The Potter Trail Private Tour
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Grab a wand and join your robed guide on the original tour of Edinburgh designed especially for Potter fans!
Founded in 2012, we are the original Harry Potter tour in Edinburgh. Our guides have the most experience of any tour company in Edinburgh and we are consistently rated most highly by visitors across all platforms.
Booking a private tour with us will ensure the ultimate experience for Harry Potter fans as you'll be able to take the tour at your own pace and ask as many questions as you like!
Our friendly and professional guides are all trained actors and comedians so we can guarantee they will captivate and entertain you as well as impress with their extensive knowledge, as you visit all the key Potter sights in the city.
We are also happy to customise this tour to suit you! We take on lots of bookings for hen/stag parties and school groups and our guides are skilled at catering the tour content for any audience.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Is the tour suitable for children under 7 years old?
What To Expect
Greyfriars
We begin our tour in the city's historic Greyfriars Kirkyard where JK Rowling spent a lot of time while writing the books. Here we'll see several names on gravestones that inspired characters in the series including William McGonagall and Thomas Riddell. From here we will also see two potential inspirations for Hogwarts in the form of George Heriot's School and Edinburgh Castle.
An area of the city named after Harry Potter? Surely not! See the place where she wrote much of the first book from here.
Options
The Potter Trail Private Tour
What‘s Included
Guide
Please bring something that you can use as a wand. This can be anything roughly wand shaped - a pen or umbrella will work well!
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
2,468 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
From non fans to fans
shak0yad,May 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a great time! I booked this tour for my niece who is a big Harry Potter fan. Our guide Sam was incredibly impressive with his knowledge and passion for the history of Edinburgh and the Harry Potter origin. We were entertained the entire time. I don’t think my sister and I have ever laughed as much as we did that day. My niece had a blast. Would definitely recommend the tour even if you’re not a fan, and Sam the tour guide who will make you want to become a fan!
Potter Trail was class!
LisaPaine,May 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Rousing was such a wonderful tour guide! She had Witt and humor and obviously knew her Potter info and trivia. It was a delightful tour of Potter facts and a bit of the town as well. We thoroughly enjoyed it!
Harry Potter fan? You must do this tour!
TardisTraveler42,May 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00After landing in Edinburgh and dropping luggage at the hotel, we headed straight for our Harry Potter tour with The Potter Trail. We were able to easily book our tour before we even boarded our plane, so were all set to join when we arrived. Alistair was our wizarding guide and fount of wisdom on all things Harry Potter. The tour was informative, as well as interactive with some friendly Hogwarts house competition regarding various trivia. I especially loved walking through Greyfriars Kirkyard, learning not just where JK Rowling roamed and picked up some familiar names, but also about the kirkyard itself. The tour continued through various parts of the city with more places to see and hear about the ties to Harry Potter. Fun for all ages!
Great Experience
DayTrip794671,May 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience. I did my tour with Becky. Originally I was going to just walk myself to these special JK Rowling Harry Potter inspired spots but I had some time that freed up in my schedule so I went. It was amazing! Becky was super informative to the point there was a lot of obsecure Harry Potter fun facts about these places. She engaged with all folks and made every feel very welcome. I love that the Potter Trail does tips/ is donation based so it really truely does feel like everyones welcome.
Great! A must do
MarialenaP1,May 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really informative and easy to follow. We loved it!
Fantastic
248devals,May 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The Potter trail was fabulous and mesmerising. Cristene was a wonderful guide and she gave some crazy insights about the magical world and also made the tour unforgettable. I would definitely recommend it to everyone and would also consider experiencing it again…
Fun & Interactive Walking Tour
ToJo0814,May 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The walking tour was FANTASTIC! Outstanding way to see, know, and experience the process of how the creation of the Harry Potter story. Alistair made the tour more entertaining and enjoyable by adding a little spell casting, participation, and great trivia… which most true Harry Potter fans like me don’t even know. My husband and I truly enjoy the tour. A plus, the tour is “FREE” and only through donations… however, it rivals most paid tours we have taken in the past! Highly recommended to all and to those Harry Potter-head (LOL) visiting Edinburgh. Safe travels!
Amazing
analuciaf980,May 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing! Must do activity. Amazing guide with so many interest information!
Lovely! 10/10
G1627QRkimberlys,May 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.0010/10 tour! We learned so much about the series and inspiration behind them all! Everything she said was based on fact and clearly stated when something was being speculated. Very easy to hear, not a ton of walking, and super engaging! I would definitely go again.
Magical, Fun, and Perfectly Timed Tour
jessicagM3085QQ,May 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had such a great time on the Potter Trail walking tour! The tour was very well timed — the length was perfect and everything ran promptly and smoothly. Mel was knowledgeable, fun, and stayed completely in theme the entire time, which made the experience even more immersive. We especially loved hearing about the facts and inspirations behind the stories. It actually helped my husband become much more engaged with the movies and books, and he may even read them himself now! Highly recommend for both longtime fans and those newer to the Harry Potter world.
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