London

London Journals – Part 3

London, Travel / By / August 22, 2023

A 6 day London Travel Story – Final Part

This is the final part of my 6 day London trip. Read about Part 1 and Part 2 where I visited most of the major attractions of London over a span of 4 days till now.

Here we are at Day 4 evening which was the view…

The Shard

After the Windsor Castle, I made my way back to central London as dusk fell. I was now headed to the last stop of my day – The Shard. The Shard is a 72-story skyscraper which is the tallest building in the United Kingdom at ~1000ft. It is a commercial building housing offices, hospitals, restaurants etc. I was visiting for the View from The Shard.

Traveling by escalator to the 68th floor, I arrived at a glass enclosed observation deck which gave 360 degree view of the London city. The panoramic night views of a lit-up London were fabulous and not to be missed.

Tip: One can order food and drinks from the restaurant inside this 3-storied deck and enjoy them while admiring the views.

Tickets (without Pass):

The Shard: £ 25

King's Cross!

Before I could call it a day, I made just one last impromptu stop – to Kings Cross station (it was on my way back, in my defense) and there I discovered the “Harry Potter shop at Platform 9.3/4”. I’m afraid I did quite a bit of shopping there! Muffler, mugs, pens etc. A must visit for Potterheads! That was it for the penultimate day of my London trip.

Day 6: Sky And Water

This was a Saturday so that meant my husband was off-work and we could enjoy my last day in London together. However, due to some circumstances, we had a late start to the day. The day was rainy and chilly. Our plan was to visit the Westminster Abbey and the London Eye.

Westminster Abbey is the site of royal coronations and weddings. It is a Gothic structure which is one of the most known cathedrals of UK. Unfortunately, just as we reached the gates of the chapel, the gates closed for entry for that week! I requested to let us through since I would be returning to India the next day but they didn’t budge. So, alas!, the Westminster Abbey was missed.

London Eye

We then turned towards the London Eye. The London Eye is a Ferris Wheel, one of the highest structures in UK, and is basically a rotating observation deck. We rode the London Eye – in the glass-cased capsules which slowly move up and then down in a 30-minute duration. I absolutely loved the 360 degree view of the London City from various angles. There is a guide map provided which points out what we are seeing on each side of the view. This is a must-do in London.

HMS Belfast

We strolled around the area simply enjoying the day when we chanced upon the HMS Belfast and decided to visit.

HMS Belfast was a cruiser built as part of the Royal Navy but is now a museum which stands permanently docked on the Thames close to the Tower Bridge. It has nine decks incorporating bunkers, kitchens & pantry, captain’s quarters etc. But the most notable or visit-worthy are the gun turret experience room on the deck and the boiler and engine rooms at the lower level. Its highly interesting to see the erstwhile workings of ship. We spent a good 45 minutes going over the ship because it was so intriguing! Also, don’t miss the view of the Thames from the bow of the ship!

Tickets (without Pass)

  • Westminster Abbey: £ 24
  • London Eye: £ 27
  • HMS Belfast: £ 22.70

So Long, London

The last night we spent the way we started – dinner and “adda” (bengali; means chatting) with friends, but not before we had another stroll through the twilight-lit city of London.

At the crack of dawn the next day, I left London to return home. The 7 days trip was an amazing one and I really loved it – there was history, there was magic, there was opulence and there was architectural beauty, all wrapped up in one city. I will return again someday!

The Improved Itinerary

In the 7 days, I took a trip to Ireland, I attended a match and I spent time with friends. Had I not had these I would have a full 7 days to visit London. So, here’s my 6-day London itinerary – based on what I saw and liked and what I missed but would have liked to see had I had some more time.

Day 1: Buckingham Palace including Changing of guards, Westminster Abbey

Day 2: Tower Bridge, Big Bus, Trafalgar Square (get off from Big Bus), Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus

Day 3: St. Paul’s Cathedral, Millennium Bridge, Borough Market, London Bridge, Walking tour (just walk around central hub of London), catch a West End show in the evening.

Day 4: Tower of London, Royal Greenwich Observatory, Cutty Sark

Day 5: Windsor Castle, The Shard

Day 6: London Eye, HMS Belfast, Kensington Palace and Gardens, Hyde Park

Day 7: Optional: If you’re a sports fan – visit Wimbledon/Lords/Wembley Stadium. Or, if you’re a Harry Potter fan, do the Warner Brothers Studio Tour. Or, explore the London Pass for hidden gems. Or, simply walk around and do some shopping for you and yours.

