Daily Schedule | Trip Includes | Long Itinerary

Meals - Dinner
Lodging - 4 star Hotel - Oxford, England

Your adventure begins upon your arrival in Heathrow or Gatwick Airport. Meet your guide in the International Arrival Hall. Courtesy transfers have been included with coaches departing at 11:00 am from Heathrow Airport and Gatwick to Oxford.

Settle into your hotel for a rest and then meet the group in your hotel’s lobby at 3:00pm for a Welcome Orientation and distribution of documents. Joining us after the brief orientation is Robin Briggs, an Oxford lecturer, who will briefly discuss the history of witches and wizards based on his studies of witchcraft trials across Europe between the years of 1400 and 1700. Much of the session will be reserved for your questions and special interests.

Enjoy some free time to explore Oxford on your own as you recover from the journey to the UK.

Tonight we will enjoy dinner together.

Meals - Breakfast
Lodging - 4 star Hotel - Oxford, England

A full day is planned today to visit other Harry Potter film locations as well as a “must see” on your trip to Britain. Gloucester Cathedral, Wookey Hole Caves and, if time permits, Lacock Abbey - this will be a fantastic day. Throughout the day our Storyteller and Guide will entertain and amaze you!

Impressive Gloucester Cathedral is a stunning example of Gothic architecture. The cloisters are regarded as one of the most beautiful architectural gems in Britain. The cathedral provides the backdrop for several scenes in the Harry Potter films. Pupils from King’s School, which adjoins the cathedral, were used as extras.

Wookey Cave

The spectacular Wookey Hole Caves were once home to an old woman believed to be a witch. According to legend, a monk from Glastonbury Abbey turned the Wookey Witch into stone and the eerie figure remains in the cavern now known as the “Witches Kitchen”, one of the largest unsupported rock domes in the world. Fans of Harry Potter may find that this cave closely resembles another cave in the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The lovely medieval village of Lacock is also the location of picturesque 13th century Lacock Abbey. The Abbey provided locations for various interior scenes at “Hogwarts School”.

Meals - Breakfast
Lodging - 4 star Hotel - Oxford, England

We begin our morning with a panoramic tour of Oxford and visiting filming locations including Christ Church College and New College. Other locations may be included depending on events scheduled at the colleges.

Oxford is the perfect place for a Harry Potter-themed celebration. It is referred to as the City of Dreaming Spires because of its beautiful architecture. The city is the home of England's oldest university and while it is also an industrial city on the Thames, the association with learning and the academic way of life remains paramount. Many scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed in Oxford, including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Keble Hall

Christ Church and its Great Hall is used as a double for “Hogwarts School”. Oxford’s largest college, re-founded by Henry VIII in 1546, is the only college in the world with a cathedral within its walls. Lewis Carroll used the same views at Christ Church as inspiration for his Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The historic Bodleian Library is the main research library of Oxford University and includes Duke Humfrey’s Library and the Divinity School, both of which were used to recreate some of the interiors at “Hogwarts”.

Lunch at leisure.

We have a special afternoon planned as we head out to Blenheim Palace where scenes from Order of the Phoenix were filmed in 2006.

Blenheim Palace offers an exciting afternoon of activities as we take a train out to the Pleasure Gardens, get lost in the Giant Maze, play on a giant chess set, and stroll around the lake.
Situated just 8 miles from Oxford, the Palace was created a World Heritage site in 1987 and is the home of 11th Duke of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. The imposing scale of the Palace is beautifully balanced within, by the intricate detail and delicacy of the carvings, the hand painted ceilings and the amazing porcelain collections, tapestries and paintings displayed in each room. Set in beautiful parkland of 2100 acres, which was landscaped by 'Capability' Brown in 1760's, the Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns and formal gardens.

Dinner at leisure.

Meals - Breakfast & Dinner
Lodging - Isles of Glencoe Hotel, Glencoe, Scotland

We have included a flight from Heathrow to Inverness to give the Harry Potter fans an opportunity to visit a location with much mystery and intrigue – Loch Ness. After a rest for lunch, visit Urquhart Castle.

Ruins of Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness

Enjoy the romance and mystery of Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland, home of the world-famous monster, known affectionately to locals as 'Nessie'. For centuries sightings have been made of a mysterious creature said to inhabit the deep and murky waters of Scotland's most famous Loch. Now you can explore those murky waters for yourself: find out some important facts about Scottish History and look forward to that long-awaited visit to a very unique part of Scotland!

The picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle are situated 2 miles from Drumnadrochit on a rocky peninsula on the banks of Loch Ness. After a chequered history, the building was blown up in 1692 to prevent it becoming a Jacobite stronghold. Despite the difficulties of building, it was a prime strategic location sitting as it does surrounded virtually on three sides by the cold waters of Loch Ness which would have been a main route through the Great Glen of the Highlands.

Late afternoon arrival at your 4-star hotel in Glencoe. Dinner included.

View of Loch from Glencoe Hotel

Your hotel for the next two nights is quite special for Harry Potter fans. The Isles of Glencoe Hotel and Leisure Club was used by the cast and crew of the Harry Potter films when filming in the Glencoe area. You might even get lucky and win our drawing to stay in the very rooms used by Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson or Tom Felton!

