Edinburgh Harry Potter Self-Guided Private Tour

Welcome to the “birthplace of Harry Potter” – You can hardly fail to notice the prominent slogan above the entrance of the Elephant House Café. This is where JK Rowling spent a great deal of time writing the first Harry Potter book in, and even parts of the second and the third.

This is the graveyard that can be seen from the back of the Elephant House Café, and it is believed to have inspired the graveyard of Little Hangleton in ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Step in with Jule to discover all it's haunted attractions and why is this place so related to the novels J.K. Rowling wrote.

The graves of Thomas Riddell, Esq. and Thomas Riddell, Esq., his son, are probably the most well-visited graves in all of Edinburgh. This is ironic, as we know very little about the actual Riddell family that lies buried here. Discover the story behind this character and more!

Discover all headstones from famous (and not so famous) characters of the Harry Potter Sagas that are scattered around all over this amazing graveyard.

On the wall to the left of the gates, you can see a black tombstone with the portrait of a man on it. This is William Topaz McGonagall – otherwise known as the worst poet in English-speaking history. Learn why this character is related to a famous Harry Potter Character

Learn the history behind one of the buildings that were the inspiration of Hogwarts, the school of wizards, in Harry Potter history.

Hogwarts is also described as a castle-like school, situated on top of a hill, with a giant lake to one side. Guess what, Edinburgh Castle is just like that!

Learn the history behind the castle and its relation with Harry Potter's Hogwarts, another stepping stone of the story and a must-visit of Edinburgh's attractions.

Diagon Alley in the books is described as a cobblestone street, lined with coloured shopfronts on either side. While strolling about Victoria Street, Jule will tell you all the secrets and similarities between both magical places.

Museum Context is the first Harry Potter Shop that was opened in Edinburgh. This shop is a must-see for Harry Potter fans, with a great photo opportunity on the third floor as an added bonus!

Enjoy the amazing view of this spot while imagining the whole story of Harry Potter taking place right in front of you.

This is part of the University of Edinburgh and is where you will find the School of Theology and Divinity. Inside, they have an old library that resembles the one of Hogwarts, and they even have a great hall where students have their meals.

The building with the clock tower across the valley is the Balmoral Hotel, the most expensive hotel in Edinburgh. This is also the place where JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This is obviously a big change from her humble beginnings of writing in cafes across the city and really emphasises how much Harry Potter changed her life.

On the ground you can see some golden handprints – these are the handprints of people who have won the Edinburgh Award. This is a prize that is given out yearly since 2007 to one person who has made Edinburgh famous around the world or has impacted the city positively in another way. In 2008, the Award went to JK Rowling, as Edinburgh is now known as the birthplace of Harry Potter thanks to her.