Tip: Apart from the Buckingham Palace and the Harry Potter tour, all are included in the London Pass and/or Explorer Pass.

Useful links:

London Journals – Part 2

London, Travel / By / August 22, 2023

A 6 day London Travel Story – Part 2

This is part 2 or the the 2nd half of my 6 day London trip. The two halves were punctuated by a day’s trip to Cork in Ireland. Read about Part 1 here, where I visited Buckingham Palace, Harry Potter Studio Tour, the Tower Bridge, Covent Garden and Borough Market and took a ride on the Hop On Hop Off Big Bus to view all the major attractions of London.

We returned from Cork late evening on the Wednesday of that week. A quick dinner and we were done for the day.

Hello Again London!

Day 4: History and Geography

I set out early the next day because there was 2 main stops to cover that day, plus our hotel was actually on the outskirts of London and it took me quite some time to get to Central London.

Tower of London

The Tower of London is a 1000-year old royal castle, fortress and prison built as part of the Norman conquest. The Tower of London now serves as a fortress to protect the Crown Jewels and also houses the Royal Armouries.

I took a guided Yeoman Warder tour who narrated stories about the castle’s history and the executions and tortures held at the prison. The prison stories were pretty bloody. Then I got to take a look at the famous Crown Jewels – a fascinating collection from around the world including the Indian subcontinent. There was also a tour of the White Tower – which gives its name to the whole castle – which was the home of Kings and Queens and their animals especially the ravens.

Tip: The Yeoman Warder tours take place at 30 minutes’ interval whereas the White Tower tours are at specific times and are subject to availability. So time your visit accordingly.

Royal Observatory, Greenwich

This is the part where I stood with a foot in each of the western and eastern hemispheres! I was at the Prime Meridian where time started, known as the Greenwich Mean Time or GMT. I was going to visit The Royal Observatory in Greenwich.

After I was done with the Tower of London tour – over 3 hours – I made my way to the ferry terminal nearby to board the cruise ship to Greenwich; it was free with my London Pass. The cruise was with live commentary on the history of various buildings/monuments we could see from the ferry and some fun facts as well a like which was the house of a famous Aamerican actor. The ferry ride and the walk from the pier to the Royal Observatory via Greenwich Park was very pleasant.

I made a beeline for the 0 deg 00’ 00” longitude – the Prime Meridian – and stood with one foot on each side. A mini photo session ensued. Then I took a tour through Flamsteed House which was the original Royal Observatory building built by Charles II and designed by Wren, which is now a museum devoted to time and timekeeping, measuring and telling of time. It was fascinating! I saw so many different types of clocks, watches, the original method of using a sundial etc.

Tip: The Royal Observatory is part of the Royal Museums Greewnwich which also includes the Cutty Sark (a merchant vessel now a museum), National Maritime Musuem and the Queen’s House (which houses an internationally renowned art collection). If you have time, do visit these as well.

Cruise view - on the way to Greenwich
Cruise view - on the way to Greenwich
Under the Tower Bridge
Under the Tower Bridge
Greenwich Park...so lovely!
Greenwich Park...so lovely!
Balancing Two Worlds! @ 00 deg. 00' 00"
Balancing Two Worlds! @ 00 deg. 00' 00"
Ye Olde Sundial
Ye Olde Sundial
How the time was measured - I checked its accurate
How the time was measured - I checked its accurate
On the way back from Greenwich
On the way back from Greenwich
Previous
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Lunch! Pie and mash with Gravy

Tickets (without Pass)

  • Tower of London: £ 29.90
  • Royal Greenwich Observatory: £ 16

Waka Waka - A New Experience!

Before my visit, I had lunch in Greenwich itself – another English classic – pie and mash with gravy. This one was quite yummy! I spent about an hour at the Observatory after which it was time to head back to London, specifically to Stamford Bridge in Fulham. I was about to watch my one and only (to date) live football match! I don’t follow football at all but my husband does and he is a Chelsea fan. So I accompanied him to his first live international match, along with our friends.

I must say it was an invigorating experience. The huge stadium, the astonishingly green field, the ambiance, the fast paced match and the athleticism of the players. I kinda loved it. I would do the live thing again but the sport unfortunately still holds no appeal for me.

