Oxford Harry Potter Locations Walking Tour by Alumni™
Description
Enjoy a 90-minute walking tour through the magical world of Harry Potter, right here in Oxford. Led by a University of Oxford alumnus or current student, this tour is perfect for fans who want to follow in the footsteps of their favourite characters. You’ll visit the bookshop where J.K. Rowling first presented her books, see where Emma Watson not only acted but also studied, and pass by familiar faces like Nearly Headless Nick. You'll recognise the arches and gothic pinnacles seen in the films — some around the famous Divinity School, others hidden in plain sight throughout the city. The highlight of the tour is a visit to New College, one of Oxford’s most beautiful colleges, where you’ll find the very tree under which Draco Malfoy was turned into a ferret. From quiet cloisters to scenes straight out of the wizarding world, this is a must for anyone who’s ever dreamed of Hogwarts.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Important: meet the guide OUTSIDE the address, not inside. The location is not part of our business. The meeting point is the RED PILLAR MAILBOX in front of 11 Broad Street. Your guide wears a royal blue item of clothing with a heraldic shield—this may be a jacket, cap, beanie, scarf, or polo shirt.
Learn about the connections the movie industry has to the University of Oxford and which actors have grown up in the city. You may be surprised quite how many iconic scenes and Hollywood actors have connections here!
Get an introduction to the University of Oxford, and understand how closely linked Harry Potter is to both the university and the city as a whole
Outside a library with a long history, see the likely inspiration for Nearly Headless Nick, everyone’s favourite ghost! Also hear about the scenes shot inside and around the Bodleian, both for Harry Potter and other Hollywood films.
A site which has featured in multiple famous movies, the Radcliffe Square is surrounded by historic buildings and is very much at the heart of the city.
Enter New College, one of the most iconic film sites for the Harry Potter films. A certain ferret gymnastics display took place in the cloisters here!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Wheelchair users are welcome on the tour. Please note that one small area is inaccessible, though it only accounts for a few minutes of the route. Some parts of New College may also be difficult to access. We advise caution due to uneven surfaces, curbs, and potential trip hazards. Please also be mindful of vehicles and bicycles, particularly in busy areas.
- Not recommended for travellers who cannot complete a 90-minute walk
Reviews(119)
We had an excellent time with our guide Scarlett. She knew so much about all the different colleges their histories and Harry Potter. The places we went were interesting and well worth the visit. At the end of the tour Scarlett also gave us local reccommendations on food and activities.
Guided around by AK with besides info about Harry Potter shoots a lot of information and personal anecdotes regarding the traditions about studying at Oxford. She got is into some interesting places we wouldn't have been able to enter otherwise which very much added to the tour.
We really enjoyed our tour with Shruti! She was a fantastic guide and made it an interactive experience that my Harry Potter loving kid will never forget.
Srushti, or Sushi, was a great guide. Our group was a small group of 5, so it was very personal. She made it fun and engaging.
Srushti is a fantastic guide. Other people ended up postponing and I was the only one on the tour, but she kept it fun and exciting. Highly recommend her and this particular tour!
Great tour of Harry Potter sites and Oxford! We really enjoyed everything! Our guide was a student and we were able to go into New College.
Our guide Tejas was really good at showing all the relevant points of interest on this Harry Potter tour of the city. We really appreciated his friendly manner and exhaustive explainations! I would really recommed it!
Great tour with Sushi 😀 we enjoyed our experience with this tour in Oxford
This tour was nice as an adult in terms of seeing the university but our guide was openly not a fan of Harry Potter and couldn’t really be bothered to even fake it. The kids lost interest pretty fast as a result.
Dear Jardiohead, Thank you for sharing your feedback. I am sincerely sorry that the tour didn't live up to expectations and that the kids lost interest so quickly. We completely agree with your point: there is a big difference between a guide being unengaging versus them personally being a fan of Harry Potter. We certainly don't expect our guides to be fans of every topic, but we do absolutely expect them to bring the energy, enthusiasm, and professionalism needed to keep everyone entertained. We want to make this right for you and your family. Please send us an email at **info@alumni.tours** with your tour details so we can connect with you directly and make things right. Warm regards, The Alumni Tours Team
Very pleasant experience, got to see a lot of Harry Potter locations (both filming and inspirations). Our guide Srusti (Sushi?) was incredibly knowledgable and helped us find all the photo angles we were looking for! 10/10 would recommend for potterheads, both as a solo or family experience.
