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Imagine you're wandering through London's Covent Garden, dodging selfie sticks and street performers, when suddenly鈥攂am!鈥攜ou stumble upon a time portal disguised as an alleyway. Welcome to Goodwin鈥檚 Court: dark, narrow, and delightfully mysterious, like London鈥檚 best-kept secret and possibly its spookiest shortcut.

Tucked behind the unassuming facade of The Theatre Goers Club of Great Britain鈥攁nd just a wand-flick away from Charing Cross Road and Cecil Court鈥攖his sliver of Georgian charm has been haunting the city since around 1627. Amid those glossy black doors with gleaming knockers, brass nameplates that whisper of bygone businesses, and bow-fronted windows that curve so gracefully, you鈥檇 swear they were sketched by a Georgian architect with a flair for drama.

Now, Harry Potter fans鈥攑repare your gasps. Goodwin鈥檚 Court didn鈥檛 make it to the big screen, but it might as well have. Its moody vibes, authentic old-school lanterns, and shadowy elegance evoke a sense of (and inspired the props created by Warner Bros. for) its creepy evil cinematographic twin, Knockturn Alley. Depending on the weather and lighting鈥攁nd London鈥檚 got options鈥攊t can feel equal parts Diagon and doom.

Sure, you won鈥檛 find a wand shop or a dodgy apothecary tucked behind those windows here. But the eerie resemblance to the set designs in the films is so uncanny, it might just send shivers down your spine, prompting you to start checking over your shoulder for Death Eaters. Bellatrix Lestrange鈥攊s that you, darling?鈥攐r is it Lucius Malfoy apparating in the dead of night!?

So brace yourself for this detour. After all, Goodwin鈥檚 Court isn鈥檛 just a street鈥攊t鈥檚 a stroll through magical d茅j脿 vu...

Just past Bush House鈥攐nce the voice of the BBC鈥檚 World Service echoing across the globe鈥攜ou鈥檒l stumble upon a rather unassuming corner of London... unless you鈥檙e a wizard. Welcome to Australia House, the stately headquarters of the Australian High Commission (essentially, an embassy for Australia within the British Commonwealth). It opened in 1918, with King George V himself cutting the metaphorical ribbon. But let鈥檚 be real鈥攊f you鈥檙e a Harry Potter fan, you鈥檙e not here for visa info.

You鈥檙e here for Gringotts.

Yes, the goblin-owned-and-run, no-nonsense wizarding bank鈥攆amously known, according to Rubeus Hagrid, as the second safest place in the magical world (after Hogwarts, of course)鈥攚as filmed right here. The bank appeared in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 鈥� Part 2." Remember that jaw-dropping marble lobby with glinting colossal glass chandeliers and goblin scowls? Straight from Australia House鈥檚 Beaux Arts interior. The filmmakers loved it so much that they recreated it later at Leavesden Studios. But those first shots were pure embassy magic.

Now, don鈥檛 expect to just stroll in waving a wand and shouting "Alohomora." Australia House is still a working embassy. You need a proper reason鈥攕omething like a visa application or an official appointment鈥攖o get through those doors. But if you're charming (and not just in the magical sense), the security might let you peek at the grand chandeliered hall where the wizarding world's economy once jingled. Bear in mind, though, that Australia House is only open on weekdays, so if you visit on a weekend or public holiday, you won't be able to view the interior.

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It鈥檚 perched at a traffic-heavy junction, so even if you don鈥檛 get inside, you鈥檒l be treated to a surprisingly hypnotic display of London traffic choreography. Just don鈥檛 try to ride a dragon through it. That鈥檚 been done.

Blackfriars Bridge is tangible proof that even bridges in London have dramatic backstories and excellent taste in accessories.

The original structure made its debut in 1769, the brainchild of 26-year-old architectural prodigy Robert Mylne. He had just returned from Rome, full of Renaissance dreams and Piranesi prints, and decided to channel them into nine graceful, semi-elliptical arches of Portland stone. A scenic marvel with St. Paul鈥檚 Cathedral looming nobly in the background, it was so picturesque that 18th-century painters couldn鈥檛 resist putting it on canvas. One of the best-known results is William Marlow鈥檚 romantic rendering of Saint Paul鈥檚 from the South Bank. Very moody. Very oil-paint-on-canvas energy.

