1. Pay a visit to Platform 9 ¾

Are you one of the many ardent Harry Potter fans who is still waiting for your Hogwarts acceptance letter? Don't fret too much because you just have to step to Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station and recreate the moment you barge into the magical portal with a luggage trolley to catch the magical train to Hogwarts.

Here's a link to the Harry Potter books for all those newbies who have no idea about what I'm talking about.

How to do it:

Just wander around King's Cross Station and you will come across this magical platform with the half barged Harry Potter luggage trolley sticking out of the wall titled 'Platform 9 ¾ '. This is an extremely popular tourist spot especially in the weekend, so be prepared for long queues. But you can always buy a ticket and skip the line to enjoy your moment at Harry Potter's world.

Other Harry Potter Tours

If visiting platform 9 ¾ has awakened your craving for more Harry Potter themed activities than London is the place for you! Here is a list of the most popular activities related to the wizarding world.

Magical London: Harry Potter Guided Walking Tour

This walking tour is one of the best value options with a cost of only £15 for two-and-a-half-hour tour, that includes two main Harry Potter attractions: Diagon Alley and Platform 9 ¾.

Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio tour from Kings Cross

getting a ticket to tour the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio is hard to come by with the massive demand that draws thousands of tourists every day to the studio. It is advised to plan months ahead because at certain time periods tickets are fully booked in advance for two months on the official Warner Bros. website. But this tour company does not disappoint when in need of a ticket to check out the ‘making of Harry Potter magic’. At a cost of £80 a ticket that also includes round-trip transport from King’s Cross, it is indeed a great value for money!

Harry Potter 3-Hour Bus Tour of London Movie Sites

For only £28 a ticket, you can now tour the Harry Potter movie sights while seated on the comfort of a bus. This bus tour allows you to beat the unpredictable London rain and see more sights and landmarks within the 3 hours' time.

Harry Potter Tour of London by Black Taxi Cab

If you prefer to tour the sights with only your friends and family without rubbing elbows with the masses, then there is always the luxury option of touring the sights by one of London's iconic black cabs. This service starts from £310 and includes door to door pick up of your group that will take you on your own private tour.

Explore the historic Kings Cross left Luggage

For years' people would commute through Kings Cross left Luggage and never have time to take a moment to stop and take a look around. This is a downright shame because St. Pancras Station is filled with a rich and fascinating history all around.

Highlights of Kings Cross St Pancras

The Dent Clock – The Dent Clock is located on the upper floor of Kings Cross left Luggage, near the Eurostar terminal. This clock is a replica of the original Dent clock that was almost sold to an American collector for $250,000 but was dropped by workers while getting the clock down to be sold. The statue of Sir John Betjeman – located on the upper floor is the statue of Sir John Betjeman, who is famous for leading the campaign to save Kings Cross left Luggage from being demolished in the 1960s. The Meeting Place – This 9-meter tall bronze statue of a man and woman in an amorous embrace can be found under the Dent clock at Kings Cross left Luggage. Also known as the lover's statue it was produced by Paul Day and displayed in 2007. The Olympic Rings – ever wondered what happened to the Olympic rings that hung majestically over Kings Cross left Luggage while the 2012 Olympic games were being hosted? After the games, the rings were taken down and sliced and converted into seating benches that can be found outside the South-eastern high-speed platforms.

Is Kings Cross and St Pancras the same station?

Since the most recent renovations Kings Cross and Kings Cross left Luggage are referred to as one station – Kings Cross Kings Cross left Luggage. But strictly speaking, they are two separate stations, located right next to each other and separated by one road.

Drop by for a glass of bubbly at Europe's longest Champagne bar

Located on the upper floor of Kings Cross left Luggage is Searcy's Champagne Bar, which is also Europe's longest Champagne bar that is 98 meters long. Searcy's Champagne bar is a perfect place to stop and enjoy a glass of bubbly before embarking on your journey. You can enjoy your glass of champagne while gazing over the entire station terminal or up the impressive glass ceiling.

How to do it

Planning ahead and making a reservation is not required as you can walk right in and order your preferred drink from this longest Champagne bar in Europe. The bar not only serves champagne and sparkling wine, but it serves nibbles inspired by the seasonal specialties as well as afternoon tea.

Fun facts about Kings Cross St Pancras Station

Opened in 1868 by the Midlands Railway Company, Kings Cross left Luggage is a Victorian masterpiece built to connect London with the northern cities including Liverpool and Edinburgh. Back in the days, the railway network allowed the trains to transport beer through three dedicated beer trains each day, from the Bass ale factory. In fact, during the construction of the railway station, the columns were built 3-barrels wide to match the plans of the beer warehouses in Staffordshire. The historic Midland Grand Hotel, built next to the Kings Cross left Luggage used to be one of the grandest hotels in Europe back in its heyday. The Kings Cross left Luggage has been listed Grade I and is part of the top 2.5% of listed buildings in England. This is the highest level of protection a building can get. The railway tracks were constructed 5 meters above street ground to avoid the nearby Regent's Canal.