After the match, we had dinner – steak and fries – at this Tex-Mex restaurant nearby called Yucca. The food was just delicious! One tube ride later we were back at the hotel and ready to call it a day.

The food after @Yucca

Day 5: A Castle, A Sport and A View

Wimbledon

Today’s agenda included one of my fandom-based places – Wimbledon stadium. This was my first stop of the day. A train and a bus ride took me to the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Using my London Pass, I booked a ticket to the 90-minute guided tour of the stadium and grounds including the Press Room and the Centre Court! After the tour, I visited the Wimbledon Museum for all tennis related history and memorabilia. Read about my post regarding the Wimbledon visit here. 

From the AELTC, I took a train to Windsor; a journey of over 1 hour. I was famished by the time I reached so I took time to eat lunch at Nando’s.

@Wimbledon - In the Press Room

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is a royal residence for British royal family members. I visited the castle after my lunch where I took the free audio-guide which came with the ticket and guided myself through the castle. I strolled through The State Apartments – where the rooms were unimaginably lavish, St. George’s Chapel – of Gothic architecture and the glass paintings were gorgeous, and the Moat and Towers. It was a huge area and I loved the whole tour of the castle in the lovely weather as well as the scenic views from up hill (which is where the tower is located). The tour took about 1.5 hours which is the minimum time needed to see everything.

Tip: Check castle timings before tour visit especially the different sections because they have separate times for last entry of the day. 

Tip: Photography is not allowed inside but you can take pictures of the view and the castle from outside.

Tickets (without Pass)

  • Wimbledon: £ 25
  • Windsor Castle: £ 26.50

A lot to consume in a day but I had room for more!

Find out about the ending to this day – the “View” and about my last day in London in Part 3.

Useful links:

London Journals – Part 1

London, Travel / By / August 22, 2023

A 6 day London Travel Story

All of my international trips bar one have been for work purposes. I take some extra time apart from the working days to enjoy the place to myself. But the trip to London was only the second time that I traveled for leisure. The only one other time was on my honeymoon in Maldives. But London was sort of solo travel – so it was really special. I say sort of because I accompanied my husband on his work trip – he worked while I enjoyed London solo to my heart’s content. Evenings and weekends, though, were a couple’s trip.

There’s so much to do and see in London that I ran out of time! My own itinerary was tailored to what I like but I will suggest alternatives for some places I know are too customized i.e., fandom based. So without further ado, here’s my London travel story.

London Baby!

Friends fans will understand the header above – Joey exclaiming when he visits London. My feelings and excitement was similar. My husband and I arrived in London early evening on a Saturday. After reaching our hotel, dumping our luggage and freshening up, we went out to meet a college friend of ours. The evening turned into night as we chatted, reminisced about college and made plans for the next day.

Passes - Which one?

Passes make sightseeing cheaper, within budget. The cost of a pass is lesser than the entry for all attractions put together. Also there are jump-the-queue facilities and other offers on dining as well. There are different kinds of passes available:

  • London Pass – day based, includes 90+ attractions along with Big Bus, river cruise, walking tour, hotel drop off services. £ 89 for a 2 day or £ 98 for a 3 day pass.
  • Sightseeing Pass – day based, includes 55+ attractions along with special offers like bicycle tours,  HOHO bus tours etc. £ 74.40 (2 days) or £ 99.20 (3 days).
  • Explorer Pass – based on number of attractions, includes about 60 attractions. £ 34 (2 choices), £ 49 (3 choices).
  • Oyster Card – travel card for London underground, buses etc.

My trip was broken into 2 parts with a day in Cork, Ireland. So, taking the day based pass wasn’t feasible since, once activated, the pass would be valid for continuous days. Also the cost for a 6-day pass was too high. Upon several calculations, I took a combination – a 3 day London Pass along with an Oyster card and a 3-attraction Explorer Pass.

Royals and Magic

Buckingham Palace

Day 1’s plan was just 2 places / attractions. First was, what else?! The Buckingham Palace. We made sure to be in time for the Changing of Guards ceremony. It was an hour long event, very interesting to experience. The on-duty guards at the Buckingham Palace hand over their duties to the new shift inside the palace grounds and do a parade round the street in front before leaving. It involves horses, marching bands and swords! I felt lucky to have seen it because that was the last day of the year when it was being held, after which the Queen would shift to her winter residence.

