Finding Harry Potter in Edinburgh

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Edinburgh might not seem like the most likely place to immerse yourself in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Unless you’re a particularly knowledgeable Muggle, it might surprise you to learn that this Scottish city is where J.K. Rowling began (and indeed finished) writing her ridiculously incredible series.

But aside from being the physical location in which Rowling penned her stories, it’s also a source of inspiration – of buildings, of scenes, and even of characters. Indeed, Edinburgh truly is the birthplace of Harry Potter.

So next time you’re in this history-laden, spectacular, hip, vibrant city (basically, make sure you find yourself there), make sure you head to the following spots, and you’ll discover that finding Harry Potter in Edinburgh is easier than you think.

Where to find Harry Potter in Edinburgh

Hogsmeade at Grassmarket

The Grassmarket area of Edinburgh is famous, as you might have guessed, for its marketplace. Located in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, the streets of Grassmarket are picturesque – indeed rather reminiscent of Hogsmeade – with crooked, narrow buildings seemingly piled on top of one another.

A stroll along Candlemaker Row will lead you to the striking mural pictured above, along with a sign that reads:

No setting could be more perfect for a magical school of witchcraft and wizardry than the majestic gothic grandeur of this old toon. So it is no surprise that J.K. Rowling selected Scotland as the home of Hogwarts or that several sites are nearby this Diagon Alley.

There’s no proof that any one street inspired Rowling’s infamous Alley, but walk up Victoria Street (pictured below) and you’ll soon see a resemblance to the wizarding world’s favourite high street – complete with its own joke shop!

Harry Potter Characters at Greyfriar’s Kirk

J.K. Rowling has admitted that one of her favourite hobbies is to collect weird and wonderful names from here and there – including graveyards.

Some of her most loved – and hated – characters’ names were inspired by the headstones in Greyfriar’s Kirk, an ancient and spooky cemetery just behind the Grassmarket area.

I’m weird in that I absolutely love walking around graveyards – my husband thinks it’s creepy – but I love imagining the stories of all the lives that were lived before reaching their final resting place. There’s something about an old headstone that I find poignantly beautiful, so I was in my element here.

I could have wandered around Greyfriar’s Kirk all day, but I made a beeline for the most popular headstones – one for a Thomas Riddell Esq., and one for a William McGonagall.

Both are a little difficult to find, but if you’re struggling, follow a tour group. Just make sure you’re wearing sturdy shoes as it can get extremely muddy and slippery around the Riddell grave.

Some character’s graves are genuine, some…not quite so genuine!

Make sure you look behind the cemetery walls, too – as you’ll spot George Heriot’s School (pictured below). This school, with its intricate domes and turrets, is said to be the inspiration for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

This school, like Hogwarts, has four different houses, and it once took in orphan boys, much like our dear friend Mr. Potter.

The Elephant House in Edinburgh

Proudly declaring itself ‘The birthplace of Harry Potter’ (in a shockingly horrific font, I might add), The Elephant House is a pretty unimpressive, generic cafe and diner with just one defining feature: it’s where Ms. Rowling wrote some of the early Harry Potter novels.

A plaque outside the gaudy restaurant, crowded with tourists, reads:

Made famous as the place of inspiration to writers such as J.K. Rowling, who sat writing much of her early novels in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle.

Ian Rankin, author of the Rebus novels, and Alexander McCall-Smith have both also frequented The Elephant House, as well as many other writers.

I didn’t go inside, but apparently there is some great Harry Potter themed graffiti in the restrooms. I did, however, take a look down the side of the building to check out the view, and sure enough, I could see the gorgeously moody Greyfriar’s Kirk before me – I can certainly see why Rowling chose this as her place to write!

Want more Harry Potter? Go beyond Edinburgh and ride the Hogwarts Express (a.k.a. the Jacobite steam train)!

J.K. Rowling’s Hands on the Royal Mile

Want to see if you have hands like a famous writer’s?

Head to the Royal Mile, and find these golden handprints engraved in Caithness stone in the grounds of the Edinburgh City Chambers.

As it happens, my hands are the same size as Rowling’s. Which I took as a great sign for the novel I’ve just sent off to agents, because of course it’s about the size of my hands more than anything else…right?!

The Balmoral Hotel

The Elephant House was all well and good when J.K. Rowling was a struggling writer, before her stories became a worldwide sensation.

But while Rowling was writing the last book in her series, she was far too famous to sit in a cafe. She needed to be completely distraction-free, so she booked the Grand Suite at the spectacular Balmoral Hotel, sat at a small wooden writing desk and completed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Guests who book this suite today will find the author’s signature on a marble bust of Hermes, the Greek god of travel on the desk where the magic happened. And look out for a Harry Potter inspired detail on the door!

Edinburgh Castle (and what lies beneath)

It wasn’t just one building that inspired Hogwarts.

Edinburgh Castle, a historic fortress, is perched above the city on Castle Rock, much like Hogwarts is perched above The Black Lake, the Forbidden Forest and the Quidditch pitch.

The castle is home to its own incredible stories, and is well worth a visit.

I also highly recommend taking a ghost tour of the city, which takes place underneath the castle (read about the one I did here). It’s here that you’ll get a taste of the world us Muggles see so rarely, but be warned…you might want to perfect your Riddikulus charm before you face what lies beneath the city.

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