Harry Potter Filming Locations You Can Visit In Real Life

From sweeping vistas across remote lochs and craggy mountains to windswept coasts, striking castle facades, and cozy libraries, it seems like every scene in Harry Potter evokes drama. While you might have chalked it up to fairytales, these beautiful locations aren't a matter of folklore and myth — they're real-life destinations that you can actually visit! Even better, many of them are in close proximity to each other, making trip planning easy.

We've scoured the internet for the juicy info on where Harry Potter was filmed while also utilizing European travel guru Rick Steves' official list of Harry Potter filming sites and our own Potterhead knowledge. We have read the books (many more than once) and watched each movie more times than we can count — leading to some Harry Potter-induced traveling.

Whether you're dying to visit the Hogwarts Library or see the spot where Harry learned to ride a broomstick for the first time, you'll wish you could just apparate to these incredible destinations. Grab your parchment and quill and jot down our list of Harry Potter filming locations that you can visit in real life.

Fans will remember the dramatic scene where Dumbledore and Harry apparate to a rocky island at the entrance to a coastal cave where Voldemort has hidden a Horcrux. The wind whips around them, and the sea crashes into the cliffs, creating a moody and foreboding scene. This epic landscape is home to the Cliffs of Mother — one of Ireland's most scenic landmarks.

Tucked along Ireland's southwestern coast, the Cliffs of Moher plummet a staggering 700 feet of sheer rock to the tumultuous sea below. Because the Cliffs of Moher are so famous, it's not difficult to reach them from practically anywhere in Ireland, and tours run daily from Dublin and any of the larger towns. Prepare for inclement weather and the notoriously wicked winds — wrapping up is essential.

If you find yourself wondering where the iconic rock that Harry and Dumbledore apparate to is, it's not at the Cliffs of Moher at all. You'll have to venture over 150 miles (253 km) south to the Skellig Islands to see "Lemon Rock," its official name.

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" starts with the electric match between Ireland and Bulgaria in the Quidditch World Cup. Harry and his friends arrive by portkey to a beautiful backdrop of coastal vistas and ivory cliffs. Those sheer walls of ivory, rising from the cerulean sea, are the Seven Sisters Chalk Cliffs. After catching a brief glimpse of the Chalk Cliffs on their arrival, they appear again as night falls and the match begins, the camera panning to an exterior view of the stadium perched dramatically on a cliff.

Located just outside the bustling seaside town of Brighton, the Seven Sisters Chalk Cliffs are one of the most striking landscapes in England. The area is protected and is designated as the Seven Sisters Country Park, complete with pebbled beaches, rolling hills, and the mighty Cuckmere River snaking its way to the sea. Hiking and biking paths wind through the park, revealing a lost village and grazing sheep.

Try to plan your visit for an (often elusive) sunny day, as the stark contrast between the snow-white cliffside, lime-green grass, and turquoise sea is stunning. It's exceedingly easy to reach the park from London — simply take the train down to Brighton, where a local bus drops off visitors at the park entrance several times a day. 

In one of the opening scenes of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," Harry practices his parseltongue — speaking to snakes — for the first time at London Zoo's Reptile House. After conversing a bit with a boa constrictor from Burma, he accidentally sets it free by causing the glass wall of the enclosure to disappear. His mean cousin Dudley falls into the exhibit, causing a scene as the snake slithers away, and he is subsequently trapped as the glass reappears.

Visitors to the London Zoo can see the facade of the original filming location for the scene inside the Reptile House. Unfortunately, the zoo recently decided to move the reptiles and amphibians to a new site, and it's not known whether the original Reptile House (constructed in 1926) will be reutilized. Opened to the public in 1847, the London Zoo is one of the oldest in the world. Nestled in Regent's Park, tickets for adults start at £27 on weekdays. 

Durham Cathedral sets the scene for many of Harry's strolls through the grounds of Hogwarts. Visitors can immerse themselves in Harry Potter fantasies by ambling beneath the cathedral's soaring Romanesque architecture, past the kaleidoscopic stained glass, and among the intricately carved cloisters.

Fans will remember a particular scene when Harry carries Hedwig out into the thick, falling snow, emerging from Durham Cathedral's cloister. This is the same grassy area where Ron curses himself with "eat slugs." And if you've ever seen Filch creeping around with his giant castle keys, this is actually a set of keys from Durham Cathedral. 

Aside from being a place of worship, Durham Cathedral has almost 900 years of history and heritage. Visitors can check out the museum, pick up a souvenir at the gift shop, or grab a bite to eat at the Undercroft Cafe. The grounds also make for an idyllic stroll as the Wear River burbles right past the cathedral, and ancient forests of yew and lime trees grow in its shadow. 

Entrance to Durham Cathedral is free, although a £5 donation is suggested to help with its upkeep. Visitors can book several tours to climb the 326 steps to the top of one of its towers or learn about its history. Tour tickets are just £7.50 for adults.

Five of Scotland's most beautiful lochs were used as filming locations for Harry Potter, providing remote landscapes for the witches and wizards to hide away. Many, such as Loch Morar, became the setting for the Hogwarts Castle, which sat perched on the edge of a lake. Others, like Loch Etive, were the setting of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's escape from the back of the Gringott's dragon.

Loch Shiel, situated along the famous Glennfinnan Viaduct, is the serene beauty in the background of Hogwarts Express scenes and doubles as the Black Lake, where the Hogwarts Castle sits along its edge. Loch Eilt, also seen from the Jacobite Steam Train, provided the backdrop for Hagrid's stone-skipping scene as he comes to grips with Buckbeak's imminent execution. Eilean na Moine (the island in Loch Eilt) was also used as Dumbledore's tomb, although Loch Arkaig was blended with this Loch Eilt to create his dramatic gravesite.

You can easily connect the dots between these lochs by rail or road trip. Loch Shiel, Eilt, Arkaig, and Morar are all within easy driving distance from each other, although Loch Morar is a few hours' drive south.

Located deep in the Scottish Highlands, Steall Falls is the setting of the Triwizard Tournament, trickling in the background of the rocky landscape. Harry narrowly escapes the clutches of the Hungarian Horntail, all with Scotland's second-highest waterfall as a backdrop. The waterfall actually appears in five different movies and makes for a fun Easter egg to search for when watching the films — and an even better destination to visit.

Potterheads can reach the 393-foot falls via a 2-mile hike from the Glen Nevis lower car park near the town of Fort William. Having your own set of wheels is ideal for getting to the car park area, although a taxi will also do the trick. Be aware that the parking lot is relatively small and fills quickly in the hiking season, which typically runs from April to October.

Head back into Fort William afterward to hop aboard the Jacobite Steam Train or take in the views of Loch Eil. And remember, if in trouble, "Expecto Patronum" should do the trick.