Tip: Change of guards ceremony is not held everyday, and there have been changes due to Covid. Please check this website before planning your trip.

After the ceremony, we booked tickets for the tour of the palace. We managed to get the last tickets (!!!) for that year’s palace tour! 

Tip: The Palace is open to visitors for only ten weeks in the summer, so be sure to check the dates before planning your trip and book tickets accordingly.

We had some time on our hands before the tour so we walked around the neighbourhood, upto London Bridge. We saw the London Eye, the Big Ben – then under renovation, Westminster Chapel and the Thames. Just walking around a city gives a feel for the vibe of the city and I loved it. For lunch, we had the quintessential english dish – Fish and Chips! Sadly, it was just average.

Lunch done, we walked back to Buckingham Palace for the tour. The Buckingham Palace is one of the few working royal palaces today. It is the headquarters of the Monarchy as well as the home of the Queen. We got a glimpse into the Queen’s residence – the Throne Room, the Ballroom, the Grand Staircase and various other State rooms and some part of the magnificent Royal Collection. It takes close to an hour to do the tour; to complete, wander the gardens and do stop at the shop for souvenirs.

Tip: Photography is prohibited inside but one can take pictures from the gardens of the palace building as well as the from the outside when you are done with the Changing of Guards ceremony.

Apart from the Palace tour itself, one can also visit the Royal Mews where lies the historic coaches and carriages as well as the working Royal Stables. The Mews is responsible for travel arrangements of all the Royal family members. We unfortunately had to skip this due to time shortage.

Tickets (not included in any pass): £ 30

Harry Potter Studio Tour, Warner Brothers

Then, it was time for the best part of my London trip – I’m saying this unashamedly – the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden. I was there for 4 hours but was still left wanting for more. There was so much to enjoy there – its a must for any Harry Potter fan. There’s Diagon Alley, there’s the Forbidden Forest, the dormitories, wand lessons and what not! I have written a whole post about this part of the trip. Check it out here. https://nilsaroundtheworld.com/potter-mania-warner-bros-studio-tour-london/

 Tickets (not included in pass): £ 49.95

All The Cool Places

Tower Bridge

This was a Monday so it meant work for the husband while I set off to ramble around London. My first stop of the day was the Tower Bridge. The Tower Bridge is London’s defining landmark – the bridge with 2 towers and a span that opens up to let boats through. Established in 1894, it is a bascule (opens up in 2 parts) cum suspension bridge with twin walkways at the higher levels connecting the 2 towers.

As part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition Tour, I went up 206 steps to the North Tower. There was a short film about the Tower telecasting on the screen. Then I walked across the bridge over the glass bottom walkway! It was scary; it felt like I was stepping into the deep waters below! The views from up there are wonderful – the whole vista of London city with the Thames flowing calmly in between. Upon reaching the South Tower on the other side, I walked down the steps to reach the Engine Rooms below. The Engine Rooms are from where the original steam engines were operated to draw up and lower the bascules. It was very interesting indeed.

Tip: There is a shop after this at the lower level, you can buy some interesting mementos here. Pass holders get discounts on items in the shop.

I took a walk around the area after my Tower Bridge tour along the Thames bank, enjoying the sunshine and having an ice cream cone. I sat down at a random bench and just soaked up the day as I gazed at the river and the boats. Then I took off walking again towards the St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour

The Hop on Hop Off (HOHO) Big Bus Tour is a way to see all the city’s prominent and some not so prominent areas and attractions in a sort of bird’s eye view. It also helps plan your itinerary in more detail. This day, I boarded the Big Bus at the tail end of my meandering walk – from the Cathedral stop. That’s the beauty of the HOHO bus – I could get on at any point and get off at any other one as per my wish. The bus took me throughout the city as I learned about the city’s as well as the different monuments’ history through the very interesting live commentary on board.

Tip: There are 4 routes of the Big Bus which take you through the various areas – Central London, (Red) West London (Blue) etc. Choose the route accordingly or you may take them all. Ask about which bus it is before boarding at any stop.

Self Walking Tour

I got off the bus at its London Bridge stop. This part is the self-guided walking tour. I saw (and walked over) the London Bridge – is isn’t falling down!, the Monument – a tribute to the Great Fire of London, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. I ended the day with some memento shopping near the area. Then it was dinner with my husband and his colleague at a cute little pub in a small alley near our hotel.

