I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the Harry Potter films and how many times I’ve read the books in English and German. The stories are always exciting for me, so I was all the more excited to follow in Harry Potter’s footsteps in Porto.
But what does this story have to do with Porto? J K Rowling lived and taught in Porto for two years. During this time, the idea for the stories of Hogwarts, wizardry and Harry Potter is said to have developed more and more. In fact, the first lines of the first Harry Potter book are said to have been written in Porto. However, Rowlings has never really spoken about this, so we can only make assumptions.
Over the years, there has been a real search for “Harry Potter places” in Porto. There are Potter city tours that take you to the “places of inspiration” and of course, as an avid reader, I had to go and visit some of them.
“Harry Potter places”
We have marked the places that are considered “Potter places” in Porto on our map. These can often be explored “on the side” while exploring the city.
Livraria Lello – the most famous Harry Potter spot in Porto
The truly beautiful Livraria Lello is a 100-year-old bookshop in the heart of Porto. Even though JK Rowling once tweeted that she never visited this bookshop during her time in Porto, it’s amazing that there are parallels.
The magic bookshop Florish & Blotts in Winkelgasse looks a bit like the bookshop in Porto. However, the real highlight of the store is the staircase in the middle of the room. It is reminiscent of the stairs in Hogwarts.
To this day, the bookshop is considered the “Harry Potter place in Porto” and fans are not deterred from visiting, even if they have to pay admission and often wait a long time at the entrance.
We went to the Livraria Lello and didn’t regret our visit. It was crowded and the literature on offer there (apart from the Harry Potter books) was not to our taste, but the staircase and architecture are unique. If you would like to find out more about the tickets and our visit, you should read the article “Livraria Lello – the most famous bookshop in Porto”.
Café Majestic
We arrive at a café that looks a little “dusty” and not very modern. Café Majestic is located right on Porto’s main shopping street, Rua de Santa Catarina, and the building was built in 1916. Café Elite was opened in 1921.
The first thing you notice when you enter the café are the large chandeliers that provide light reflected in the ceiling mirrors. There are lavish Art Nouveau decorations throughout.
J K Rowlings claimed in a tweet (this must have been around 2020) that the Café Majestic was the most beautiful café she had ever written in. Supposedly, parts of the first book were written here.
We had actually planned to have a quiet coffee there. But I was put off by the liveried waiters and the outwardly stiff atmosphere. And when I saw the prices, it was all over. An espresso here will set you back €5, and that doesn’t include a slice of cake.
Café Majestics used to be a meeting place for the city’s intellectuals and celebrities. Nowadays, it’s the many tourists and countless Potter fans who can’t resist the pleasure.
Escovaria de Belomonte – the broom maker
In Rua de Belomonte there is a family business that makes brooms and brushes. It is said that the author passed by this store while strolling through the streets of Porto and saw the brooms.
Who doesn’t remember Harry’s first flying lesson or the excitement the Nimbus 2000 arouses in the students? Did Rowling write these scenes after the walk? Who knows…
The narrow house of the Igreja do Carmo
There are countless churches in Porto and it is not only worth looking inside. Sometimes the view from the outside is almost as beautiful. The Igreja do Carmo stands next to the Igreja dos Carmelitas – well, if you look closely, almost next to it. The two churches are separated by a narrow house about one metre high.
The narrow house reminds me of a very special house in the Harry Potter books. The narrow house in Porto may have been the inspiration for the Black family’s house in Grimmauld Place. This one is invisible to Muggles, almost as invisible as the house between the churches.
Fonte dos Leões
Unfortunately, the “Lion Fountain” was being renovated during our visit to Porto and we were unable to admire it. It depicts lions that look very much like the lions in the Gryffindor crest. However, the lions on the fountain have wings.
The animals in the crest are meant to show that everyone in the House of Gryffindor is brave, adventurous and strong. Just like the lion. Perhaps the fountain really was the inspiration for the crest… or perhaps the fanciful griffin with its wings…
Jardins do Palácio de Cristal
The Jardins do Palácio de Cristal is a place that keeps popping up in the tours and reports about Harry Potter in Oporto. It is said that this park was the model for the Forbidden Forest. I find this very far-fetched, as the park in Porto has lots of open spaces, landscaped flower beds and hardly any narrow and dark wooded areas.
Narrow alleyways
The old town district is characterized by narrow and winding alleyways. If you take a closer look, you will discover narrow alleyways between the houses that are just two pedestrians wide. We discover small cafés and stores along the cobbled alleyways as we walk around.
Perhaps this is where J.K. Rowling got the idea for Diagon Alley.
Clérigos Tower (Torre dos Clérigos)
This striking tower offers panoramic views over Porto and its unusual architecture could, according to die-hard Potter fans, also have been the inspiration for some of the magical locations in the Harry Potter books.
The Harry Potter cloak
Students at Hogwarts wear special cloaks depending on which house they belong to. Walking through the streets of Porto, you will see many young people wearing black cloaks. Not just for fun, no, these capes are part of the student uniform and have been for many years.
Who knows if the student cloaks were the model for the Hogwarts cloaks. What is certain is that some student groups like to cash in on the “Potter fan hype” and earn some extra money by putting on small shows around town.
Harry Potter filming locations in Porto
There are places in the University of Porto building that were used in the Harry Potter films. For example, the astronomy class with Harry, Ron and Hermione was filmed here. There is a room with a mirror that its inventors call the “walk-in wardrobe”. In the film, this ‘wardrobe’ served as the entrance to the Room of Requirement.
The clock tower that hangs in the university hall can also be seen in the movie.
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