Visit ‘Hogwarts’ and a real-life ‘Diagon Alley’

Alnwick Castle – ‘Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry’

• Alnwick Castle starred as the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and the 2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone filmed on location at Alnwick Castle in autumn 2000. The following year, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (the second film in the series) used Alnwick Castle for shooting.
• The Outer Bailey is recognisable as the area where Harry and his fellow students learned to fly broomsticks with Madam Hooch (Zoe Wanamaker). Harry also learned the rules of wizarding sport Quidditch in the Outer Bailey.
• The courtyards and baileys of Alnwick Castle were used to film Hogwarts students and staff going about their daily activities. Harry and Ron crash-landed the Weasley family’s flying car in the Inner Bailey.
• The Lion Arch was a way in and out of Hogwarts, heading towards Hagrid’s cabin and the Forbidden Forest.
• During your visit you will enjoy the beautiful State Rooms and magnificent gardens before enjoying some free time for lunch.

The Shambles – a real-life ‘Diagon Alley’

• The Shambles is one of York's most famous landmarks and one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe.
• With its cobbled streets and overhanging buildings, it is believed to have been the inspiration behind Diagon Alley from the movie adaptation of the Harry Potter series.
• Although none of the original shop-fronts have survived from medieval times, some properties still have exterior wooden shelves, reminders of when cuts of meat were served from the open windows.
• The street was made narrow by design to keep the meat out of direct sunlight, but you can readily imagine the Shambles packed with people and awash with offal and discarded bones.
• Today, the beautiful old buildings have been restored and now house cheerful cafés, quirky boutiques and even a coin & stamp dealer and the smells are rather more pleasant with aromas from the chocolate, fudge and sweet shops, clothes and accessories and gift shops.
• The Shambles is home to four Harry Potter themed shops selling merchandise and butter beer and is a must see for any fan of the books and films.