Reykjavik Folklore Walking Tour: Meet the Elves, Trolls & Ghosts of Iceland

Name: Reykjavik Folklore Walking Tour: Meet the Elves, Trolls & Ghosts of Iceland
Brand: Your Friend In Reykjavik
SKU: 42496P4
Price: 42.83 USD
Rating: 5.0 (497 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceReykjavik, Iceland

Guided Mythical People Walking Tour of Reykjavik

1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Iceland has a strong mythical tradition, with all sorts of elves, trolls, and other popular folkloric characters, not to mention 13 iterations of Santa. On this guided tour of Reykjavik, go into the oldest part of town to learn all about these creatures and their stories, with stops at the oldest graveyard in the city, an elf stone, and to the Reykjavik Pond, where aquatic monsters are believed to dwell.

Walk through the oldest part of Reykyavik
Learn about local myths through a professional guide
Visit the oldest operational cemetery in the city
Stop by the local pond, where you may spot a water monster

What's Included

Professional guide
Live entertainment

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Ingólfur Square
Austurstræti 4 101, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Your Guide will meet up with you at Ingolfur Square in the center of Reykjavik by the two stone pillars (They are over 3 meters high) The square on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/wmKoKvB8YZfC3p8C7 Our expert local guides usually wear a light blue jacket with Your Friend in Reykjavik on the back

End point

Jón Sigurðsson
Austurvöllur, 43W6+V4C, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
We end up close to our starting point but now infront of the Parliament building at Austurvöllur public square.

What To Expect

Make your own way to the meeting point in central Reykjavik. With your guide and group of fellow travelers, head first for the oldest graveyard in Iceland, which dates from around the year 900.

After stops at a local playground and the Cathedral of Christ the King to learn about Icelandic elves and trolls, it’s on to Hólavallakirkjugarðurt, the second oldest cemetery in Reykjavik and favored haunt of Iceland’s most-famous ghost, the Deacon of Dark River.

Continue to the lake of Tjörnin to hear stories about Icelandic monsters and by Reykjavik City Hall on your way to Alþingishúsið to visit Icelandic guardian spirits.

Your tour finishes up at Austurvollur Square, close to where you began.

Your Friend In Reykjavik

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Skúli Magnússon Sheriff

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Playground

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cathedral of Christ the King

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hólavallagarður

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Tjörnin

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Reykjavik City Hall

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Alþingishúsið

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Austurvollur Square

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Stroller accessible
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Please be at Ingolfur Square 5 minutes before the starting time
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 999 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

497 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 497 reviews

If you love creepy folklore…

jennifer_m, Apr 2024

I absolutely loved this walking tour. If you are into creepy folklore then you must book this tour! We encountered an elf stone, took a walk through a creepy playground next to a Catholic Church and also walked through a very old cemetery full of beautiful old trees and headstones. The cemetery was so beautiful that I had to go back on my own to really explore. I don’t remember our guide’s name but he was very entertaining and by my guess probably part elf. If I’m ever back in Reykjavík (and I hope to be) then I will have to take another walking tour with this company.

Great experience

TamaraKristen_H, Apr 2024

We had a lovely evening, thank you for a wonderful experience. You held the attention of a child who doesn't have any attention!

Best tour ever with Einar!

Kelly_J, Apr 2024

I had an amazing time on the Reykjavik Folklore Walking tour! I learned so much about about the country’s folklore and had an awesome sightseeing tour of some of the lesser know sights in in the city. Our tour guide Einar was fantastic and knew so much about traditional Icelandic fables and ghost stories. He really made the tour fascinating and shared really cool stories about his life and family’s impact on the music/art scene in Reykjavík. We couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide! I would recommend this tour to everyone interested in folklore and I think it is a great way to learn more about the country’s culture. I would 100% go on this tour again and it was one of my favorite things I did on this trip to Iceland!