Tickets (without Pass)

  • Tower Bridge: £ 10.60
  • Big Bus: £ 31.20 (1 day)
  • HMS Belfast: £ 22.70
  • London Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square – Free

Half Day Tour of Landmarks

Covent Garden, Millennium Bridge, Borough Market

I started the day with collection of my passes; I had booked all of them online. From there I walked to my first stop of the day – Covent Garden. It was a lively market with variety of shops, so colourful. I checked out a few shops – chocolates, perfumes, tea. In the end though, I didn’t really buy anything. I did walk around and enjoy live music being played. I had such a good time.

Next stop – Millennium Bridge. This is a pedestrian bridge which I liked because of its intriguing design. It is connected on one end to St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tate Modern Museum on the other. It makes for very Instagram-worthy photos.

Last stop on my half day tour was the Borough Market. Borough Market is one of London’s oldest and largest market. I read about this on a blog and was immediately interested. It lived up to ,y expectations and then some! There are foods of various cultures and cuisines – from raw fresh produce to cheeses to delicious hot food. The smells were amazing. I had this lip-smacking yummy sandwich made of spit roast porchetta. I left with the happy smile of a well-fed person.

That was it for the first 3 days of my London trip. On this 3rd day, my husband and I took a flight to Cork for his work purposes. We were there for the next day when I went about enjoying Cork. Read about it here.

For the second half of my London trip, watch out this space for The London Journals – Part 2.

Onto Cork we go

Tennis Passion – Davis Cup & Wimbledon

London, Tennis, Travel / By / July 22, 2021
Tennis cover pic

Last Sunday, my favorite tennis player Rafael Nadal won his 20th major and 13th French Open title. I was ecstatic! I can’t explain this happiness people derive from sports but we sports fanatics get immense joy when our favorites win. This inspired me to write about the 2 instances of my brushes with tennis personally: the only time I watched a live tennis match –Davis Cup – and when I visited the home ground of one of the biggest tennis events – Wimbledon.

Davis Cup – India vs. Spain

Dreams do come true. And when they do, you still can’t quite believe that they have. For me, since the day I became a tennis fan, it had been a dream for me to watch Rafael Nadal play live. This dream came true one fine day out of the blue, when everything fell into place!

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” – Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist.

How it came about

Pre-match Arrangements

One random day, while reading the newspaper, my husband saw an advertisement announcing that India’s Davis Cup tie with Spain was to be held in Delhi a week hence. He remarked as a joke: “Do you want to go?” Let me say here, I don’t live in Delhi – it’s a 2 hour flight away. But when I heard this, I jumped and said “Yess, let’s!!” (Husband had probably thought I would scoff and say duh!)

I was never going to get such an opportunity so I took the chance with both hands. Tickets were free!! However, they had to be collected in person from the venue! Thankfully, a relative of mine who’s a Delhi resident very kindly obliged to collect them for me. And, in the blink of an eye, flights and hotels were booked and we i.e. my husband and myself were ready for a weekend trip to Delhi! I am a very non-impulsive person and believe me this was not a small feat.

The day I awaited with bated breath finally arrived. We took a flight at an ungodly hour (caught it by a narrow margin) and landed in Delhi on D-day bright and early. After spending the day with aforementioned relatives, we made our way to the RK Khanna Stadium. It was match time!

RK Khanna Stadium, New Delhi

The day before, various news sources said that Rafa had caught a stomach bug and probably wouldn’t play. I despaired but held hope. Davis Cup matches don’t have fixed players since it’s a country match-up; contenders are announced moments before the match starts. So, praying with all my might, I entered the stadium. And, the first thing that met my eyes was – Rafael Nadal in a blue sleeveless t-shirt practicing on court!!! I stood transfixed. For a few (long) moments, I truly forgot everything else and just stared. Eventually I came round and we proceeded to our seats. The matchup was announced on the screen and Rafa would be playing!! It was a doubles match; India’s Leander Paes and Saketh Myeni vs. Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez.

