Walk With Butterbeer Included
Magical Harry Potter Walking Tour (with Bottle of Butterbeer!)
A magical themed walk that hands each guest a bottle of butterbeer along the way. Rated 4.8 from 22 reviews.
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The Short Answer
No. Diagon Alley is a fictional place, but its exterior exists: Leadenhall Market in the City of London stood in for the wizarding shopping street in the first film. Nearby Bull's Head Passage served as the Leaky Cauldron entrance. Both are free and public, and guided walking tours cover them.
Where The Real Diagon Alley Was Filmed
Leadenhall Market, a covered Victorian market near Monument and Bank stations, doubled as Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Its ornate rooflines and shopfronts gave the production the look it needed without heavy set construction. The market is free to enter and sits at 20-22 Leadenhall Market, EC3V 1LR.
Just off the main arcade, Bull's Head Passage was used as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, the pub that hides the gateway into Diagon Alley. Fans can stand in the same spot where Harry and Hagrid appeared to step into the wizarding world.
The market remains a working part of the City, so visitors can wander through at any time. It gets busy at lunchtime with office workers, so mornings tend to be quieter for photographs.
Other Harry Potter Locations You Can Visit Nearby
Several other filming sites cluster within walking distance of Leadenhall. Threadneedle Street and the Bank of England are said to have inspired the look of Gringotts, the wizards' bank. A short walk west brings you to St Paul's Cathedral, whose Geometric Staircase appeared in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Across the river, Millennium Bridge was infamously destroyed by Death Eaters in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Borough Market stood in for the Knight Bus sequence in Prisoner of Azkaban.
Further afield, Platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station offers a photo opportunity with a trolley embedded in the wall, plus an official shop. It is a public area but stays busy, so expect a queue for photos.
Should You Take A Guided Tour Or Go Alone?
Walking independently costs nothing and works well for confident navigators: the locations are public and clustered around the City of London. A tour, however, adds production stories and points out details most visitors miss, such as which shopfronts were altered for the films.
The Wizard Walk of London is the established guided option, meeting outside Pizza Express in Leadenhall Market. It runs daily at 11am, closed 23 December to 1 January, lasts roughly two hours, and costs from £19 for adults and £12 for children. Booking ahead is advised, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. The tour suits ages 5 and above and asks guests to arrive 15 minutes early.
Several commercial operators also run themed walks. The listings below compare three options, from a walk paired with a Thames river cruise to a tour that includes a bottle of butterbeer.
Tours To Consider
Walking Tour Plus Thames Cruise
Harry Potter Film Location Walking Tour & Thames River Cruise
Pairs the filming-location walk with a Thames river cruise, covering Millennium Bridge from the water. Rated 4.6 from 19 reviews.
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Wizards And Ripper Combo Tour
Harry Potter and Jack the Ripper Combo Tour
A combo tour combining wizarding locations with the Jack the Ripper story for two London legends in one outing. Priced at $64.65.
From$65Check availability
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you walk through Diagon Alley for free?
Yes. Leadenhall Market is a public Victorian market and free to enter at any time. It served as the Diagon Alley exterior in the first film, and Bull's Head Passage nearby was the Leaky Cauldron entrance.
How long does a Harry Potter walking tour in London take?
The main guided walk, The Wizard Walk of London, lasts approximately 2 hours and departs daily at 11am from Leadenhall Market, excluding 23 December to 1 January.
How do I get to Leadenhall Market?
The nearest Tube stations are Monument (District and Circle lines) and Bank (Central, Northern, Waterloo & City, District and Circle lines). Tours meet outside the Pizza Express in the market.
