44 Must-See Literary Landmarks in the United Kingdom

14. The Wizarding Wonders of J.K. Rowling’s Edinburgh

The cobbled streets and towering gothic architecture of Edinburgh provided the perfect muse for J.K. Rowling as she crafted the world of Harry Potter. Fans can sip coffee in The Elephant House, where she wrote early drafts of The Philosopher’s Stone, or wander through the atmospheric Victoria Street, thought to have inspired Diagon Alley. The grandeur of George Heriot’s School, with its turreted design, bears an uncanny resemblance to Hogwarts. A stroll through Greyfriars Kirkyard reveals gravestones that may have inspired character names like Tom Riddle. For devoted Potterheads, Edinburgh is a city brimming with literary magic, where the lines between fantasy and reality blur in the misty Scottish air.