London
London
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that they didn’t love London. You could visit a million times and never run out of things to do! Since my wife and I had both coincidentally visited in our teens, this is not going to be a beginner’s guide to London. We had already seen most of the tourist sights, so we were more interested in just enjoying the city with some friends who recently moved there. Spoiler alert: We are huge Harry Potter fans, so this is a very HP-heavy trip!
London is pretty easy to get to from almost anywhere, especially Spain. We stayed overnight at BLOC Hotel inside Gatwick Airport after meeting up there from separate trips. We headed into central London the next morning, and after settling in at our friend’s place, went for some coffee and a delicious light breakfast at Gail’s Bakery. Having a bit of time to kill, we took a leisurely stroll past Buckingham Palace and through Green Park (one of London’s many beautiful city parks). Do not skip walking around London in order to cram more sights in- it’s an enjoyable activity in itself!
We eventually arrived at the Sanderson for Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea! There is an assortment of these hosted “teas” in London, but this one seemed way too fun to pass up (and they can accommodate a variety of dietary needs). Most require advanced booking, so plan ahead!
The experience begins by selecting your tea: Alice, White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts, or Mad Hatter! Samples of the tea leaves are brought out in tiny bottles, and they all smell spectacular! The hosts don’t rush you at all, so take your time choosing your favorite. I went with White Rabbit! In addition to tea, you also have the option to add alcohol to your experience (for an extra cost).
If you have dietary restrictions, the Sanderson offers Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free tea tray options, in addition to their standard menu. As I was the only one needing this option, I ordered a vegan tray for myself, and the others shared a tray. The food provided is based on how many people there are (for example, the standard tray had three of each treat, as there were three people sharing it).
All of the Alice-inspired treats were both beautiful and delicious, and the themed tableware made it even more fun! Even though we had paid a set price for the experience, we were allowed to order as much tea and food as we wanted. We definitely ordered refills of tea, but the treats were incredibly filling! I should mention that there is a 2-hour time limit for the experience, though I believe we were able to stay a bit longer because they weren’t very busy that day. I absolutely loved this Mad Hatter Tea and would recommend it to anyone!
Since our afternoon tea definitely counted as lunch, we headed to a bar called Mr. Fogg’s House of Botanicals. There are a number of these “Mr. Fogg’s” throughout London- all inspired by the Jules Verne novel Around the World in 80 Days. It was splendidly decorated for the holidays, and our drinks were exceptional also!
We love visiting beautiful bars, so I always bookmark ones that interest me on Google Maps so they are easily accessible while traveling (learn how to make lists on Google Maps here). When the question comes up of “where to next?” I have options readily available. In this case, the answer was The Coral Room.
Housed inside the Bloomsbury Hotel, The Coral Room has a vibrant, yet intimate feel that whose decor will wow any guest that enters. Walking into the warm, rich colors of this bar from the dark and windy city streets was exceptionally gratifying. The artistic style of the menus was so charming, and they even have personalized ice cubes! We all ordered different cocktails and took turns passing them around the table. Bars like this make me miss living in a city, but it makes them even more special while traveling!
Like I said earlier, we are huge Harry Potter fans! So of course, a visit to London would be incomplete without seeing “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” at the Palace Theatre. It is highly recommended that you book in advance for this show, as the tickets are in high demand. We found the booking process to be a little confusing, but it appears as they the ticket purchase process has significantly improved since we attended. On the official website, there are options to book for Parts 1&2 consecutive, Parts 1&2 non-consecutive, and part 1 or 2 only. We chose Parts 1&2 consecutive, so that we could have the days to explore London, with shows in the evening two nights in a row. Our seats were Stalls L24 & L25, which we were very happy with.
Be sure to get to the theatre early. There is a long line to pick up your tickets, and you have to go through security as well. They do not let people in who arrive late! I really enjoyed the show, and the special effects were particularly excellent. I won’t spoil the plot for you- you’ll just have to read it or see for yourself!
