You may or may not know it, but Porto played a crucial role in the creation of the Harry Potter universe.
Why? J.K. Rowling, the famous author of the young wizard’s saga — which we devoured like everyone else as the novels were published — lived in Porto for a few years, for love. A son was even born from her union with the Portuguese man she was deeply in love with. At that time, she was writing the early ideas of the incredible, detailed and fabulous story of Harry Potter. Her genius was inspired by various elements found both in Portuguese history and culture and in some of the places that made Porto famous.
The historical and cultural elements
As you may know, Portugal endured an extremely harsh dictatorship — which the mother of Andréa (founder of Voyage à Porto) fled with her own parents to find refuge in France. This dictatorship was led by António de Oliveira Salazar.
If you have read the books, you know that Hogwarts has 4 houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The head of the last house — one of the school’s founders — is named Salazar Slytherin. A practitioner of dark magic, he championed “pure blood”, allowing only students from long wizarding lineages into the school. This is, of course, a reference to the authoritarian and cruel dictator Salazar.
Another similarity: the oldest university in Europe is in the city of Coimbra, entirely devoted to student life. Its students have always traditionally worn a daily costume — a black top and bottom (trousers for boys, a skirt for girls) and a large cape wrapping the whole body from neck to feet. This traditional outfit, also worn by Porto students, clearly inspired the Hogwarts uniforms.
The mysterious places
The most famous: the Lello bookshop, and in particular its uniquely incredible staircase. J.K. Rowling drew on this staircase to imagine the fantastical architecture of Hogwarts. Once near bankruptcy, the bookshop’s fame allowed it to refill its coffers; the entrance now has a fee (queues can be long), which lets it survive while letting genuine buyers offset the cost.
The most discreet: Café Majestic. A café Andréa often visited with her mother as a child, evoking another era with its old-fashioned décor, carved wooden chairs, chandeliers and stained glass. J.K. Rowling would sit there for hours, recalling the grandeur of the dining hall described in the books. Today it has become very touristy and prices have soared.
The most secret: Porto’s hidden house. In the city centre, between two churches so close they seem to be one, stands a tiny house stretched from ground to rooftop. From the façade you barely notice it, yet inside it widens towards the back. In the Harry Potter saga, the author apparently drew on it to invent the houses that open up between two buildings and close again.
There you have it — a glimpse of the iconic places and elements that inspired J.K. Rowling. Voyage à Porto lets you discover this magical side of the city on a dedicated private guided tour.
