5 Places Every Harry Potter Fan Needs to See in Edinburgh

The entire city of Edinburgh is filled with dark, gothic architecture. After walking the streets and marveling at the beauty around me, it’s not surprising that many books and movies got their inspiration from this city. One of the most famous examples of this is Harry Potter.

J.K. Rowling wrote most of the Harry Potter book series in Edinburgh. In fact, a lot of the earlier books were written at a cafe that she frequented. If you look closely, you’ll start to see how parts of Edinburgh influenced scenes, descriptions, and even names in the series.

There are a number of walking tours you can take that will point out the different spots of inspiration, but if you’d like to explore on your own, here are the top 5 places you should plan to visit.

Greyfriars Kirkyard

The most notable cafe in which J.K. Rowling wrote part of the Harry Potter series is Elephant House Cafe. This cafe happened to overlook a cemetery called Greyfriars Kirkyard. It’s open to the public and you can walk around at virtually any time, day or night.

While you’re exploring, keep an eye out for some familiar names. Rowling has said in interviews that she gathers names from various locations, including cemeteries, and she frequently takes breaks to walk through Greyfriars Kirkyard. So, when we see names on gravestones like Thomas Riddell, William McGonagall, Sirius Black, and Robert Potter, we have to assume some inspiration came from these.

Due to a fire, Elephant House Cafe had to close its doors for a number of years. However, they are now open at a new location on a very fitting street: Victoria Street.

Victoria Street

Potentially one of the most famous streets in all of Edinburgh, Victoria Street is certainly striking! You’ll know it when you see it as you’ll be met with an entire curved street lined with colorful specialty shops selling everything from candles to leather goods to whisky and more. 

This street is said to have inspired Diagon Alley, the area where Harry Potter and his friends always did their back-to-school shopping. They had shops for wands, broomsticks, owls, etc. While we don’t have access to flying broomsticks, our muggle shops are still worth exploring.

You’ll find Elephant House Cafe along this street. Look for a bright red facade! You’ll also find Museum Context along this street. This is a Harry Potter museum and merch store that’s worth a look around.

Edinburgh Castle and George Hariot’s School

While there hasn’t been proof of any sole place inspiring Hogwarts, it’s believed that Edinburgh Castle and George Hariot’s School played a role. Edinburgh Castle is a striking icon of Edinburgh and sits up on a hill. You can buy tickets or hire a tour guide to show you around the Castle.

George Hariot’s School is a running school, so it’s not open to the public, but you can actually glimpse it from Greyfriars Kirkyard. You’ll notice bits of resemblance between this school and Hogwarts. I’ve also been told that the students at George Hariot’s are all split into four different houses. This is apparently the case with a lot of schools in Scotland, but I thought this was an interesting tidbit from the books that appears to be true.

Balmoral Hotel

By the time she was writing the final books of the Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling was growing quite famous. She couldn’t write in cafes without being recognized and interrupted, so she finished the series in one of the suites in the Balmoral Hotel.

The suite she used is now known as the J.K. Rowling Suite and you can even book a stay in the same room! It still has the writing desk she used along with other Harry Potter details around the room.

Department of Magic

Department of Magic is an underground cocktail bar where you can mix your own potions (i.e., alcoholic or nonalcoholic drinks) to drink! After choosing your drink, your waiter will bring you a tray of ingredients and instructions for how to mix it. Your drink may bubble or smoke while you’re mixing it which makes the experience a lot of fun!

I came around 5 pm and was able to get a table, but it filled up rather quickly, so I’d suggest making a reservation.

Officially, this bar has no real ties to J.K. Rowling or Harry Potter, and it certainly didn’t serve as inspiration for the books, but the theme is there and it’s a fun way to bring magic into your own life during your stay in Edinburgh.