First sighting
  • Team Spain…Rafa leading
  • Team India…Paes tailing
  • Spain doubles team
  • Indian doubles team
PLAYERS

THE Match

The match was an amazing contest. There was some superb tennis – long rallies, unbelievable DTL forehands, slashing backhands, powerful smashes and cheeky drop-shots. There were tense moments especially in the tie-breaker which lead to even more astounding tennis. That was my only live tennis match and the experience is unforgettable not just because I was watching Rafa but also because I realized what high quality tennis looks like at close quarters. The adrenaline was high and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric. Spain won 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4. Read detailed play-by-play here.

  • Toss
  • Serve
  • and Volley
  • Point!
  • Serve
  • Point!
  • Teamwork
  • In play
  • Well played!
Match photos

This was the only time when I did not root for India in a sporting event – sorryyy! However, while I was already a Rafa fan, that day made me a Leander Paes fan too. I knew he was a great player but that day I saw what he was made of. He played a high level of tennis and almost brought the match home to India. But Rafa was just too good. Rafael Nadal was pure poetry in motion. Powerful shots, calculated angles and that famous topspin! It was really a dream come true for me. I cheered for him throughout the match but I did applaud any and all good shots. Tennis won that day. It was truly the experience of a lifetime.

Wimbledon

I visited Wimbledon 2 years ago during my trip to London when I accompanied my husband on his office tour. While he was busy with his work, I went about exploring London. On one of the days in my week- long trip, I had the pleasure of taking the Wimbledon Tour Experience. Also included was the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum tour.

The Tour

I used my London Pass for booking the tour. The 90-minute long tours start every 30 minutes in front of the statue of Fred Perry, the famous British player. The tour guide explained about the history of the club from its foundation as All England Croquet Club and eventually to what it is today – home to the most prestigious Grand Slam, The Wimbledon Championships.

Starting from the outer small show courts – only viewed from the outside lanes – we moved on to the media center including the BBC studio from where the tournament is broadcast and commentators relay the game to the world. Next we walked through the players’ entrance – oh what a thrill it gave me! We were then taken to the main Press Interview room and each of us had a turn sitting at the table pretending to answer journalists’ questions. And, finally, the Centre Court! Though we weren’t allowed to actually get onto the court, we could access the upper galleries and look down upon the brilliant green court which still displayed the score from the last match held – the men’s single final of 2018 Wimbledon Championships. The feeling of awe and reverence held me in its thrall for a long time.

  • Players’ entrance
  • Show Courts
  • Winners’ board – Ladies’ Singles
  • Winners’ board – Gentlemen’s Singles
  • BBC Studio
WIMBLEDON TOUR EXPERIENCE
CENTRE COURT!

The Museum

The museum contains various tennis artifacts, interactive displays and films/videos about tennis history and/or events. There are tennis equipment used thought the ages, their evolution, tennis fashion, trophies and varied players’ souvenirs. The Museum tour comes with an audio guide (included in the overall Tour & Museum ticket) which gave further information and guided me through the museum. It took me about an hour or so to cover the whole museum. At the end there is a Museum Shop which sells Wimbledon themed collectibles and mementos. I have a purple-green umbrella and some pens.

London pass & Wimbledon ticket

Helpful Information

The address for Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and Tour Experience is:

All England Lawn Tennis Club (Championships) Ltd., Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19.

  • Nearest railway station: Wimbledon (15 minutes from Waterloo)
  • Nearest metro/underground: Southfields (District line)
  • Buses: 39. 93, 200, 493

Tours are held daily from 10 am to 5.30 pm except on The Championships days and 24-26th December + 1st January. Upon arriving, make your way to the Museum Shop to collect your tickets and guides.

My two tennis-related experiences occupy a special place in my heart and memories; experiences any tennis fan would feel privileged to undergo. I’m sharing it with you now as I take my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s My Friend Alexa.

Potter Mania – Warner Bros. Studio Tour, London

Harry Potter, London, Travel / By / July 22, 2021
Harry Potter Cover pic

Would you like to climb aboard the Hogwarts Express? Walk through the Diagon Alley, maybe stop at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes? Visit Godric’s Hollow? Try a Butterbeer maybe? You can go crazy doing all these and more at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter, in London.

A Little History

Harry Potter is a phenomenon that has left few people untouched. The story of an orphaned boy who discovered he was wizard – a very famous one – took the literary world by storm in 1997. Soon, it pulled millions of readers – be it children or adult – under its spell. The book series – seven in number – were made into a movie franchise – consisting of 8 movies – which became equally big (if not bigger) than the books.

