Watercress Beds

You don’t have to be a Potterhead to visit the Making of Harry Potter experience at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (15 minutes’ drive). Large film sets include the Dickens-inspired Diagon Alley and Platform 9¾, with the Hogwarts Express locomotive. In addition, you can find out the secrets behind the films’ special effects. First built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, Windsor Castle (half an hour) houses grand ceremonial rooms adorned with tapestries and chandeliers, and gilded state apartments hung with paintings by Old Masters. It also includes the Gothic St George’s Chapel, where Henry VIII is buried. It’s a 40-minute ride on the Underground from Rickmansworth to Baker Street. From there, you can check out the waxworks at Madame Tussauds London, get up close and personal with the animals at ZSL London Zoo, in Regent’s Park, or visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum.