Harry Potter literary route through London

If you've read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, you've surely imagined yourself walking through the saga's settings at some point. In London you can set foot in several of them, and this route takes you from one to the next in four hours, on foot and by Tube.

You meet the guide by the Palace Theatre, and the first stop is Piccadilly Circus, one of the places where Harry, Ron and Hermione “apparate” as they flee the Death Eaters in the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. From there you head on to Whitehall, to Great Scotland Yard, home of the phone box Harry and Mr Weasley used to get into the Ministry of Magic.

On the Tube journeys there's a quiz about the saga, so you'll reach each stop with a few more anecdotes in your head. The next one is Leadenhall Market, one of London's oldest markets, dating back to the 14th century, where scenes of Diagon Alley were filmed. At number 42 is the door that served as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron, the best-known pub in magical London.

The route ends at King's Cross station, on Platform 9¾, where pupils catch the train to Hogwarts. There you'll find the sign with the trolley halfway through the wall and, almost always, a queue of fans waiting for their photo. Afterwards you can head back to the centre with the group or stay at the official Harry Potter shop, right next door. It's hard to leave without a souvenir from the wizarding world!