Harry Potter book set. Pic credit: Pinterest

The films were almost exclusively shot in the Leavesden Aerodrome (converted into studios) on the outskirts of London. Warner Brothers opened up the studios for public view to showcase the enormous talent and hard work that went into the making of one of the biggest film series in history.

Every Potterhead has, at some point or another, wished that they were a witch or wizard. They kept hoping an owl would one day bring them a letter informing them that they could attend Hogwarts from September 1. They dearly wanted to try leaning against the ticket barrier between platforms 9 and 10 (at whatever train station) and see if anything happened – maybe they’d fall through and come face to face with the Hogwarts express? Each one of you have tried, haven’t you?

The “Making of Harry Potter” Studio Tour will give you a chance to do all of the above and more, much much more. So dive into the Pottermania along with me as I take my blog to the next level with Blogchatter‘s My Friend Alexa.

Making my way to Leavesden

How I got there

The closest station to the Studio Tour is Watford Junction. I took the train from London Euston which is a 20 minute journey. At the Watford station there are shuttle buses available leaving for the Studios, which depart every 30 minutes. This leg of the trip took 15 minutes. The last return bus is when the Tour closes at 10PM.

Tip: The bus ticket costs £3 but a Tour entry ticket/booking confirmation is needed to avail this service. Entry tickets cost me £41 each; current price is £47 + £9 for a digital guide and paperback souvenir.

Book entry tickets on their website (here) and convert to actual tickets at the Studios. Train tickets can be booked via trainline.

Tip: There are other indirect trains to Watford as well but they will take longer.You can also drive – directions are provided on their website. Bus Transfers are also available from Central London (prominent stations) in partnership with Golden Tours. Learn more here.

The shuttle bus

Magical Beginnings

The Great Hall

With nerves pinging with excitement, I entered the premises and was shepherded towards the start point of the tour. Rows of chairs sat facing a wall in front of which stood our guide. She explained something about the history of the studios which had been the home of these actors for more than a decade. As she finished her welcome, the wall behind her magically faded away to reveal the unmistakable doors to the Great Hall of Hogwarts! We all gasped. It was a wonderful beginning to what already promised to be a blast. Alohomora!

The Great Hall was occupied with the four house tables all laid out with cutlery (no, unfortunately they did not magically fill with food). Behind each table stood a shield to denote the house it belonged to. At the end of the huge room stood the top table with the teachers standing in front (life-sized mannequins) with Dumbledore leading with his speech. The walls were adorned with the Hogwarts crest while from the ceiling hung Hagrid’s carved pumpkins. The sheer amazing-ness of the Great Hall set the tone for the rest of the tour.

Tip: It is not a guided tour, you are allowed to roam around freely as you wish. You can however, book an audio guide as I mentioned above.

Rooms

Dormitory, Classes, Burrow

From the Great Hall, I moved into the next part of the tour which was basically the whole of Hogwarts. The starting aisle displays pictures and quotes from the movies, some videos of the actors’ experiences etc. which opens up to this huge room broken into sections / parts. This is where I wished I had a thousand eyes to look in every direction possible at everything at once. Wherever I looked, there was something unmissable.

There was the Announcements wall with framed notices beside which was the moving staircase. Then I looked up at the huge Hogwarts Clock beside which stood the stone griffin which guards Dumbledore’s office. One can also see the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets with the snake puzzle thingy. Press a button and the snake slides to open/close the door! There was also the Mirror of Erised. What do you think you’ll see in it? I’m keeping mine a secret.

  • Announcements Wall
  • Staircase to nowhere
  • Prefects’ bathroom taps
  • Fat Lady’s portrait
  • Dumbledore’s office entrance

Further ahead was the Gryffindors’ dormitory with 5 beds made up. It was fun identifying which was whose. Then there was the Gryffindor common room. Next came the classes – especially the Potions Class with self-stirring cauldrons. I then darted to the next room – Dumbledore’s office which stood complete with the books, portraits, the memory cabinets and the Pensieve. There was also Hagrid’s hut with pots and kettles hanging from the ceiling.

Gryffindor common room
  • Harry Potter’s dormitory bed
  • Potions Class
  • Ministry of Magic
  • Umbridge’s Room
  • The Burrow
  • Chamber of Secrets entry
  • “Magic is Might”

I also found a scene from the Burrow living room. To magically make things happen like they do at The Burrow, I press a button and the iron automatically presses clothes and the knife chops the carrots automatically! Heee!! Then there was the Ministry of Magic (with green fireplaces) and Umbridge’s room (with pink belongings).

