Harry Potter's influence has spread from Little Whinging and gone global, as the magic of JK Rowling's creation captures imaginations across the world.
With the news that a Harry Potter-themed land is coming to Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, we explore other lands, parks and experiences worth adding to your travel bucket list.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the US
The best known is, of course, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which exists in Universal Studios theme parks all over the world.
Orlando, Florida, is home to the most famous, where you can enter Gringotts Bank for a roller coaster ride befit a death-defying dragon escape. Others may wish to wander Diagon Alley, where visitors can buy a wand from Ollivanders — which can use to do some tricks around the park at interactive spots — or grab a bite to eat at the Leaky Cauldron, before heading off to platform 9¾ to take the train to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts castle.
There are also theme parks in Tokyo, Beijing and California, but none are as sprawling or intricate as the one in Orlando. In Japan, you'll find a Hogsmeade village, but also the Black Lake and live owls, which aren't seen in the other versions.
The Flight of the Hippogriff and 3D Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey roller coasters can be found in all locations.
Harry Potter Theme Park, England
England is the home of Harry Potter and so no fan's world tour is complete without a trip to the Warner Bros Studio Tour London.
Here, you can go behind the scenes to see how the eight films were made, highlights include a broomstick ride, standing on the actual platform 9¾ and boarding a replica Hogwarts Express.
Not to mention seeing props and costumes that were used in the movies up close and even visiting the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and the Chamber of Secrets.
Visitors also have the opportunity to explore the Forbidden Forest and see Buckbeak and more magical creatures.
'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'
The eighth book by JK Rowling was a stage play that takes place 19 years after the events of the 2007 novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final in the original series.
Albus Severus Potter, the son of Harry, who is himself now Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, is about to start his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The stage production, which has been critically well received, can be seen in theatres in London, Hamburg, Melbourne, New York, San Francisco and Toronto in one or two parts.
Hogwarts Express
The Glenfinnan Viaduct features in the Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban and muggles can board a return trip on Scotland's Jacobite Steam Train, the same company that provided the engine and carriages used in the film.
It's a 135-kilometre round trip that sets off from Fort William and takes travellers past familiar landscapes, including the viaduct and Loch Shiel, which is seen in the films as Hogwarts' Black Lake.
Godric's Hollow
Visitors can stay in Harry, James and Lily Potter's house from Godric's Hollow.
It’s located in the centre of pretty Lavenham, a medieval village in England with more than 300 protected heritage properties.
It is owned by Jane Ranzetta, who has lived there with her family for three decades.
In 2017, the house was put up for sale for almost £1 million, but conjuring up a buyer was a struggle, and now fans can spend a night there by booking on Airbnb or through the De Vere House website.
You can book a private room within the house for two people, with a four-poster bed, ensuite bathroom, TV and WiFi access. There’s also a private guest sitting room and courtyard garden, plus a traditional Suffolk breakfast on offer.
Scroll through the gallery below to see fans celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Results
2pm: Al Sahel Contracting Company – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: AF Mutakafel, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: El Baareq, Antonio Fresu, Rashed Bouresly
3pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.30pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Alkaraama, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
4pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Lady Snazz, Saif Al Balushi, Bhupat Seemar
4.30pm: Hive – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
5pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – (TB) Handicap Dh64,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
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Price: From Dh529,000
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Transmission: Eight-speed auto
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World Cup warm-up fixtures
Friday, May 24:
- Pakistan v Afghanistan (Bristol)
- Sri Lanka v South Africa (Cardiff)
Saturday, May 25
- England v Australia (Southampton)
- India v New Zealand (The Oval, London)
Sunday, May 26
- South Africa v West Indies (Bristol)
- Pakistan v Bangladesh (Cardiff)
Monday, May 27
- Australia v Sri Lanka (Southampton)
- England v Afghanistan (The Oval, London)
Tuesday, May 28
- West Indies v New Zealand (Bristol)
- Bangladesh v India (Cardiff)
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
The struggle is on for active managers
David Einhorn closed out 2018 with his biggest annual loss ever for the 22-year-old Greenlight Capital.
The firm’s main hedge fund fell 9 per cent in December, extending this year’s decline to 34 percent, according to an investor update viewed by Bloomberg.
Greenlight posted some of the industry’s best returns in its early years, but has stumbled since losing more than 20 per cent in 2015.
Other value-investing managers have also struggled, as a decade of historically low interest rates and the rise of passive investing and quant trading pushed growth stocks past their inexpensive brethren. Three Bays Capital and SPO Partners & Co., which sought to make wagers on undervalued stocks, closed in 2018. Mr Einhorn has repeatedly expressed his frustration with the poor performance this year, while remaining steadfast in his commitment to value investing.
Greenlight, which posted gains only in May and October, underperformed both the broader market and its peers in 2018. The S&P 500 Index dropped 4.4 per cent, including dividends, while the HFRX Global Hedge Fund Index, an early indicator of industry performance, fell 7 per cent through December. 28.
At the start of the year, Greenlight managed $6.3 billion in assets, according to a regulatory filing. By May, the firm was down to $5.5bn.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
In the Restaurant: Society in Four Courses
Christoph Ribbat
Translated by Jamie Searle Romanelli
Pushkin Press