I couldn’t believe it, but after the play we were still full from our afternoon tea! So instead of going to dinner, we spent a little time hunting holiday lights. During the holiday season, London goes all-out with holiday decorations, lending some extra romance to the city. Quickly we learned that SoHo gets very busy at night, so when we were sick of the crowds, we headed home for the evening.
Of all the tourist spots in London, the Tower of London is one of my favorite. Savannah had never been, so it was a must-do for this trip. We got up early to beat the crowds, and stopped for a quick breakfast at the Starbucks across the street from the entrance. Although there is an admission cost, guided tours are absolutely free! Tours begin at the top of the hour at the main entrance to the Tower. What’s more, these tours are conducted by Yeoman Warders. They are the guards of the Tower of London, but are more commonly known as “Beefeaters”! There are many speculations as to how they received this nickname, but no one really knows for sure. Some believe it was due to their status and thus their ability to eat as much beef from the king’s table as they desired. These guards have been around since the late 1400s, and present-day “Beefeaters” must have at least 22 years of military service and achieve a particular rank to earn this honor.
The “Beefeater” will walk you throughout the grounds, sharing stories about the Tower’s history and its people. One of my favorite stories was about the legends of the ravens. As the true guards of the Tower, legend says that if the six (now seven) ravens ever leave, the Tower will no longer be protected. Once the tour is over, you are allowed to explore the grounds at your own pace. We headed to the Waterloo Barracks, which houses the famous Crown Jewels. This exhibit will take you through an extensive display of these unique and priceless items and their importance in British royal history. These treasures of the British monarchy have been stored at the Tower for over six centuries.
Before leaving the Tower, be sure to stop at one of the gift shops! They have some fun and unique items. You can exit the Tower where you came in, or onto an overlook of the Tower Bridge (recommended!). This is a great photo opportunity, as this bridge is truly an icon of the city!
Ready for lunch, we walked along the river and across the London Bridge toward Borough Market. In addition to being one of London’s best markets (and there are many!), it has a Harry Potter connection as well! Scenes from the Third Hand Bookshop from Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets and the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban were both shot here.
Borough Market possesses everything your little foodie heart desires. In the hour or so that we were here, I had a vegan chai latte, falafel wrap, gyoza (Japanese dumplings), and mulled wine! I could have spent hours here exploring everything the market had to offer.
Borough Market is particularly busy during lunch time, but there is plenty of seating available! No matter your tastes, you will no doubt find something you love here. Our original plan was to visit Leadenhall Market next, but we opted to go home and relax for a bit instead. This market was used in scenes for Diagon Alley and the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone.
We didn’t have a dinner plan, so we went to Giraffe restaurant, a British chain that I’ve always enjoyed at various European airports. They have a pretty extensive menu, so it’s a great place if you’re not sure what you want or have a group with mixed tastes or diets.
That night we saw the conclusion of The Cursed Child, and I enjoyed the second part even more than the first! In fact, we almost didn’t make it! Traffic in this area of London is extremely heavy, and we were completely stopped for at least ten minutes. We knew we wouldn’t make it if we stayed on the bus, so we got off and ran a few blocks to the theater. We made it just in time!
Okay Harry Potter fans, the moment is finally here- it’s the The Making of Harry Potter: Warner Bros. Studio Tour! There are about to be a lot of Harry Potter photos, so if this doesn’t interest you, scroll to the bottom of the page.
We purchased our tickets in advance (recommended) and chose an entry time. As with many popular attractions, earlier is better to avoid the crowds. I’m not sure why this was a theme this trip, but we almost didn’t make it in time again. The studio is located in Watford, which is about an hour northeast of London. As luck would have it, there was a rail strike happening while we were there- not for all train lines, but it included the train line that goes to the studio. If this is not happening while you are there (which it usually isn’t), the easiest way to get there by public transit is to take the train from London-Euston to Watford Junction. From the station, there is a £3 shuttle bus that will take you directly to the studio. Because of the train strike, we took a train that got us fairly close to Watford, then took a taxi to the studio from there.
