of Scotland and Greyfriars Bobby Statue on George IV Bridge. Their claim of being the “birthplace” of Harry Potter is a bit over the top, but it is indeed a fact that Rowling penned down a lot of pages in the backroom of this café.

Magical or not, the café serves excellent tea and coffee and the most interesting place for a Harry Potter fan is, surprisingly, the bathroom. Over the years, hundreds of Harry Potter fans have left little love notes on every available surface. You won’t run into Rowling herself in the café, but one of the best parts of visiting this café is seeing all the Potterheads, both you and old, marvel at this historic landmark.

Unfortunately, the café was heavily damaged in a fire in August 2021. It is unclear when or even if the café can reopen again. A bit of good news: the table that Rowling wrote on has been salvaged from the fire, so it seems that a little magic did survive.

Nicolson’s Café

During her early writing years, Rowling was on assistance and had some trouble making ends meet while taking care of her daughter Jessica. She said that her daughter had a hard time falling asleep except when she was moving, so Rowling would take her out into the city, tie her out and when she finally fell asleep, Rowling would enter the nearest café and start to write. Her favorite writing spots were cafés where she could write all day for the price of a cup of coffee.

Nicolson’s Café on Nicolson Street is one of those cafés where Rowling wrote frequently. Back in the 90s, the café was owned by Rowling’s brother-in-law, so she didn’t feel guilty about taking up a table to write all day. Since then, the café has been turned into a Chinese restaurant and more recently into a bistro named Spoon. You can find the café on the corner of South Bridge and Drummond Street. A small plaque will show you if you are in the right place or not.

Because Nicolson’s Café changed owners and names since Rowling sat there to write, it is usually much less busy than the more popular Elephant House. The building remains the same though, so why don’t you head inside for some coffee and look out the same windows Rowling did all those years ago. Who knows, you might get inspired too.

Victoria Street

Across the National Library of Scotland and just down the road from the Elephant House, you can find the colorful Victoria Street. The street is lined with shops and restaurants and is believed to be an inspiration for Diagon Alley. The beauty of this street is best viewed from down below Grassmarket.

Whether Victoria Street was the inspiration for Diagon Alley or not, the street is an excellent place to stroll through, visit some shops and get something to eat. Let your own imagination conjure up the magic and pretend you are indeed walking through Diagon Alley here.

Fun history fact: West Bow, the lower part of Victoria Street, has some interesting wizarding tales of its own. You see, West Bow was the location of Major Thomas Weir’s house, a high-standing member of Edinburgh society who confessed to witchcraft. Both he and his sister, who joined him with her own confession of sorcery and witchcraft, were executed in 1670.

Greyfriar’s Kirkyard

Another popular Harry Potter destination is Greyfriar’s Kirkyard. This beautiful cemetery is located between the Elephant House and Grassmarket.

It is believed that Rowling would stroll the streets of Edinburgh in between her writing sessions and that she may have walked around Greyfriar’s Kirkyard. If you have an eye for detail, you might find some gravestones of Robert Potter, William McGonagall, Elizabeth Moodie or Margaret Louisa Scrymgeour Wedderburn. The most famous gravestone is without a doubt the one of Thomas Riddell, which may or may not have inspired Rowling in naming He Who Must Not Be Named.

Fancy a walk around the graveyard yourself? The graveyard is almost always open and an excellent place for some peace and quiet from the city. Please be aware that Greyfriar’s Kirk is an active church and be respectful upon entering the Kirkyard.

The Balmoral Hotel

The Balmoral Hotel is the place where Rowling finished the final Harry Potter book. It is here, in room 552, now named the J.K. Rowling Suite, that she wrote on a marble bust of the god Hermes (which she later apologized for).

You can stay at this beautiful hotel, but you’ll have to dig deep into your pockets. The J.K. Rowling Suite goes for about €2.250 a night. For those of us who don’t have 7 all-time best-selling novels and an entire franchise, you could just as easily enjoy the view of the hotel from the outside or venture inside for some fancy afternoon tea in one of the restaurants.

Rowling’s Golden Handprints

You can find Rowling’s Golden Handprints right in front of the Edinburgh City Chambers at 253 High Street. Rowling achieved the honor of having her handprints reproduced on flagstone after winning the Edinburgh Award in 2008.

