Cecile Court, London

Just a short detour from Charing Cross Road, the first lane on your right as you head up the street leads to the quaint and historic Cecil Court: a one-block pedestrian street, one of London's oldest, adorned with delightful Victorian-era storefronts and widely credited with having provided inspiration to J.K. Rowling when she envisioned Diagon Alley. This connection becomes all the more apparent when you explore the rather eccentric shops here, some of which specialize in magical and psychic literature, such as The Witch Ball.

These stores offer a wide array of treasures, ranging from rare and second-hand books to collector's editions, first editions, old stamps, maps, posters, banknotes, and various other antiques. For instance, Marchpane, a children's bookstore, proudly boasts rare signed copies of Harry Potter books. The entire street exudes an atmosphere eerily reminiscent of Diagon Alley, making you half expect to stumble upon Ollivanders Wand Shop or even a frothy pint of Butterbeer!