Once your ticket is scanned and you enter the studio, there is a cloakroom and options to eat and shop. The waiting area (below) features the Gringotts dragon and costumes from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The first room in the tour is very intimate and displays the set and props of Harry’s time living in the cupboard under the stairs. I really enjoyed the Dursley family photos and the smaller details of Harry’s “bedroom”. Then you are led into a room with movie posters from around the world, followed by a short film hosted by some of the cast members about the movies and their influence. After the film, you move to a set of very large doors that could only have one thing behind them…the Great Hall! Don’t worry about pushing to the front of the crowd here, the entrance is enjoyable from every angle.
There is almost too much to look at in the Great Hall! We were fortunate enough to be there for Hogwarts in the Snow, so the Great Hall was elaborately decorated for the holidays. The studio frequently has themed events like this, so keep an eye on the website for upcoming events. From original costumes to the holiday feast, the Hall definitely gives you that “I can’t believe I’m here” feeling. The guides do rush you through a bit in order to get the next group in, but try to hang back a bit until your group moves on to the next room, because this is a great opportunity to get an empty shot of the room!
Stepping out of the Great Hall, you enter a much larger room where you begin to explore props, costumes, and sets from the movies. At this point in the tour, you have yet to discover how large this space actually is! There is a bit of direction in the beginning, but eventually it leads into a number of larger space where you can explore at your own pace.
“More than 3000 wands were made for the films, using combinations of wood, plastic, resin, and rubber. The first designs were ornate, bejeweled versions; however, J.K. Rowling suggested to the prop department that the wands should instead be made of wood construction, and designed to a specific length and shape that would compliment the wizard who owned it. As Ollivander the wandmaker said, “it’s really the wand that chooses the wizard…”
While walking around the studio, we spotted a few private tour groups, which you are able to book through the studio website. Though I’m sure these tours provide interesting inside secrets about the Harry Potter movies, the tours are only two hours long, so if you really want to take your time exploring everything the studio has to offer, I recommend a self-guided tour. We had read online to set aside at least three hours, and we were there for at least five (and easily could have stayed longer!). Additionally, there are a number of guides throughout the studio to answer questions and share fun facts about the exhibits.
Although the studio is enormous, smaller areas like Dumbledore’s Office can get very crowded. You will get your chance to see everything, so just be patient. It is one of the most magical and detailed rooms!
Can you spot the Dumbledore costume from movies one and two in the background?
Click on individual photos if you would like a closer look!
I have a particular affection for the Weasley family, so seeing The Burrow set was especially fun. There were various stations set up so that you could make different features of the set move as though they were magic, such as the knitting needles or clothes iron. The Weasley clock is one of my favorite props, so it was cool to see this up close!
The Death Eater and dark magic props are just as creepy in person as they make you feel in the movies.
The Forbidden Forest was a particularly fun experience because it includes spooky lighting and animatronics. The forest kind of loops around, so be sure to experience it from both sides. Keep an eye out for Aragog- he makes a surprise appearance!
When I first visited London in the early 2000s, King’s Cross Station (where Harry catches the Hogwarts Express and the original filming location for these scenes) looked exactly as it appears in the first movie. In 2012, the entire station was remodeled with a more modern concept and nothing resembles what it once was. Thankfully, WB studios created their own King’s Cross Station, so you can still experience the magic of Platform 9 3/4. Having ridden the train at Universal Studios’ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, we skipped boarding the train set because the line was very long. But of course, I had to take a photo with Harry’s trolley! Trolleys belonging to other notable Hogwarts students were also on display.
After exiting the King’s Cross room, there is a large display filled with examples of the unique graphic design featured in the films. The powerhouse behind these designs is MinaLima, and you can visit their shop in London! Spoiler alert: we did!
At this point it seems like you are almost done, but you’re only halfway! There is a cafeteria area right before you head outside, and I highly recommend relaxing and getting something to eat. There are options for all types of eaters. And don’t worry, they have Butterbeer!
