Harry Potter Locations: Private Half-Day Tour in Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Scotland
Duration3h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

On this fantastic Harry Potter-inspired walking tour of Edinburgh, you will visit some of the haunts where J. K. Rowling would sip coffee and put pen to paper writing the first Harry Potter books as her baby daughter slept in her pram. Learn about this extraordinary author, see the places she drew inspiration from, and purchase novelties from Potter-themed shops.

Your tour takes you through the parts of Edinburgh that may well have inspired J.K. Rowling’s magical world - the cobblestone streets around the Grassmarket, evocative of a certain Diagon Alley. Stop outside Edinburgh City Chambers, where you’ll see J.K. Rowling’s handprints and the McEwan Hall, where she was awarded an honorary degree from the prestigious Edinburgh University. You’ll also wander through the eerie Greyfriars Kirkyard where Rowling may have picked up some of the more famous names in the books - you will see the real Tom Riddle’s grave!

What's included

  • Scottish whisky ice cream or butter brew flavour if available (1 per guest)
  • Plenty of time to take photos of your favourite places
  • A friendly, professional English-speaking tour guide for your own private group
  • Additional food and drink
  • Hotel pick up, we do recommend a centrally located start point
  • Transportation throughout experience
  • Gratuities

What to expect

  1. 30m
    Meet your tour guide outside the exclusive Balmoral Hotel where J.K.Rowling finished writing the last book in the series, the Deathly Hallows. Stop by Museum Context, aka Diagon House, a shop selling all things related to Harry Potter from wands to broomsticks to stuffed Hedwigs and Harry Potter T-shirts as well as a variety of other magical goodies.
  2. Edinburgh City Chambers
    30m
    Walk up to Edinburgh City Chambers to see J.K.Rowling’s handprints and signature, and pause at the Heart of Midlothian mosaic where Edinburgh Old Town begins to hear how Edinburgh influenced the author - and the impact J. K. Rowling has had on the city.
  3. Writers' Museum
    15m
    Pass by the Writers' Museum, where the first edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone / Philosopher’s Stone that was illustrated by J.K. Rowling went on public display.
  4. 30m
    Explore the narrow curved and cobbled Victoria Street, Candlemaker Row, and West Bow in the central Grassmarket Area - believed by some to be an inspiration for Diagon Alley (a cobblestone shopping street with stores selling wizardly supplies) in the Harry Potter books.
  5. Greyfriars
    30m
    Enjoy a famously delicious Langshaw Farmhouse Scottish whisky ice cream on us! Visit the Greyfriars Kirkyard after your icecream break, where several of the most prominent names in the series seem to have originated, including Riddle, Moodie and McGonagall.
  6. George Heriot's School
    15m
    Admire the medieval gothic architecture and house names of Edinburgh’s George Heriot's School, does it remind you of… Hogwarts?
  7. McEwan Hall
    15m · Admission ticket not included
    Stop outside the McEwan Hall - the graduation venue for the University of Edinburgh, and where J.K.Rowling received her honorary degree.
  8. 15m
    End your magical tour outside the location where it all began, where Nicholson’s once stood - the cafe where J.K.Rowling famously wrote the first Harry Potter books!

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Your guide will meet you outside the Balmoral Hotel, 1 Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ, United Kingdom.

End point

Finish at EH8 9DH- Harry's maternity ward.

Additional information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
From
$250.00 per person
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  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • Instant confirmation
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
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