Must do- for the brilliant guide (Parde)

Shubhangini_S, Apr 2024

Absolutely must do! I often get bored in walking tours- but Parde(hope I spelt that right) was a wonderful guide! He was theatrical and engaging- and I loved how he told the stories; stories which in itself were very interesting. You could see he was very passionate about what he does and it was a tremendously enjoyable tour. Both my mother and I enjoyed this- and it’s good for all ages.I cannot recommend this enough! It’s brilliant! Very specific to the guide though…

Enchanting

vzw_G, Mar 2024

Perdo (hope I spell it right) is a very funny enchanting man and a born storyteller, behind the surface he's a walking encyclopedia when it comes to knowledge about history, fun facts and folklore, I really enjoyed it! @ Perdo: maybe you didn't make it as an actor, but you're surely one of the best storytellers I met so far, don't waste that gift too soon ;)

Too cold but good stories.

Margaret_L, Mar 2024

Loved going to the cemetery and all of the specific ghost and elf stories. It was very cold and a wintery mix. Wish that we had a few indoor stops to listen to the stories instead on standing in the cold though. Would have been great in the Summer.

Very Disappointed.

Christine_W, Mar 2024

Nothing really. While the young man conducting the tour was nice, he was not really well versed in folkloric tales. Also, the site stops were of no interest unless you like stones.

Good for different stories

Karen_L, Mar 2024

Good stories at a slow pace. We didn't walk around too much but we did stop where normally you wouldnt on the standard walking tours.

Folklore night!

Deborah_T, Mar 2024

Four of us (group of friends) enjoyed this walking tour. Our tour guide, Beau, was very informative and had a few stories to tell. We met him in a square (near the Center Hotel Plaza) and was taken to different areas of Reykjavik, that a first time visitor wouldn't even think of visiting. We were told stories of local legends, trolls and ghosts - they were very good. There are people that aren't into this sort of stuff and there are people that are, either way - definitely worth it! Even walked through a cemetery!

An Interesting Supernatural Look at Reykjavik

Kurt_D, Feb 2024

Over the years, legends evolve from one generation to the next. This walk through the neighborhoods and grave yards of Reykjavik provided an interesting look at the supernatural folklore phenomenon of Iceland as told by our informative and humorous guide, Stephan. We thoroughly enjoyed the 1 1/2 hour journey and got to see some different neighborhoods of Reykjavik that we hadn't in previous city walking tours. Thanks!

Best tour guide!!!

Jillian_G, Feb 2024

Stephan was the BEST guide!! He was so lively and entertaining as he told us all about the elves, trolls, and other Icelandic folklore and history. I would do any other tour in a heartbeat if he was the guide!!!

Elves tour not great

Amy_W, Feb 2024

Guide turned his back to 1/2 the group and you couldn't hear him.if you were standing behind him. Also he talked too fast so was difficult to understand.

Fun for everyone

Courtney_G, Feb 2024

Our tour was both fun and educational. Our guide kept things exciting and we really got to know the city. 10/10 experience!

Worth the chilly walk

Alicia_C, Feb 2024

Had a great time with Einar(hope i spelled that right), he made the trip very fun and a great way to walk around and learn a bit about Icelandic history! Definitely recommend.

The tour guide was...

Stacey_G, Feb 2024

The tour guide was amazing! He was entertaining! The time went by very fast. You didn’t realize how long you had been walking. Would definitely recommend if folklore interests you!

Cold but Interesting

Morgan_B, Jan 2024

Einar was informative and entertaining, though some of the stories/spiels perhaps got a little lengthy with us standing in one place for long stretches of time. Be aware that the entire tour is outside, so for folks doing it in the winter: you're going to be cold.

Worth a go

Amy_H, Jan 2024

Was a good experience, it was just me and the guide so I think with more people it would have been better. Einar was very knowledgeable and you could see he was very passionate about the stories he was telling. Also a great way to see a bit of the city.

Super fun experience

Alan_H, Jan 2024

He was a great story teller with a great sense of humor. Enjoyed the experience! Learned a lot about the culture and history. Some facts about the city.

Amazing!

Nat_C, Jan 2024

Fantastic tour guide! He was really knowledgable and funny. We had a great time on this tour and it was so well planned and executed! We loved it!

A must do!

Nancy_D, Jan 2024

Stephan was amazing. His knowledge and enthusiasm was contagious! We thoroughly enjoyed this tour. We’d recommend it to anyone coming to I eland.

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