Upon going outside, you’ll see many of the larger sets and props that were used in the Harry Potter movies. This is a great time for photo ops on Hagrid’s motorbike or hanging off the back of the Knight Bus! The Dursley’s Privet Drive house was definitely my favorite to see in this area. The first movie actually used a real house located in a town call Bracknell, but after that the studio built their own set. The living room is even set to portray the dramatic Hogwart’s letter scene. These props were actually all handwritten by the graphics team for the movie, so I’m glad they didn’t go to waste!
Heading indoors again, you’ll immediately be greeted by Bathilda Bagshot, followed by a large room filled mostly with mechanical props used in the films. There is a lot to look at here, so take your time!
Renowned British actor Warwick Davis played three characters in the Harry Potter movies: a Goblin bank teller, Professor Flitwick, and Griphook (also of Gringotts). If you’ve seen all the movies, you already know that Professor Flitwick’s appearance changed throughout the film, hence the two different costumes. These costumes are hinting to where the tour will lead next…can you guess?
Gringotts! This room was truly spectacular. The details were incredible and it felt like we were actually there. Following the grand lobby, there is an exhibit that explains how the set designers created their own marble for the room, as using real marble would have been far too expensive. Be sure to click on the photos to get a closer look!
As I mentioned earlier, Leadenhall Market was used as Diagon Alley in the first Harry Potter film, but as with the Privet Drive house, they then built their own set. This area was much smaller than I expected! Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed the details of this area, particularly Harry’s footprints in the snow, so again, don’t rush!
Because we visited during the studio’s Hogwarts in the Snow event, there was a special Durmstrang exhibit that is only put on display this time of year.
Though I wish that Hogwarts was a castle that I could visit in real-life, the filmmakers created their own magic by building an enormous model of Hogwarts to make it as real as possible. It’s difficult to see in these photos are gigantic it actually is, but if you look carefully in the bottom right photo, you can see a few people off to the side.
The studio tour concludes in a large room filled with wand boxes. Each box is printed with a name of someone who worked on the films, so there are a lot of boxes! It’s fun to walk around and look for names that you recognize.
We did it! We made it through the whole studio! Like I said before, we were there for at least five hours. If the WB Studios visit is a priority for you, purchase tickets for one of the earliest entry times and plan more flexible activities for latter in the day, but it’s definitely possible to make this an all-day activity!
To put the cherry on top of our London Harry Potter experience, we stopped by the House of MinaLima- a shop owned by duo behind the graphic props in the HP films. Their shop is just down the street from the Palace Theatre, so if you’re seeing the Cursed Child, that would be a convenient time to stop by as well. We were very lucky that evening! After deciding on a print to purchase (the Weasley Clock!), we were told that Min & Lima would be there shortly to sign purchases! You had to make particular purchases to be eligible, but thankfully ours fit the bill. It was such a great experience to meet artists whose work had such an influence on the films!
For dinner we went to an Italian restaurant in our friend’s neighborhood called Cacio & Pepe. The food was delicious, but I made the mistake of drinking a lot of wine before our next activity (so don’t do that)!
We ended our incredible London trip with one of the most fun bar experiences I have ever had. The Bletchley is a World War II-themed cocktail bar where, as a group, you work to solve puzzles to receive your next drink. Though reservations aren’t required, they are highly recommended. Your group is given military jackets and everything you need to succeed in your mission. There are different levels of difficulty to choose from. We chose ‘easy’, and I’m glad we did, as it wasn’t! A word of caution: we had no idea what we were drinking, so make sure you eat dinner and be prepared to drink at least three cocktails. They are very accommodating to dietary needs and give you a secret password to use for special drink orders! There is a restaurant upstairs as well (and Bletchley patrons receive a discount). The whole experience is one hour and 45 minutes and definitely a must-do when visiting London!
London has so much to offer, and we barely scratched the surface. Whether or not you’re into Harry Potter, themed afternoon teas, British history, or WWII immersive bar experiences, I recommend planning a trip to this incredible city, because there is something for everyone! We will definitely be back!
Dates visited: 28 November - 01 December