The Harry Potter route in Edinburgh is designed primarily for fans of the series, or to discover Edinburgh from another point of view. It is a tour of the places that inspired J.K. Rowling to create this wonderful series. In a previous post we told you what to see in Edinburgh in two days, and I think this is a great complement if, like me, you are a fan of the series.
Edinburgh already looks magical on its own, but if we add to that the idea of J.K Rowling being inspired by the great creation of HP, it becomes even more magical.
How about taking a free tour of Edinburgh, a good idea is the free tours of Edinburgh
Indice:
The beginning of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling arrived in Edinburgh from Porto (where she was living) after her separation. She came with the idea of living close to her sister, and being able to shape a story she had in mind, and had already begun, Harry Potter.
It is here in this city where they say he got inspiration for many of the things that appear in his books. Many are and many are not, but it is true that when you immerse yourself in this city, it seems like you are walking inside a movie. So when you walk around the city you almost start the Harry Potter route through Edinburgh without realizing it. Shall we begin?
Harry Potter route in Edinburgh
Where to start? How about the beginning? Let’s start with the cafeteria where the writer began to create Harry Potter and his world, and spent hours writing.
Nicolson’s Cafe (Spoon)
This cafe was owned by her sister’s husband, so it was a refuge for the writer in need of inspiration. Today Nicolson’s cafe is called Spoon, and is located at the intersection of Nicolson St and Drummond St. You can go in and visit it, and have a drink or a bite to eat there, but you won’t find anything related to Harry Potter there.
The Elephant House
Continuing our journey along the Harry Potter trail in Edinburgh, we will come to the famous Elephant House. There is a sign there that says “Birthplace of Harry Potter”. It is here that the writer spent many hours sitting at one of the tables contemplating the city, while writing the story of the boy who lived.
We can also access this cafeteria, and in it, yes, we will find details that remind us that the writer spent her hours here, but don’t forget to visit its bathrooms, they are full of graffiti left by HP fans.
Greyfriars Kirkyard
A few steps away we arrived at Greyfriars Cemetery. In addition to finding an environment that one imagines the writer could have been inspired by for any of the scenes, we went directly to see two of the graves.
To our amazement we came across the grave of Tom Riddle (Lord Voldemort). Inspiration or coincidence?
If we continue along the route we find the grave of McGonagall, a Scottish poet with the same surname as the Hogwarts professor. We ask ourselves the same question again: coincidence?
George Heriot’s School
Speaking of Hogwarts, we come to George Heriot’s School. Built in 1628 as an orphanage and school, it is today an important school in the city.
J.K. Rowling has never confirmed that she was inspired by this school when creating Hogwarts, but she has always said that Hogwarts is in Scotland.
Coincidentally or not, the school is divided into four houses, has four towers, and has 17th century architecture.
It is not a bad idea to start with a free tour of Edinburgh and then do the Harry Potter tour
Or join the Harry Potter Free Walking Tour of Edinburgh, with a guide you will have a great time!
Victoria Street
Continuing along the route, our steps take us to the wonderful Victoria Street. Many say that this street inspired the creation of Diagon Alley.
Walking down this street is magical in itself, but you will also find some shops dedicated to Harry Potter. I advise you to go in even if you don’t want to buy anything, they are very charming.
Mercat Cross
Many say that the tower of Mercat Cross is very similar to the entrance to the chamber of secrets in Mirtle the Weeping Lady’s bathroom, and see there a possible inspiration. Draw your own conclusions…
Stands at Edinburgh Castle
During the Edinburgh festival, which takes place in August, stands are placed at the entrance to the castle. It could have been inspiration or at least it looks a lot like Quidditch stadiums.
Walking through this city has a very special charm. We will discover that very close to the aforementioned Spoon café we will find Mc Gonagall’s apartment, or we can pass under a passage called Potterow, curious, isn’t it?
Edinburgh City Chambers
Our steps now lead us to the Royal Mile. Here we will visit the Edinburgh City Chambers to see the handprints of the writer, placed there among other famous people of the city.
Where will we end up?….. where the story ended…
Hotel Balmoral
The year was 2007, and J.K. Rowling could no longer write in coffee shops due to her fame.
She then stayed in room 652 of the Balmoral Hotel to write the end of the last book in the series, which he did on January 11 of that year, thus ending the adventures of the legendary Harry Potter.
There are several tours in Edinburgh about Harry Potter, here are some of them:
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NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links.
