Travel to the world of Harry Potter
Young and old, if you would love to get lost in the world of Harry Potter then a summer trip to Watford is a must this year. Harry Potter studio tours kicked off last week and were a total hit! Making of Harry Potter is now open at Warner Brother's Leavesden Studios, located just outside of Watford in Hertfordshire. The tour is three hours long and takes visitors through several sets to make the movie, including the Great Hall, the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledor's office and the famously quirky Diagon Alley.
Visitors will also get a chance to take an up-close look at dozens of props and costumes. It's not a cheap family outing though. Adult tickets go for £28 and children under the age of 15 go for £21.
The studio was set up in 2000 to create the first of the 8-film series and became the hub from then on for all Harry Potter filming. The sheer scale of the place and the incredible details that goes into set designing and building are sure to impress everyone. The tour also includes a visit to the special creature effects studio, where you'll be able to see hundreds of creepy and cute creatures used in the films, from the Basilisk to lovable Buckbeak.
The Great Hall is set for a banquet, like the one on the first night of school when all the students gathered in their houses to watch the first years anxiously get sorted into their different houses. With a careful eye you can catch some graffiti on the walls done by the young actors to make the hall look like a real school.
Take a peek into Dumbledore's office, the perfect quiet retreat that every Headmaster needs. The office features 40+ portraits of the school's previous Headmasters as well as a huge collection of leather-bound books which are actually, as you'll find out on the tour, British phonebooks that have been covered in leather!
Did you know that there were two versions of Hagrid's hut used in the film? A small version, to make Hagrid look huge and a big version to make normal-size people like Harry, Hermione and Ron look small. Speaking of Ron, the Weasley family kitchen is also one stop on the tour.
While you're in Watford, don't miss out on the other local attractions including the historical Watford Coliseum, Watford Palace Theatres, the beautiful Cassiobury Park and the Watford Museum.
Are you a fan of the Harry Potter film series? Will you be taking a studio tour this summer?