Explore the treasures at the British Library

A visit to the British Museum is on many to-do lists during a visit to London. Located only a short distance from the Kings Cross Kings Cross left Luggage, it is home to more than 150 million catalogued items and a collection with rare treasures that date back to more than 3000 years.

How to do it

Treasures of the British Library is the most efficient way to experience all the treasures and highlights exhibited in the library. This free and permanent exhibition includes the Magna Carta, Jane Austen's notebook and original lyrics written by the Beatles. Don't miss: the statue of Sir Isaac Newton is also worth a visit and can be found in the British Library Plaza.

Swing around on an IFO

This impressive artwork by French artist Jacques Rival is a 9-meters high object in the shape of a 'birdcage'. The bars of the cage is wide enough for people to slide through and enjoy the swing that hangs in the center of the cage. The 'IFO' is mostly grounded but at night it's lit up and hoisted up in the air to give it a fun and neon appearance.

Take a walk through the rich history of Kings Cross Kings Cross left Luggage

Kings Cross is rich in history and has been through many ups and downs. It was opened during the height of the industrial era but the disastrous impacts of the two World Wars left the railway station almost abandoned as freight fell into decline during this turmoil time. This impacted the once industrial surroundings in a disastrous manner and in 1980's Kings Cross became well known as a red light district. But with the changing times, Kings Cross has once again established itself as one of the up and coming trendy neighborhoods of London.

Heritage highlights around Kings Cross St Pancras

The German Gymnasium – This is the first purpose-built gymnasium in the United Kingdom. Built-in 1864 by the London German community, this gymnasium has now been transformed into a fine dining restaurant and bar. Gasholder No.8 – This used to be one of the biggest gasholder guide frames at Kings Cross, which has now been converted into a park. By day, Gasholder park is a place to play and hold games, while at night the park is lit with subtle lighting making it an ideal location for events. The Granary – Back in the days the Granary building was mainly used to store wheat and grain for the London bakers. Today it has been transformed to house the world famous arts college – Central Saint Martins.

Enjoy some greenery

London is no different from any other major city, as such it isn't easy to stumble upon a lot of greenery amid this urban concrete jungle. But London is not without its green spaces and Kings Cross Kings Cross left Luggage has quite a few within its vicinity.

How to do it

Listed below are a few places where you can enjoy a bit of green nature in this once industrial area: Gasholder No.8 – as mentioned above, this former gasholder is now a luscious new park. Camely Street nature park – this nature park is just a stone's throw away from Kings Cross Kings Cross left Luggage. This reserve was created from a wasteland and it now includes ponds and marshy areas with rich and diverse wildlife. Skip Garden – this is a community project that has succeeded in building a sustainable urban garden full of wildflowers, vegetables, and herbs, using recycled materials.

Dance in the dancing fountains at Granary Square

Granary square is home to more than 1000 choreographed dancing water fountains, where you can dip your toes or just splash around during the summer or any other day of the year.

Drop by for a frozen delight at Ruby Violet

Ruby Violet is renowned for its small batch, homemade ice creams and other frozen desserts that are simply marvelous! This high-end ice cream parlour will leave you wanting to come back for more.

Take a walk along Regent's Canal

The Regent Canal is also known as the 'Little Venice' of London and is a popular leisure amenity nowadays. Boat rides are a familiar sight at the canal and the towpath is frequented by cyclists and walkers as they enjoy the scenery while passing the evening away.

Visit the Charles Dickens Museum

Located at 48, Doughty Street, London is the home of one the greatest British storytellers, Charles Dickens. The author's Victorian family home has been beautifully restored to showcase the life of this world-famous author who created literature classics such as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and Pickwick Papers.

Explore the Wellcome Collection

The Wellcome Collection is a museum that portrays the connection between the medical world, science and art. Founded in 2007, the museum is advertised as "the free destination for the incurably curious". The venue is not only a permanent library and museum but it regularly hosts art exhibitions, lively music events and conferences.

Sleep in a prison cell at Clink 78

Clink 78 was a former courthouse that has been transformed into a funky youth hostel. The original prison cells have been converted into private rooms complete with barred window, a steel toilet, and a heavy metal door. Little green buttons have been installed inside the room so that nowadays you are able to open the heavy metal door whenever you want to.

Take the Eurostar

Kings Cross Kings Cross left Luggage is a tourists' paradise with a rich history and abundant culture to experience. But it is also an international gateway onto the continent of Europe. Home to the international Eurostar, it is certainly one of the best ways of international travel as it is cheaper and takes less than 40 minutes' time to get off at Paris from London.

How to do it

Click here to book seats directly with Eurostar. But if you are looking to explore more of Europe after your international train ride, check GoEuro to plan more extensive and detailed routes.