Lockdown got you down? Take a virtual tour of Harry Potter’s London

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is temporarily closed due to a regrettable outbreak of spattergroit amongst the magical staff. Erm, wait, it turns out that it’s really closed due to precautions taken to avoid anyone contracting COVID-19. Not sure where the spatergoit rumour started, but we suspect that one of the Weasley twins had something to do with spreading it about…

In any case, bookings are being tentatively taken for 1st July onward, so you won’t be able to get the on-site experience of seeing the sets, props, costumes, and a frothy mug of butterbeer for at least a few more months (and possibly a lot longer, if some of the more pessimistic re-opening scenario conjectures become reality), nor can you gallivant around London snapping photos at locations referred to in the books or utilised in the films. Although it may seem like a minor consolation, for less than $7 you can take an hourlong guided virtual tour  of movie-related places in London, from Hitchcock to Bond to Harry Potter. The virtual tour starts at the Place Theatre at 89 Charing Cross Road and winds up in King’s Cross Station, with stops in Covent Garden, Millennium Bridge, and Borough Market.

Although the tour isn’t exclusively about Harry Potter’s London, it is heavy on the Potter. Using your webcam and microphone, you and participating family members can get sorted into Hogwarts houses and play games and take movie trivia quizzes.

Tickets are available from tour company Viator here. Have you taken the real or virtual tour? Give us your review in the comments.