How I’d Plan a Harry Potter-Inspired Trip Through England and Scotland

A whole new generation is about to get its Hogwarts letter.

With the new Harry Potter television series expected in 2027, I’ve been thinking about how much fun it would be to plan a trip that takes you beyond watching the Wizarding World on a screen—and into some of the real places that brought it to life.

And I’m not talking about flying to London, taking one Harry Potter tour and calling it good.

If I were planning a Harry Potter-inspired trip through England and Scotland, I’d make a vacation out of it: film locations in London, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Oxford, Alnwick Castle, Edinburgh and finally the Scottish Highlands, where you can experience some of the scenery you’ll recognize from the films.

Basically, whether you’ve loved Harry Potter for 25 years or the new series is about to introduce you to the Wizarding World for the first time, I have an itinerary for you.

Start in London

I’d start with four nights in London.

Partly because there’s a LOT of Harry Potter to see here, but also because…it’s London. I don’t want to plan an entire trip across the ocean and forget that we should probably see some things that have nothing to do with wizards.

One of the first things I’d include is a guided Harry Potter filming locations walking tour. You’ll recognize locations used throughout the films while also getting your bearings in the city.

And of course, we need to go to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.

This is different from visiting a filming location. Here, you’re actually going behind the scenes of the movies. You can walk through sets including the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and the Forbidden Forest and see original costumes and props from the films.

For a Harry Potter fan, I consider this a must.

It’s also one of those experiences I’d want planned early. Tickets are timed and must be booked in advance, so this is not something I’d leave until you arrive in London and decide what you feel like doing that day.

Take a Day Trip to Oxford

While you’re based in London, I’d also plan a day trip by train to Oxford.

Oxford gives you another chance to step into locations that actually appeared in the movies while also seeing one of England’s most famous university cities.

The Bodleian Library’s Duke Humfrey’s Library appeared as the Hogwarts library, while the Divinity School became the Hogwarts hospital wing. At Christ Church, you can see the staircase used when the first-year students arrive at Hogwarts.

And even outside the Harry Potter connections, Oxford just works with this trip. Historic colleges, old libraries, stone buildings…you’re not exactly going to ruin the mood.

After Oxford, head back to London for the night.

Next Stop: Edinburgh

From London, I’d take the train north to Edinburgh and settle in for several nights.

This is where I’d rather have the transportation and hotel already arranged instead of trying to piece everything together as we go. You can absolutely travel through England and Scotland independently, but independent doesn’t have to mean figuring out every train, transfer, tour and ticket by yourself.

This is where working with a travel agent can give you the best of both worlds: a trip that feels independent without requiring you to personally build every moving piece.

Once in Edinburgh, I’d include a private Harry Potter walking tour. There are plenty of stories connecting Edinburgh with the writing of the books, and the city itself certainly doesn’t hurt the atmosphere—winding streets, stone buildings, closes, old cemeteries and a castle overlooking the city.

But I’d also leave you time to enjoy Edinburgh for what it is. Not every hour of this vacation needs a Harry Potter label on it.

That’s actually one of the things I like most about this itinerary.

You’re planning a great England and Scotland vacation first. The Harry Potter experiences make it even better.

Take a Day Trip to Alnwick Castle

From Edinburgh, I’d plan a guided day trip south across the border into England to visit Alnwick Castle.

If you watched the early Harry Potter movies and thought, “Okay, NOW that looks like Hogwarts,” there’s a reason.

Alnwick Castle appeared as Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The Outer Bailey is where Harry had his first broomstick lesson, and several of the castle’s courtyards and grounds appeared throughout the films.

And yes, you can actually take part in broomstick training here.

Would I be doing it?

Obviously.

Broomstick training is currently included with castle admission, but sessions require a same-day time slot and operate weather permitting. That’s exactly the kind of detail I’d account for when planning your visit.

The nice thing about visiting Alnwick as a guided day trip is that we don’t have to complicate the entire itinerary by changing hotels for one night or figuring out what to do with luggage while touring a castle. You can enjoy the experience and return to Edinburgh afterward.

Then We’re Going Into the Scottish Highlands

This is where I’d want to finish the Harry Potter portion of the trip.

The Jacobite Steam Train travels between Fort William and Mallaig through the Scottish Highlands, crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct—the same dramatic viaduct you’ll recognize from the Harry Potter films.

In other words: Hogwarts Express vibes. You can make this a guided day experience from Edinburgh or add a couple of nights in the Highlands and slow the trip down. Personally, if you have the extra time, I like the second option. The Highlands deserve more than being seen through a bus window.

