For my birthday this year I decided to book something I've wanted to do for ages - go to on the Harry Potter Studio tour. I love the the books, and I enjoy the films too. Obviously the films are never going to be able to put in all the details that I love in the books but they try damn hard.
I'd booked us on the first tour as I didn't want to feel rushed so we headed off early and arrived in Leavesden ready to begin! As we queued to enter the tour we got a chance to check out Harry cupboard under the stairs.
Then, after a quick film welcoming us, we were led into the great hall.
The enchanted ceiling was missing but I can forgive them for that as I guess they do want the muggles to keep thinking it's all fiction. So many people have heard of Harry Potter now that it would be difficult for the Ministry of Magic to an obliviate spell on them all.
Inside the hall the detail is wonderfully impressive. I particularly liked the chaser mixed in with the other suits of armour.
You can also check out all he different uniforms for each house as well as many other props and costumes.
And then you turn the corner and see the darker side of the wizarding world.
However none of this put me off and we grabbed some floo powder and headed to the Hogwarts Express!
We jumped on board
Despite the smile on my face here, I think you can also see the grimace as it was perhaps the second most disgusting drink I have ever tried (after absinthe in Prague). It was sickly sweet, sticky and down right grim. Perhaps next time I should try firewhisky instead. Feeling a little bit sick we forged on towards the 'creature workshop' hoping to distract myself from the oncoming sugar crash.
Feeling a little better after looking at weird things in a cool room we decided it was time we went to Diagon Alley.
Although it was quite busy out on the street, all the shops were closed - it must have been a wizarding holiday or something.
I really enjoyed visiting the studio tour, there is a lot more to see and do than I have shown in this post, and it really is a lovely day out. I do recommend going for an early tour, that way, once you are out of the Great Hall you can wander around to your hearts content. I think an afternoon tour might be slightly more rushed, but either way it is a great way to spend a few hours away from reality! Now if you don't mind, I need to find out why my Hogwarts letter was never delivered.
Once you have finished in the hall there is a seemingly never ending room filled with all sorts of interesting facts, props and sets from the films to browse through (and I'll bore you with some of the photos of these now!)
Honestly, there is so much to see!
It's just like the room of requirement. You can spend ages wandering and find some interesting items, big and small. Harry's first snitch is hidden in there;
However none of this put me off and we grabbed some floo powder and headed to the Hogwarts Express!
We jumped on board
The ride was so smooth it was almost like we hadn't moved at all. Even so, I was parched so it was time to try my first ever Butterbeer.
Feeling a little better after looking at weird things in a cool room we decided it was time we went to Diagon Alley.
Although it was quite busy out on the street, all the shops were closed - it must have been a wizarding holiday or something.
I really enjoyed visiting the studio tour, there is a lot more to see and do than I have shown in this post, and it really is a lovely day out. I do recommend going for an early tour, that way, once you are out of the Great Hall you can wander around to your hearts content. I think an afternoon tour might be slightly more rushed, but either way it is a great way to spend a few hours away from reality! Now if you don't mind, I need to find out why my Hogwarts letter was never delivered.
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