Martin & Tina
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05. 02. 2025 Are you a Harry Potter fan? Then you must not miss Edinburgh, the magical city where one of the most iconic book series of all time was created. J.K. Rowling spent many years here and it was here that she wrote a large part of the stories about the boy who stayed alive. Edinburgh is teeming with the places that inspired the author to create the magical world and characters we know and love.
If you’re heading to Scotland’s capital city, get your wands ready and join us on a guided tour of Edinburgh’s most important Potter sites, where reality and magic intertwine. You’ll also find a 3-day itinerary for the best of Edinburgh on the site.
A long weekend in Edinburgh, the heart of Scotland
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1. The Elephant House Café
One of the most famous places not to be missed by Harry Potter fans in Edinburgh is The Elephant House Café. This café is known as the “birthplace of Harry Potter” because it was here that J.K. Rowling used to sit down for coffee and write the first books about the young wizard.
Unfortunately, in August 2021 the café was hit by fire and closed for a long time. However, the great news is that The Elephant House Café has reopened on Victoria Street, one of Edinburgh’s most beautiful streets. The restorers even saved the table Rowling used to write on, and you can now see it in the new cafe.
📍 Address of the new branch: The Elephant House, Victoria Street, Edinburgh
Victoria Street
Victoria Street, a picturesque and winding 19th-century cobbled lane, is one of Edinburgh’s most famous streets. Named after Queen Victoria, it is famous for its colourful houses and traditional shops. It is very popular with tourists and is definitely one of the “must-sees” when visiting Edinburgh.
Victoria Street is located just off the Royal Mile and is part of Old Town, which, along with New Town, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. This alley is said to have inspired Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books.
Our tip: the best place for a photo is on the gallery above Victoria Street, on the map you can find it as Victoria Terrace. The other option is to walk down to the end of the alley and take a photo from the bottom, then you’ll have the whole alley behind you. Again, we recommend heading here as early as possible as it starts to fill up with tourists very early. We were here around 8am and people were already starting to gather.
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2. Victoria Street – inspiration for the Cross Street
If you’ve ever dreamed of walking down Diagon Alley, then you should head to the aforementioned Victoria Street. This iconic street, with its colourful shop fronts, curved buildings and old-world atmosphere, is strongly reminiscent of the wizarding shopping district from the Harry Potter books and films. There are also several wizarding shops here, including The Boy Wizard and Museum Context, where you can buy themed souvenirs.
3. Greyfriars Kirkyard – inspiration for character names
Greyfriars Kirkyard is a mysterious and fascinating place to visit, not only for Harry Potter fans but also for history buffs. This old graveyard contains tombstones with names such as:
- Thomas Riddell (inspired the name of Tom Riddle, i.e. Voldemort),
- William McGonagall (Scottish poet, his surname was the inspiration for Professor McGonagall’s name)
- Margaret Louisa Scrymgeour Wedderburn (this name probably inspired the character of Rufus Scrimgeour, Minister of Magic in Deathly Hallows)
4. George Heriot’s School – possible inspiration for Hogwarts
George Heriot’s School is a beautiful, historic school that is reminiscent of Hogwarts, not only in its Gothic architecture, but also in the division of students into four houses – just like Hogwarts! J.K. Rowling never confirmed that this school was a direct inspiration for Hogwarts, but its majestic turrets and ancient walls look suspiciously magical.
The photo above is of another building in Edinburgh, you can look directly at the school on Google Streetview.
5. Balmoral Hotel
When J.K. Rowling was finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, she needed a quiet place to write. She chose the luxurious Balmoral Hotel, where she wrote the final chapter of the story of Harry, Hermione and Ron in 2007.
To commemorate this event, room 552 is named the “J.K. Rowling Suite” and inside is a marble plaque with her handwritten signature. If you want to experience true luxury and get closer to the world of Harry Potter, you can even stay here – the price per night in this room is in the thousands of pounds!
More Potter inspiration? Head to London!
Edinburgh is a great place to immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter, but if you’re looking for an even bigger wizarding adventure, London is not to be missed!
- Visit Warner Bros. Studio Tour
- You will walk around King’s Cross Station and Platform 9 ¾
- Discover real locations from the movies
You can get all this and more by unlocking a new itinerary from Peter, who has put together a detailed plan for 3 days in London packed with the best magic experiences.
London in the footsteps of Harry Potter
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