Meals - Breakfast & Dinner
Lodging - Isles of Glencoe Hotel, Glencoe, Scotland

Steall Falls

Stretch your legs and get ready for our morning hike to Steall Falls, location for the dragon scene (Task 1 of the TriWizard Tournament in the HP movies). This is a beautiful hike taking approx. 1 – 1 1/2 hours each way from the trail head to the Falls. Hiking shoes are required. After reaching the Falls, there are plenty of opportunities for photos, having a snack break, perhaps even crossing the short “wire bridge” to get a closer look at the Falls.

For those not taking the hike to Steall Falls, the morning will include a visit to the filming location of “Hagrid’s Hut” and the pumpkin/ “Hippogriff” scenes in Prisoner of Azkaban. Take a short walk up the hill to where the buildings and other props were built and get a view of beautiful Glencoe as the actors did. (Props are no longer on the site.)

You might want to stop in at the Inn directly across the road from the filming location – surely the cast and crew had more than a few pints at this charming location while working on the film. Have a drink, or if space permits, lunch at this friendly Inn best known for its award-winning local brews.

Ben Nevis
Distillery

Afternoon activities for those not doing the Steall Falls hike include a tour of the Ben Nevis Distillery, the back storage buildings of which have often been used as inside filming studios for movies such as Braveheart and Rob Roy. Stop nearby for a quick look at Old Inverlochy Castle.

Steall Falls hikers – after returning to the trailhead, travel to the Glenfinnan Viaduct for some wonderful photos of the viaduct which is featured in the Harry Potter films. Glencoe will be our last stop today (as described above) where we can take a walk up the hill which was host to “Hagrid’s Hut”, pumpkins and magical creatures.

Dinner included at the hotel.

Back at the hotel, get ready for a Pajama Party! Bring your pillows and pajamas while we hear stories, play games, and generally have fun into the night. Don’t worry about staying up late, we have a late start the next morning!

Meals - Breakfast
Lodging - Radisson SAS, Edinburgh, Scotland

Olton Hall in the Scottish Highlands

Enjoy a sleep-in as we have a late start this morning. Arrive at the train depot by 9:30am for a fabulous private ride on Olton Hall, Engine #5972! Travel through the Highlands, take loads of pictures, sit in the very cars used in the movies, and enjoy a fantastic day with all of the HP Fan Trip’ers! Entertainment during the journey will be provided by our HP Fan Trip professional storytellers.

Return to Fort William at 4:00pm for the coach transfers to Edinburgh. Share stories of your adventures or just catch up on some sleep during the ride through the beautiful Scottish countryside.

Dinner at leisure.

Your accommodations for the next three nights will be enjoyed at the beautiful 4-star Radisson SAS ideally located on the Royal Mile.

Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s city centre on the historic Royal Mile, the Radisson SAS Hotel is located halfway between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. With shopping areas and the business district well within walking distance from the hotel, it is the ideal place to stay. Complimentary wireless access for all guests.

Meals - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Lodging - Radisson SAS, Edinburgh, Scotland

Wizarding team at Alnwick Castle

A 9:00am morning departure for a fun adventure at Alnwick Castle, a film location for the first two Harry Potter movies. Your coach will whisk you in comfort into England and the village of Alnwick. Here you will gaze upon the scenery used for Harry's first flying lesson. You will learn about the deadliest plants in the world at the new Poisonous Garden and take a lesson in herbology. There is plenty to do at this exciting location!

Competitions will be held throughout the day as fans play the very popular HP Fan Trips’ Wizarding Game, inspired by Harry's favorite sport (The Wizarding Game was developed for us by the National Governing Body for the Olympic sport of Team Handball). Our storytellers will delight you with events throughout the day.

Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited such structure in England after Windsor Castle, and has been home to the Percys, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309.

Lunch included.

Departure for Edinburgh at 4:00pm in time to prepare for our exciting movie night! We have reserved VIP seating at an historic Edinburgh theatre for our special viewing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We’ll enjoy a light dinner before the movie and then snacks and drinks during the movie in our VIP leather lounge seats – perfect end to a perfect day!

Meals - Breakfast & Dinner
Lodging - Radisson SAS, Edinburgh, Scotland

Today is your day to visit attractions on your own in Edinburgh in which you are particularly interested. Visit the Camera Obscura and its amazing optical illusion displays, dare to enter the Edinburgh Dungeon or take an Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour. Be sure to stop at the café where J K Rowling spent time while writing the first adventures of our favorite wizard.

Farewell Gala at Edinburgh Castle

Don’t forget to save time to prepare for our final night gala at Edinburgh Castle! The Castle is exclusively ours tonight as we hear tales from our storyteller in the Great Hall (the location where JK Rowling read from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as a kick-off to the worldwide book launch), take private tours of the Scottish Crown Jewels and other exhibition areas of the castle, and enjoy a fabulous banquet! End the night with music and a party in Crown Square in the heart of the Castle!

Meals - Breakfast

Morning transfers are included to Edinburgh airport for your trip home!

Daily Schedule | Trip Includes | Long Itinerary