Before leaving this room, I took wand classes from an actual human teacher – swish and flick etc. movements and words! It was a fun 10 minutes.

Props

Costumes and Equipment

Scattered throughout this huge room were glass cases and shelves of props – the Time Turner, the Remembrall, the Golden egg from the 2nd task of Triwizard Tournament and what have you! Looking at these brought to mind the stories attached to them. On the side stood the box of Quidditch balls – there was Harry’s favorite the winged snitch! There were handwritten letters, the Marauder’s Map, school books, Daily Prophet papers and innumerable other small and big things. The sheer scale of work involved can be understood when you look at these props which were used to make the books come to life on the silver screen.

Assisting the props were the brilliant costumes. The room was interspersed with mannequins wearing Harry, Ron and Hermione’s costumes – be it their school robes, their Yule Ball fancy clothes or their Gryffindor colours.

Lastly, you can also view the Knight Bus, sit atop Hagrid’s bike or inside the flying Ford Anglia.

Animals and Creatures

Goblins, Dobby, Fawkes

The magical world includes a number of creatures and animals which were an indispensable part of the stories. Amazing special effects, prosthetics, make up and sheer talent that went into creating the incredible movies. From Dobby to Goblins to Lord Voldemort, all prosthetics, model animals were preserved for visual treat of viewers.

Places

Godric’s Hollow, Diagon Alley, Enchanted Forest

Enchanted Forest came at the very end of the huge room. The setup is so real and life like that I literally felt scared to enter and when Aragog descended from the ceiling suddenly I actually shrieked and ran. Anyway, I moved on eventually to bow before Buckbeak who bowed back at me!!

The penultimate part of the Studio Tour included famous places of the Harry Potter saga. You can pay tribute to Lily and James at the Potters’ residence in Godric’s Hollow or jump and catch letters at No. 4 Privet Drive.

But my favorite place was Diagon Alley. The narrow crooked road with all kinds of magical shops on both sides was breathtaking. It was as if it had come alive directly from the pages of the book. Gringotts, Ollivanders, and Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes! I went mad with excitement and joy, it was so brilliant.

  • The Letters from No one
  • The Potters’ house
  • Gringotts
  • Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes
  • Madam Malkins
  • Diagon Alley

Hogwarts Express

9 ¾ and Hogwarts Express

The absolute showstopper of this Studio Tour is Platform 9 ¾ and the Hogwarts Express. The shining scarlet train was brilliant to look at. I clicked what seemed like a thousand photos and posed with it as well. You can climb aboard it and walk down the passage to peer into the compartments, which has some props set up to awaken your imagination. At the very end is the food trolley filled with the students’ favorite sweets.

The Castle

Model, drawings

The last part of the Studio Tour is Hogwarts itself. These set of rooms are dedicated to the castle because an unimaginable amount of work went into making the castle what it was. Drawings, manuscripts with calculations, small scale model parts and a HUGE scale model of the castle and its grounds. This part of the tour will blow your mind away. You have to see it to believe it!

Hogwarts Castle Design

Shops

Wands, clothes, Butterbeer

Before you leave, don’t forget to do some shopping for mementoes and take-aways. There are 3 shops in the tour. Enchanted Forest shop has forest themed souvenirs; Studio Shop has wands, confectionary, clothes etc.; Railway Shop has train related gifts and clothes, sweets, house themed souvenirs. I bought a Hogwarts scarf, a Gryffindor notebook and a Slytherin ball-pen. I was so pleased with my loot. You can also check out their online shop.

Tip: Do try the Butterbeer, its supposed to be yummy; I unfortunately ran out of time to do that. It’s my one small regret.

Felix Felicis

The tour ends at the life-size model of the castle but what you saw will stay with you forever, it will keep you dreaming and star struck for ages to come. What I have mentioned here is only a part of what there actually is to see and imbibe in the tour. The 4 hours spent there seemed to fly by like that. It was like a little dose of Felix which kept me happy for a long time after I left the tour with a smile on my face.

Tip: I would suggest you consider to be there for at least 6 hours so you enjoy each and every tiny detail there is.

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