But alas, arches don鈥檛 last forever, especially when river water gets feisty. By 1869, Queen Victoria cut the ribbon on the new-and-improved Blackfriars Road Bridge, almost exactly a century after its predecessor was inaugurated. This time, engineers ditched the stone and went full steam ahead with five elliptical wrought-iron arches, designed not to upset the Thames or its boat traffic. The bridge鈥檚 granite piers, styled like medieval pulpits, are a nod to the 13th-century Dominican friary that gave the area its name. (No, not a brand of gin, though that would've been fun.) As for the color scheme, it's red, white, gold, and plenty of royal drama.

Look closely and you鈥檒l spot seabirds on the east side, freshwater birds on the west, and a very stoic silver dragon guarding the entrance to the City of London like a mythical customs officer.

By 1910, the bridge had to bulk up鈥攈ello, trams and London鈥檚 ever-growing swarm of vehicles. Today, it spans a beefy 105 feet (or 32 meters), making it the widest bridge over the Thames. That鈥檚 right: a true heavyweight champion of river crossings.

More recently (in 2007), Blackfriars Bridge had its own moment of magic for Potterheads, soaring onto the silver screen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when the Order whisked Harry away from Privet Drive to Grimmauld Place. Look closely, and you鈥檒l catch them flying under the Blackfriars, capes flapping and all that. Muggles didn鈥檛 even blink.

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Wander into the southern pedestrian subway and you鈥檒l still see Mylne鈥檚 original bridge, lovingly preserved in tile. Because even demolished bridges deserve a good portrait.

The Millennium Bridge鈥擫ondon鈥檚 bold leap into the 21st century, and quite literally, a wobbly one.

This sleek steel span holds not one, not two, but three distinctions. First, it鈥檚 the youngest of the Thames crossings. Second, it鈥檚 the only bridge in London where cars are banished鈥攐nly pedestrians, photographers, and the occasional rollerblader. And third? It set a record for the fastest closure in UK bridge history. Opened with great fanfare... then swiftly shut down just two days later because, well, it couldn鈥檛 handle people's excitement. Or their footsteps...

Designed to mark the year 2000, the bridge was formally inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II as the winning brainchild of Foster & Partners and Ove Arup & Partners鈥攖hose clever folks you call when you want something to be both futuristic and structurally sound. Stretching 325 meters (or 1060+ feet), it tiptoes across the Thames with eight low-slung suspension cables (tensioned to exert a formidable 2000-ton force against the sturdy piers rooted on each bank) that don鈥檛 dare obstruct your Insta-worthy shot of St. Paul鈥檚 Cathedral.

Indeed, as a pedestrian-only portal between the Tate Modern and Shakespeare鈥檚 Globe on one end, and the mighty dome of St. Paul鈥檚 on the other, the views it affords are truly a chef鈥檚 kiss.

Of course, its opening-day wobble鈥攖hanks to 90,000 enthusiastic pedestrians striding in unintentional unison鈥攅arned it the affectionate moniker 鈥淭he Wobbly Bridge.鈥� But fear not: engineers came to the rescue with over 50 high-tech dampers and stabilizers galore, and by 2002, the bridge was back in action, shimmy-free.

Speaking of dramatic comebacks鈥攜es, that was the very bridge you saw disintegrating in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Death Eaters swoop in, chaos erupts, and the Millennium Bridge bends like a paperclip. Don鈥檛 worry, though鈥攊t was all movie magic. The real bridge stood firm and survived the scene unscathed, unlike its fictional counterpart.

Tip:
Wear good walking shoes, bring a raincoat (because it's London), and don鈥檛 forget to glance down鈥攕ometimes there are funky little art stickers underfoot. Because, again, this is London, and even the pavement might be making a statement.

For centuries, Saint Paul's Cathedral has stood tall, quite literally, as London鈥檚 ultimate comeback story in stone form. After the Great Fire of 1666 turned the medieval cathedral (originally founded in 1087) into a smoldering memory, Sir Christopher Wren got the challenge of designing the masterpiece we see today.

