Harry Potter Walking Tour Oxford: New College & Bodleian Library

The places where Harry actually stood, in the colleges that played Hogwarts

A 90-minute walking tour of Oxford's Harry Potter filming locations, led by a guide in English, with entry to New College and the Bodleian Library's Divinity School. You're sorted into Hogwarts Houses, receive a wand, and walk the medieval corridors and quads where scenes were filmed, including the dining hall where students have eaten in gowns for nearly 650 years and the tree where Draco Malfoy was transfigured into a ferret.

Step-by-step itinerary

Harry Potter walking tour in Oxford

• Meet at Sheldonian Theatre
• Get sorted into Hogwarts Houses
• Receive your wands
• Visit Oxford's Flourish & Blotts
• Enter Bodleian Library Divinity School
• See Old Schools Quadrangle and Radcliffe Camera
• Walk through New College and dining hall
• Pass by Bridge of Sighs and All Souls College
• Take Harry Potter quiz

The Experience

The tour starts at the Sheldonian Theatre, where you're sorted into Houses and given your wand. From there, you move through Oxford's colleges and libraries—not as a general sightseeing walk, but following the actual filming locations. New College, founded in 1379, holds the gothic cloister and quad from The Goblet of Fire; the Bodleian Library's Divinity School (completed in 1488) is where Dumbledore visited Harry in The Philosopher's Stone. You'll stand in the oldest dining hall in Oxford, see the tree where Draco's curse backfired, and gaze at the windows of the Restricted Section—Duke Humfrey's Library—where real books were chained to the shelves for the films.

The guide weaves Harry Potter knowledge through the walk: you'll hear about the Bridge of Sighs and its link to Azkaban, visit Blackwell's bookshop (Oxford's Flourish & Blotts, with its three miles of shelving underground), and test your knowledge in a Harry Potter quiz along the way. The route covers All Souls College, described as harder to get into than Hogwarts itself, and passes the Sheldonian Theatre and Radcliffe Camera. The walk is 90 minutes, which means you see the main filming locations without the day becoming a full college tour.

Wheelchair access is available throughout, and the route works for all fitness levels. Public transport stops are nearby if you need them. If you want to add Christ Church or see inside Duke Humfrey's reading room, those are available as options at checkout—the base tour focuses on the exteriors and the colleges themselves.

What’s included

• Entry to New College and the Bodleian Library's Divinity School.
• a wand and Hogwarts House sorting at the Sheldonian Theatre.
• a live guide in English.
• a Harry Potter quiz along the route.
• a short break at one of the stops.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Oxford Walking Tours

Is this one for you?At 90 minutes, this tour fits into a morning or afternoon without eating your whole day—you see the main filming locations and colleges without the commitment of a full university tour or a multi-stop day trip.

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Top questions

What exactly happens at the Sheldonian Theatre at the start?

The Sheldonian Theatre is where you're sorted into Hogwarts Houses and given your wand before the walk begins. It's the neoclassical building (built in 1669 by Christopher Wren) where Oxford students are officially welcomed into the University.

Can I actually go inside New College and the Bodleian Library?

Yes—entry to both is included. You walk through New College's medieval corridors and quad, and enter the Bodleian Library's Divinity School. The library's reading rooms are restricted to Oxford University members, but the guide shows you the exterior of Duke Humfrey's Library (the Restricted Section) and the Old Schools Quadrangle from the 1600s.

What is the tree where Draco Malfoy was transfigured?

It's a specific tree in Oxford where that scene was filmed—you'll stand under it during the walk and hear the story of the moment Draco's curse on Harry backfired.

How long is the walk, and will there be time for breaks?

The tour is 90 minutes total. There's a short toilet break built in at one of the stops, and you'll visit Blackwell's bookshop (Flourish & Blotts), where you can browse if you want.

Is this tour suitable for children who haven't read the books or seen the films?

The tour is designed for Harry Potter fans, and the guide's commentary assumes familiarity with the series. Children can ride in a pram or stroller, and the route is accessible for all fitness levels, but younger children without Harry Potter knowledge may not follow the stories being told.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

Entry to New College and the Bodleian Library's Divinity School is included, along with your wand and House sorting. The guide is included. Christ Church and access to Duke Humfrey's reading room are optional add-ons you can choose at checkout.