The National Museum of Scotland

This might be a weird one, but the National Museum of Scotland does have a Harry Potter connection. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Ron teaches Harry the wonderful game of Wizard Chess. While not explicitly described so in the books, the first movie shows Wizard Chess with the Lewis Chess Pieces, which you can view in the, you guessed it, National Museum of Scotland.

Magical shopping experience

With all this Harry Potter history, magical shops inspired by Harry Potter were bound to pop up in Edinburgh. You’ll find no shortage of wand shops, owlstores, or Hogwarts robe shops in Edinburgh. Museum Context might be the most famous magical store there is in Edinburgh, and also my personal favorite. You can find their stores both on Victoria Street and Cockburn Street. What’s also great about Museum Context is that it sells so much more than magical Harry Potter stuff, so you’re in for a treat if you enjoy special curios and collectibles.

Harry Potter walking tours

Do you want to see all this and more, but you’re not so gifted in the navigation department? I have good news for you. There are dozens, often free, Harry Potter walking tours around Edinburgh. These guided tours are designed for fans and will not only bring you to all famous Harry Potter sites, they are also a great way to make new Potterhead friends. Some popular walking tours are the Harry Potter Walking Tour (2 hours - €15 p.p.) and the Potter Trail (1,5 hours – free, but tips are expected). And did you know that the Potter Trail is actually an award-winning experience? If you really want to go all out, you should look into the Potter Tour. This (also award-winning) tour is no less than 4 hours!

Brew your own potion

There’s a good chance you’ll be thirsty after all that walking. Don’t worry, Edinburgh has many opportunities for magical refreshments.

The Cauldron is an immersive 2-hour potion-making experience where you step into the magic world of Harry Potter. You get your own wand (which works, muggle or not!) that interacts with the space around you and which you need to brew your potions. Next, you get to brew not one but two magic cocktails, each with different properties and effects. The experience is self-guided, but if you’re not feeling too confident about not poisoning yourself, you can always ask the help of a resident potion master, or at least if it’s not Snape! Not really into cocktails (or mocktails)? You can also opt for the magical wizard afternoon tea experience.

Convinced you want to try your hand at some potion brewing? The Cauldron is open Wednesday till Sunday and can be found at 57a Frederick Street. To guarantee yourself a seat in this potion class, please book beforehand. (Did you know the Cauldron also has locations in London, New York, and Philadelphia?)

The Department of Magic is more than just a potion brewing class. If you’re not quite ready to start with potion brewing, you could also try their two magic-themed escape room puzzles. Afterward, whether as a reward or as a way of drowning your sorrows, you might want to try their Magic Potions Masterclass. This potion class can be found on Blair Street, a side street right between the Elephant House and Victoria Street. You can stop by for a magical escape room or potion brewing session each day of the week, but don’t forget to book in advance.

Harry Potter locations that are not in Edinburgh, but close enough

Jacobite Steam Train – An absolute must-do for any Harry Potter fan is riding the Jacobite Steam Train, otherwise known as the true Hogwarts Express. Contrary to the books, this train doesn’t leave from King’s Cross platform 9 ¾, but from Fort William to Mallaig. On this magical journey, you’ll cross the beautiful Glenfinnan Viaduct just like in the movies.

The train doesn’t run all year, so check the dates, but generally, you can book tickets between April and October. True Potterheads should book a first-class ticket and head to carriage D, which has compartments. If you want those picture-perfect views, find yourself a place on the left side of the train.

Alnwick Castle – Another close by and famous Harry Potter must-see location is Alnwick Castle. Alnwick Castle is actually used as a filming location for Harry Potter (and Downton Abbey, for those of us who love all British things). The castle is about 1,5 hours southeast of Edinburgh.

The Castle is open daily from 10 to 17:30 with the last admissions at 15:45. Like many Scottish castles, Alnwick Castle has a “Pay for a day, enjoy for a year” kind of ticketing system. An adult ticket is about €23. Please note that a ticket to the castle does not include access to the gardens. If you wish to visit the gardens, you must buy another ticket from the Alnwick Garden website.