Hogwarts

There is a game of one-upsmanship played by seasoned travelers everywhere. The goal is to visit the most obscure or exotic locales ("There’s this great little village in the Ecuadorean mountains…"). The travelers who play this game disdain typical tourist destinations.

However, there are some places so inspiring or fascinating that they are worth the visit, no matter how many people have been there before, or how commercial the destination has become. The Tower of London, the Grand Canyon and Bourbon Street all fall into this category. There are reasons that these places become so heavily visited. There is something there that draws people from around the globe, and appeals to every kind of traveler. One other such place is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hogwarts has been written about so extensively that no review of its offerings is necessary here. Most tourists here have portions of the visit that they enjoy and look forward to with every trip. This writer likes to drop by the Room of Requirement and marvel at its ability to know what one needs and to provide, even temporarily, for that need. Another favorite stop on the tour is the Headmaster’s office. It is a museum of knick-knacks and instruments that fill one with envy. The pensieve stands out in this regard.

One thing that sets Hogwarts apart from other popular destinations is that there are no appointed tour guides. Each room is hung with animated paintings that are able, but are sometimes reluctant, to answer questions.

We ask that you write about your visit to Hogwarts, and your favorite portions of the tour, in the comments.