JK Rowling’s Edinburgh: Self-Guided GPS Walking Audio Tour

Some call this street the Diagon Alley of Edinburgh, and it’s easy to see why. The candy-colored shops, restaurants, and flats crowd around the winding street, making it one of the best shopping destinations in all of Old Town. Note: The tour is over 1.3 miles long, with more than 37 audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours per tour to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. Your password can be used on the same number of devices as the travelers you have booked. Please enter the same password on each device.

The library features a permanent display exhibit simply called “Treasures.” It changes all the time, but always displays some of the Library’s most impressive items, with enough rare books to keep any bibliophile entranced—even Hermione Granger.

The original Elephant House. This is the distinctive orange-red shopfront with gold lettering. Let’s pause in front of this cafe. The Elephant House is commonly called the “birthplace of Harry Potter” since this is where Rowling would often come to sit and write while her daughter napped in the pram.

We’re now walking onto George IV bridge, an elevated street that was completed in 1836 to connect Old Town to the growing south side of Edinburgh. Though you might be expecting a river or lake under the bridge, in fact it crossed over a much older part of the city called Cowgate.

Unfortunately, John died of tuberculosis in 1858 and was buried here in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Bobby then took up guard duty on John’s grave and refused to leave, even in the worst weather.

There’s also some speculation that this quiet spot in the heart of the city might have been the inspiration for the Godric’s Hollow graveyard, where Harry visits his parents’ graves in Book 7. Either way, you may imagine that scene differently from now on after exploring Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Walk straight underneath that arch up ahead, then immediately turn right after we pass through the arch. You will see a number of low stone walls that look a bit like arms reaching out from the headstones.

Through this gate lies George Heriot’s School, one of the main inspirations for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. No, the movies were not filmed here, but it certainly does look like something out of the wizarding world.

We’re back outside the Kirkyard, let’s turn our attention to that huge stone building across the street, with tan-colored stones and a big round tower on one end. That’s the National Museum of Scotland.

As you walk down Lothian Street, you can see several buildings of the University on your right. Though perhaps not as ancient as Hogwarts, The University of Edinburgh has been around for quite a while - since 1581, in fact. Just ahead, on our right, you’ll see a huge round building - this is McEwan Hall. Let’s keep following the sidewalk to the next street corner, where we’ll have a better view of the hall.

Now, the walking route here can get a little confusing, since several streets run together. Keep walking straight down Lothian Street. Potterrow is to our right, but we’re not going that way for now. After we pass the alleyway on our left, the road forks a little. Cars go up and to the right, while pedestrians stay slightly left and head downhill.

On the corner to our right, you’ll see a dark green shop front with the name Black Medicine Coffee Company. Right next door is the building that used to house Nicholson’s Cafe. That was one of the cafes where Rowling wrote much of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

As you walk towards Edinburgh Castle at the end of High Street, you’ll feel that you’re walking gradually uphill. This is because of Edinburgh's unique topography. Around 350 million years ago, volcanoes laid down tough, igneous rock where you’re walking now.

The Royal Mile, keep an eye out for local music and street performances. For three weeks each August, these streets are magically transformed by an annual festival called Fringe Fest. Performers come to Edinburgh from all over the world to delight audiences with experimental comedy, dance, circus, music, puppetry, and more.

In 2008, Rowling was honored with the Edinburgh Award and her handprints were memorialized in concrete outside the Edinburgh City Chambers. To see the handprints, walk underneath those stone arches.

You’ll also find the entrance to the Real Mary King’s Close. If you want to explore the maze of medieval streets that still exist underneath the 18th century expansion, this is the entrance.

Let’s pause here for a moment. This has been an active church, serving local congregants, for over 900 years. If you step inside the cathedral, you can see the sweeping arched ceilings and stained glass that will certainly make you feel like you’ve wandered into the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

The Heart of Midlothian Mosaic - can be easy to miss in the busy streets of the Royal Mile. As we pass the corner of St. Giles Cathedral, look down at the bricks on the sidewalk.

Brodie was an upstanding member of Edinburgh middle-class society. He was a cabinet-maker and member of the Town Council. He was an officer, or Deacon, of the Incorporation of Wrights and Masons, a bit like a craftsman’s guild.

The narrow staircase at the bottom lefthand corner of that building. Directly to the left of that staircase, we’ll see a narrow little alleyway, with a sign over it that reads Lady’s Stair Close. We’re going to walk through that alleyway. Don’t worry, it opens up quickly into a courtyard, so we won’t need a Marauder’s Map to navigate through here.

The church is made of dark sandstone in a neo-Gothic style that makes it look older than it is. In fact, Tolbooth Kirk has never been officially consecrated as a church by the Church of Scotland. The building was finished in 1845, which is practically brand-new by Scottish standards. Originally, it was built by the Church of Scotland to serve as a meeting place for the General Assembly. It served this purpose until 1929, when they moved to the new Assembly Hall a short distance away.

The Scotch Whiskey Experience is just ahead on our left. Look for a tall brown shopfront with triangular trim above the windows. Pause in front of the building once we’ve reached it.