Construction began in 1675 and took 35 years. Wren鈥檚 first design was too modern. The second鈥攖oo modern again and too Catholic-looking. He eventually struck a deal with the Anglican clergy: throw in a classic English spire, but sneak in a magnificent triple-stacked dome instead. Now it鈥檚 the second-largest cathedral dome in the world after St. Peter鈥檚 in Rome. Subtle flex.

During WWII and the Blitz, flames again came for the cathedral, and again, it stood its ground. Brave volunteers fought fires on the dome, saving it from complete destruction. Saint Paul鈥檚 became a beacon of hope in the rubble. Fittingly, above the south entrance, you鈥檒l spot the Latin word "Resurgam," meaning 鈥淚 shall rise again.鈥� Very on brand.

Inside, the cathedral is pure English Baroque drama. Climb 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery, where even your gossip echoes in style. Add another 119 steps for the Stone Gallery and 152 more for the Golden Gallery鈥攂ecause apparently, stairs build character. But the panoramic views of London are worth every calf cramp.

Down below in the crypt, you鈥檒l find the final resting places of national legends: the Duke of Wellington, Admiral Nelson, and of course, Wren himself. His epitaph reads: 鈥淚f you seek his monument, look around you.鈥�

Saint Paul鈥檚 was basically Dickens' favorite rooftop. In Master Humphrey鈥檚 Clock, he climbs to the top for a bird鈥檚 eye view of life鈥檚 contradictions, which, come to think of it, London is full of. In David Copperfield, Peggotty enjoys the view too. Dickens knew this neighborhood well and even attended the Duke of Wellington鈥檚 funeral here in 1852.

Back in Shakespeare鈥檚 day, the area around Saint Paul鈥檚 was bustling with booksellers. This was the epicenter of the English publishing world鈥� the Bard鈥檚 plays were printed and sold right here. Odds are he browsed the stalls himself, possibly muttering, 鈥淭o plagiarize, or not to plagiarize...鈥�

And for the modern-day wizarding crowd: yes, that staircase you recognize from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is real. The magical-looking Geometric Staircase鈥攁ka the Dean鈥檚 Stair鈥攆loats elegantly in the cathedral鈥檚 South West Bell Tower. You might remember it from Professor Trelawney鈥檚 Divination class or The Goblet of Fire. You鈥檒l need a ticket to see it, but for Potterheads, it鈥檚 practically a rite of passage.

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Book online to skip the queue. And maybe spring for the audio tour鈥攗nless you鈥檝e got me in your ear, of course.

The origins of Leadenhall Market date back to the 14th century. Its name is a nod to the lead roof that once covered the medieval market hall. The location itself marks the former site of an ancient Roman forum and basilica from the days of Londinium, thus making it steeped in over two millennia of history.

The current building, a stunning example of Victorian architecture, with its distinctive glass canopy, wrought iron details, decorative arches, and intricate detailing, was redesigned in 1881 by Sir Horace Jones, the very same architect who gave us Tower Bridge.

Once the go-to place for meat, poultry, and game, Leadenhall now leans more toward wine bars, boutiques, and bistro bites, though you鈥檒l still spot original iron meat hooks (if you look up) and even a traditional shoeshine station. Stroll its cobbled paths and you鈥檒l find city suits mingling with selfie-takers, all basking in that golden Victorian glow. In this 21st-century era of towering skyscrapers, it survives solely due to government protection.

In recent years, Leadenhall has been a major pop culture draw for its connection to the Harry Potter movies. The surreal contrast between its ancient charm and the surrounding towers of steel is thought to have inspired J.K. Rowling鈥檚 vision for Diagon Alley鈥� a romantic slice of London鈥檚 past, nestled right under the glassy gaze of corporate high-risers.

In particular, the market served as the filming location for parts of Harry Potter and the Philosopher鈥檚 Stone and The Goblet of Fire, specifically as the entrance to Diagon Alley. At 42 Bull's Head Passage, a humble blue doorway is easily recognizable as that leading to the Leaky Cauldron pub (in the movies). Today, the shop is home to Glass House Opticians, so you might even chance upon Mad-Eye Moody here, getting fitted for a contact lens with a bit of luck...

Indeed, whether you鈥檙e here for the history, the architecture, a cheeky pint, or just to whisper 鈥淎lohomora鈥� at random doors, Leadenhall Market delivers all the same. It's London鈥攍ayered, lively, and just a little bit enchanted.