This part of the itinerary does require some planning around your travel dates because the Jacobite is a seasonal experience and schedules can vary.

And here’s an important distinction: some travelers want to ride the Jacobite, while others really want to see the steam train crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct and get that iconic view. Those are two different experiences, and I’d plan the day differently depending on which one matters more to you.

What This Harry Potter-Inspired Trip Could Look Like

Here’s one way I’d put it all together:

1. Day 1 – Arrive in London: Airport transfer, check into your hotel and keep the first day fairly easy.

2. Day 2 – Harry Potter’s London: Take a guided Harry Potter filming locations walking tour, then spend the rest of the day exploring London.

3. Day 3 – Warner Bros. Studio Tour: Give yourself plenty of time for The Making of Harry Potter. I would not try to cram too much else into this day.

4. Day 4 – Oxford: Take the train to Oxford for a day of Harry Potter filming locations, historic colleges and libraries before returning to London.

5. Day 5 – London to Edinburgh: Travel north by train, check into your Edinburgh hotel and spend the evening exploring.

6. Day 6 – Harry Potter’s Edinburgh: Take a private Harry Potter-themed walking tour, then have free time for Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile or whatever else is calling your name.

7. Day 7 – Alnwick Castle: Take a guided day trip to Alnwick Castle to see real Hogwarts filming locations—and possibly test your broomstick skills.

8. Day 8 – Edinburgh: Keep a free day. Seriously. We don’t need to schedule every second.

9. Days 9–10 – The Scottish Highlands: Head toward Fort William and Glenfinnan for Highland scenery and, when seasonal schedules allow, the Jacobite Steam Train.

10. Day 11 – Head Home: Depending on flight schedules and how we build the final portion of the trip, I’d arrange the cleanest route back to your departure airport.
    

The Best Part? You Don’t Have to Figure All of This Out Yourself.

This is exactly the kind of trip I love planning.

There are a lot of pieces: international flights, hotels in multiple cities, trains, transfers, timed attraction tickets, guided tours and seasonal experiences. And some things—like the Warner Bros. Studio Tour or Jacobite Steam Train—can affect how the rest of the itinerary needs to be arranged.

But that doesn’t mean you need to join a fully escorted tour and spend every minute of your vacation following someone else’s schedule.

I love the middle ground.

We can have your hotels and transportation planned ahead, add guided experiences where they make sense, secure the important Harry Potter experiences and still give you time to wander around London, find a pub in Edinburgh or just decide what sounds fun that afternoon.

You get the structure without feeling over-scheduled.

And I get to figure out how all the pieces fit together—which, quite frankly, is the fun part for me.

This Is What I Mean by an Enchanted Escape

This itinerary is also a pretty perfect example of something I’ve been working on at Good Trip: Enchanted Escapes.

I love books. I love travel. And lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how much fun it would be to bring those two things together.

Enchanted Escapes are trips inspired by the stories we love—not necessarily vacations where every single stop is tied to a book or movie, but real trips to places that give you a little bit of that same feeling.

Sometimes that might mean visiting actual filming locations, like we would on this Harry Potter itinerary. Other times it could mean castles, medieval towns, dramatic landscapes or places that simply feel like they belong in the pages of your favorite book.

Basically, if you’ve ever finished a book and thought, I want to go THERE…even if “there” technically doesn’t exist…we should probably talk.

Ready to Go Back to Hogwarts?

The new television series may be giving us a reason to talk about Harry Potter again, but you definitely don’t need to be a new fan to take this trip.

Maybe you grew up waiting for every new book. Maybe you’ve watched the movies more times than you’d care to admit. Maybe you’re introducing your kids to Hogwarts now. Or maybe you just really like castles, trains and Scotland and you’re willing to humor the Harry Potter fan traveling with you.

This trip works because it isn’t a theme-park vacation disguised as a European vacation. It’s a genuinely great England and Scotland itinerary with some pretty incredible Harry Potter experiences woven into it.

And if you’re ready to turn it into an actual trip, that’s where I come in.

I’ve created a special Harry Potter travel inquiry so you can tell me who you’re traveling with, the experiences on your Hogwarts wish list, how much Harry Potter you want to work into the trip, and what you want the rest of your England and Scotland vacation to look like.

Start Your Harry Potter-Inspired Travel Inquiry

Your owl isn’t coming, so I guess we’ll have to plan this one ourselves. 🦉

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