A magical visit to the Harry Potter Studio in London

It’s officially called Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter but I just called it Harry Potter World – and it is a must for any fan who makes it to London.

Both my friend Mandy and I were low-key obsessed with the books before the films were even an idea - and the stories that captured our imaginations are no less magical as we made this visit to where much of the eight movies were filmed.

It is basically a huge ‘Harry Potter museum’, where you go on a self-guided tour of the backlot and go aboard the original Hogwarts Express, walk down Diagon Alley and see the Great Hall and Dumbledore’s office at Hogwarts.

You can see real sets from the films, costumes, props and creatures, you can take part in some interactive green screen fun - astride a broomstick of course!

But what about the details?!

Well, luckily for us, we were staying with a friend in Watford on this London trip which happens to be right next to Leavesden where the studio is. Otherwise, it is about a 20min train ride direct from Euston Station and then a shuttle bus (included in your ticket) to the front door.

You need to buy your tickets online and plan in advance, you physically cannot buy tickets at the entry.

So, how much time do you need to see it all?

Well, we spent the best part of a day exploring, quite simply because there is so much to see! There is Malfoy’s Manor, Dolores Umbridge’s pink office, The Knight Bus, Privet Drive, the Hogwarts Bridge, Godric’s Hollow House, the Ford Anglia, Buckbeak, Aragog, the scaled model of Hogwarts Castle used in the films. Plus, thousands more animatronics, props and costumes!

There is even 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts itself. This is a massive construction that fills a whole room, and it is truly spectacular.

We stopped midway through our walk at the Backlot Café for a Butterbeer – a VERY sweet non-alcoholic drink but kept us going until the end of the day.

On the way out, you head through the store and buy all the Harry Potter merch you can get your hands on. Our visit was years ago, and I still have my Slytherin t-shirt in high rotation! Many wore her Gryffindor jumper that very day!

Of all the ‘worlds’ I have visited, this one was probably the most intriguing as it was the actual set for the movies and there is so much detail. Very different to seeing Jaws pop out of the water at Universal Studios in California that’s for sure.