United Kingdom: Diagon and 10 Bells

Two very famous sites I visited while in London included Diagon Alley and the Ten Bells pub, both located in the East End of London, England.

Harry Potter fanatics will recognize Diagon Alley as the famous cobbled wizarding alley and shopping area featured in the novels. One must enter Diagon Alley through The Leaky Cauldron to a rear courtyard and tap a brick in the wall. Given the busy nature of the area, travelling to and from Diagon Alley is likely typically done by more magical means.

The Ten Bells pub is located on the corner of Commercial and Fournier streets in Spitalfields. The now lively, booming and trendy pub was once known for its association with two of Jack the Ripper’s victims: Annie Chapman and Mary Kelly. The Ten Bells pub has existed since the 18th century. It was recreated in Prague for the feature film, “From Hell” with Johnny Depp and has been reputed to be haunted, with reports of paranormal activity continuing to this day.