When we remember the Harry Potter literary saga, London landscapes always come to mind with its dark castles, the iconic platform 9¾ of King’s Cross station, suspension bridges over the River Thames and cobbled streets that lead to the most magical places in London. the British capital. However, the origins of this universe lie outside England. The young magician left his mark in many parts of Portugal. It was there where in the early 90s the author J.K. Rowling spent two years, teaching English and writing the first chapters about Harry Potter.
Sometimes, when we are too lazy to ride a bike, we don’t want to think about where to park our car, or we are simply tired of crowded buses, we come up with alternative means of transportation. Harry Potter’s magic brooms, for example. In Portugal, public transport sometimes works in a very curious way: there are schedules, but the transport does not always appear. Therefore, it is not surprising that when creating Nimbus 2000, J.K. Rowling was inspired by the Portuguese traffic and the Escovaria de Belomonte with its almost 100 years of history.
Located in the heart of Porto, it is a family business that sells handmade brushes. From shaping the future brush to filling it with natural bristles (pig, goat, horse or badger), all items are made by hand and designed for different purposes: cleaning shoes and clothes, polishing gold, washing food (like mushrooms or fruit), showering, or brushing pets. Maybe you’ll also find something to play Quidditch with.
No trespassing! For Hogwarts students, but not for us. As much as we want to be, we are muggles (human beings without magical abilities), so we can enjoy the beauty of these gardens that, according to urban legends, inspired the Forbidden Forest, inhabited by magical creatures. The gardens of the Crystal Palace are a meeting place, for romantic dates with views of the mouth of the Duero River, for concerts and book fairs.
The park’s many paths will take you to explore museums, chapels, open-air auditoriums and, what most reminds us of Harry Potter, themed gardens such as the Aromatic Plants Garden and the Garden of Feelings. Furthermore, as you walk through this spectacular environment, you will see peacocks, roosters and ducks.
Every place where the creator of Harry Potter has visited becomes a magnet for tourists, especially if J.K. herself. Rowling confirms this. The Lello bookstore, recognized as one of the most beautiful in the world, has been in operation for more than a century and continues to be one of those events that cannot be missing in any guide to Porto. The bookshelves that reach the ceiling and the stairs that, it seems, are about to move like those at Hogwarts, create a unique atmosphere, where it is impossible to resist buying a book.
The bookstore became a place of pilgrimage for Potterheads, as if it were a portal to Hogwarts School. And what a disappointment they were when J.K. Rowling denied having been there! “For example, I never visited this bookstore in Porto. I didn’t even know it existed! “It’s beautiful and I would like to have visited it, but it has nothing to do with Hogwarts!” wrote the creator of Harry Potter in X. However, a large shelf with editions of the famous saga in several languages ??does not lose its popularity and the The name “Harry Potter Library” continues to appear in guides.
Unlike the Lello bookstore, the Majéstic café is a place of inspiration confirmed by J.K. Rowling. When she lived in Porto, she came to Café Majéstic to write and, according to urban legends, in moments of inspiration she used napkins to jot down her ideas. Located on Rua Santa Catarina, one of the most famous streets in the city, it was the scene of debates and gatherings of the Portuguese intelligentsia and witness to many historical events.
Now, the fame of the artists and writers and the excellent interior design have meant that there are always queues to enter, despite their high prices (a coffee is around 5 euros). But if you don’t have a time turner like Hermione Granger’s, you have to pay for time travel.
It is often said that the academic traditions of the University of Porto, where J.K. Rowling worked as an English teacher, they served as inspiration to describe the traditions of the College of Magic. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, all Hogwarts houses have not only a crest, but also a color. In Portugal, each faculty is assigned a color (in each university they are different). At the University of Porto, yellow is used for Medicine, violet for Pharmacy, dark blue for Literature, red for Law, orange for Psychology, red and white for Economics, light blue for Fine Arts and green for Sports Sciences.
Furthermore, several centuries ago in the university city of Coimbra a tradition of praixe baptism for new students emerged, consisting of various team games that has been extended to other centers. At the University of Porto, once the initiation ritual is over, students have the right to dress in traditional clothing called capa e batina. It was this same outfit that inspired the Hogwarts uniform!
Brave like a Gryffindor or ambitious like a Slytherin? When we talk about university symbols, it is essential to mention a nod to Gomes Teixeira Square on the Gryffindor house crest. At the heart of student life, near one of the most wonderful churches in Porto, the Carmo Church, is a fountain decorated with winged lions reminiscent of griffins. The Gryffindor shield also features a lion in a defiant posture, a symbol of courage – the main characteristic of Gryffindor students – which also evokes the mythical lions of Porto.
Perhaps it is just one of the many assumptions of Harry Potter fans, but the University of Porto is located in Gomes Teixeira Square, so it is very likely that J.K. Rowling will spend time in that area looking for inspiration after classes.
