Harry Potter Tour of Edinburgh

Did you know that Lord Voldemort himself is buried in Edinburgh Cemetery? Did you know that if you were to receive a letter of admission to Hogwarts, Edinburgh Castle would surely be your final destination? It was on the streets of Edinburgh that J. K. Rowling found inspiration for the setting of her novels. Upon discovering this, my desire to visit the city instantly increased.

Whether you're a fan of the saga or not, this Harry Potter Edinburgh tour is an experience you'll thoroughly enjoy because not only will you hear stories about the most famous wizarding story of all time, but you'll also see some of the city's most iconic landmarks along the way.

The writer already had Harry's story outlined when she moved to the Scottish capital, but her pages lacked realism, places and names to set the young wizard's story.

In Edinburgh he found all those details; as he sat in the city' s cafés he conceived the final shape of Diagon Alley, as he strolled around Edinburgh Castle he began to decide what Hogwarts school would be like, and when he didn't know what to name his characters he just took a stroll through the city's graveyard.

This Harry Potter Edinburgh tour, for £14, is one of the most popular walking tours of Edinburgh, so I recommend you book early. After booking online you will receive a confirmation email with details of the meeting point. If you have any unforeseen circumstances you can cancel 24 hours in advance.

Useful information

First of all, a word of warning: Edinburgh's importance in relation to Harry Potter has been growing. Many of the places in the city that are associated with the saga have been confirmed by the author as inspirational, but others are the fruits of the collective imagination. That's why it's important to visit them all as part of a guided tour in which an expert separates the legend from the truth. In any case, here are the main points on the Harry Potter route through Edinburgh:

Spoon Coffee Shop

Until recently, this coffee shop on Nicholson Street (formerly the Nicholson Café) had a plaque that made it clear that the first floor of the café was where J K Rowling wrote some of the Harry Potter chapters. Indeed this was one of the places frequented by the author when she arrived in Edinburgh with her young daughter.

The Elephant House Café

The writer spent a considerable amount of time in this café, The Elephant House, writing the saga, but it doesn't mean (as advertised on the premises) that this is where she conceived the idea.

George Heriot School

It is often said that it was Edinburgh Castle where the author found the inspiration for Hogwarts School as it is situated on a hilltop like the castle in the books. However, the author has said that it was primarily this building (originally an orphanage and now one of the most expensive schools in the city) that served as the inspiration for the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Greyfriar's Cemetery

You've probably wondered where names like Tom Riddle and McGonagall came from. Some of the graves in this cemetery hold the answer and it's also a place (this is just a personal note) where you can easily imagine the scene at the end of the Triwizard Tournament.

Victoria Street, Candlemaker Row or Cockburn Street

The Diagon Alley could not be missing in this route. These are some of the streets that most visually relate to the place where wizards buy their books and school supplies. It is true that Rowling was fond of walking in the area, but she has neither confirmed nor denied that the alley was inspired by these streets. In any case, it is a charming walk.

Balmoral Hotel

This is the place where the saga was completed in 2007. Room 552 now bears the name of the J.K. Rowling Suite and is rented out for a "modest" fee to wealthy fans of the saga.

Edinburgh University

This university has one of the most special graduation ceremonies in existence. During the ceremony, students are given a touch of the historic hat. Sound familiar?

Meadows Park

Inventing the rules of a sport is a tall order, but in the case of J. K. Rowling, it's not just for the thrill of the saga. In this park, a version of Quidditch is played every weekend on a broomstick, unfortunately not a flying one.

Edinburgh City Hall

If you look closely, near the City Chambers you will find a tile in the floor with the author's handprints on it. She put them there in 2008 when the city gave her an award for her contribution to the city's tourism.

Ana's Traveller Tip

If you want to do the Harry Potter trail on your own, grab a map of the city and write down the locations - although you'll miss the stories, it won't be difficult.

Relating a real place to a legend or a story is the easiest way to remember its points of interest and to make it stick in your memory a little bit more. If you enjoyed the Harry Potter Edinburgh experience, you can't miss out on the country's greatest legend: the Loch Ness Monster.

You'll have to travel a few kilometres by road to do this, but there are a number of organised tours available that will take you one or two days to discover the secrets of the Scottish Highlands, located about three hours from Edinburgh. If you want to know more about this possibility, you can read this article about the Scottish Highlands. Loch Ness and other Loch Day Trips from Edinburgh.

If you prefer to get to know the city and its surroundings, there are plenty of guided tours to choose from. I've outlined the best ones in my guide to Best Tours and Day Trips from Edinburgh.