Charing Cross Road, London

Renowned for its charming array of second-hand bookstores and antique shops which contribute to its distinctive allure, it's no surprise that Charing Cross Road served as the inspiration for J.K. Rowling's choice of location for the entrance to London's magical realm.

In the Harry Potter series, the Leaky Cauldron, a pub and boarding house for wizards – in which Harry lives for a brief period at the beginning of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" – plays a pivotal role as the gateway connecting the non-wizarding world to Diagon Alley, the wizarding shopping district where young Harry embarks on his magical journey in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" to procure all his school supplies for Hogwarts. To the untrained eye of non-wizards or muggles, it merely appears as a shuttered storefront nestled along Charing Cross Road in London's vibrant West End.

Harry also strolled along Charing Cross Road with Hagrid, and later embarked on a thrilling ride down the same road aboard the Knight Bus and Ministry cars. Additionally, one can spot a clothing boutique on Charing Cross Road by the name of "A Child of the Jago", featuring uniquely attired mannequins that seem to showcase wizard-like clothing and costumes.