London has long been a top location for filming movies, TV, fashion and advertising, so you won’t be surprise to learn that tours with a media theme are a hugely popular choice.
In fact, there’s a tour for every shade of film fan, from Sherlock Holmes, Call the Midwife and Doctor Who location strolls to James Bond, Alfred Hitchcock and Gangster Movie jaunts. Outside London, you’ll find luxury guided trips to Poldark’s Cornwall, Downton Abbey Country and Inspector Morse and Lewis’ Oxford.
We were invited to join current Trip Advisor favourite, the Harry Potter Tour for Muggles.
The Muggles Tour is ideal for Potter movie and book devotees of any age, the proudly self- titled ‘Potterheads’. If that’s you, you’re sure to find loads to see and much to love on this 21/2 hour ramble, filled with fascinating facts and Harry, Ron and Hermione legends as you ‘potter’ the magical underbelly of London at a comfortable pace. Included is a short ride on the London Underground although not, we’re sad to say, on a Knight Bus or a Gringotts Wizarding Bank mine car.
Adoring fans will cherish viewing the site of the Leaky Cauldron (Borough Market), alleyways which inspired magical Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley (off Charing Cross Road), bridges under which characters flew on broomsticks (Blackfriars, Southwark) or the Death Eaters attacked (Millennium Bridge), and the spot where Mr Weasley struggled with his Oystercard (Westminster Underground Station). This tour is also a great way to see some of London’s most famous landmarks with Potter connections such as Big Ben, 10 Downing Street and many more.
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour in the company of charming, knowledgeable and vividly-dressed guide Ellie Lovegood, (cousin of Luna) and an international group of Muggles which included Americans Matthew from Washington DC, teen Chloe and Grandma Carmella from Southern California and Allyson, Scott and son Zach from Oregon.
All Tour for Muggles’ guides are genuine fans. When not wizarding, serious Potterhead Ellie is a budding actress and playwright, who confessed she got the guiding job by writing a long ‘nerdy’ letter effusing why she wanted it.
Dedicated followers longing for more will want to progress without delay to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour just north of London, with behind-the-scenes tours of movie sets, costumes and props from the seven films. For the ultimate treat, £99 will get you a place on the Studio’s Breakfast at Hogwarts, a deluxe dining reception complete with Cheeri-owls, Pixie Puffs, a visit to original sets like the Great Hall, the Forbidden Forest and Diagon Alley and a complimentary sample of Butterbeer.
Further information: www.tourformuggles.com
Article by Judith Schrut. Email Judith at judith0777@gmail.com
Wands at the Ready! Diagon Alley, Harry Potter Tour for Muggles, photo by Geoffrey Davies
