Reykjavik Folklore Walking Tour: Elves, Trolls & Ghost Stories
The Creatures That Shaped Iceland's Winter Nights
You walk through Reykjavik's oldest neighborhoods and two historic cemeteries while a professional guide tells you about elves, trolls, ghosts and the Icelandic creatures that shaped the country's storytelling tradition. The guide covers specific folklore (the Deacon of Dark River, Grýla, the 13 Santas), and explains why these stories mattered during Iceland's long winters. You meet at Ingolfur Square and the whole walk takes around two hours in all weather.
Step-by-step itinerary
Explore Reykjavik's mythical creatures and sites
- Meet and greet with mythical creatures
- Visit Iceland's oldest graveyard
- Learn why trolls dislike the church
- Visit second oldest cemetery and meet ghost
- Hear stories about Icelandic monsters
- Walk by City Hall and view Iceland map
- Visit Icelandic Guardian spirits
- Reach final destination of mythical walk
What’s included
- Your tour includes a professional guide who leads you through Reykjavik's oldest neighborhoods, two historic cemeteries dating back centuries, and stops at an elfstone in the city center and Reykjavik City Hall.
- The guide shares stories about Icelandic folklore (elves, trolls, ghosts, the Deacon of Dark River, Grýla and the 13 Santas), and explains Icelandic magic and guardian spirits.
- Live entertainment is part of the experience, and the whole walk takes around two hours in all weather conditions.
Times
- Every day 13:00 17:30
Before you book
Operated by Your Friend In Reykjavik
Prices and times updated 16 days ago
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The experience
There's something about a Reykjavik folklore walking tour that makes you want to look twice at shadows. Not because you believe in trolls (though after an hour of stories, you might), but because the guide knows how to make a graveyard feel less like a place where people died and more like a place where stories refused to. You start at Ingolfur Square, the oldest part of the city, and within minutes you're standing at an elfstone in the city center. It's just a rock, technically, but the guide explains why Icelanders have built around it for centuries, and suddenly it's not just a rock anymore.
The walk takes you through two of Reykjavik's oldest cemeteries, one dating back to around 900, and the guide doesn't rush through them. Instead, you hear about specific ghosts: the Deacon of Dark River, who has a reputation that outlasted his actual life by centuries, and the 13 Santas, or Jólasveinar, who are nothing like the jolly figures you know. There's also Grýla, their mother, a child-eating troll who shows up in Icelandic folklore the way winter shows up in December: inevitable and a little terrifying. By the time you're walking past Reykjavik City Hall, where the guide sometimes stops to point out locations of trolls on the great map of Iceland, you've stopped thinking of this as a tourist activity and started thinking of it as something closer to a conversation with the place itself.
What makes this different from reading folklore online is the guide's tone. They're not performing spookiness, they're explaining why storytelling mattered so much in Iceland's long winter nights. Around 1 in 10 Icelanders writes a book in their lifetime, and that statistic makes sense after you've heard a few of these stories. The walk covers Icelandic magic, guardian spirits, and the strange relationship between the church and the creatures that came before it. You're out for about two hours, moving at a steady pace through the city, and the guide handles all weather, which in Reykjavik means you should dress in layers and expect wind.
Is this one for you?Right for travelers curious about Icelandic culture beyond the usual sights, or anyone who wants to understand why storytelling runs so deep in Iceland. Expect a steady two-hour walk through older parts of the city in all weather. That's what lets the guide move at a pace where the stories actually land.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 15 years); Child (7 to 11 years): free; Infant (under 7): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What time does the tour start?
Meet at Ingolfur Square 5 minutes before the starting time. Check your booking confirmation for the exact departure time.
How long is the folklore walking tour?
The tour is approximately 2 hours, moving at a steady pace through Reykjavik's oldest neighborhoods and two cemeteries.
What if the weather is bad?
The tour operates in all weather conditions. Dress warmly in layers and bring wind-resistant clothing: Reykjavik weather can change quickly.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Public transportation options are available nearby, and transportation options are wheelchair accessible.
What's included in the tour?
A professional guide and live entertainment. Entry to the cemeteries and all stops are included.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, book ahead and arrive at Ingolfur Square 5 minutes before the start time.
Can service animals join the tour?
Yes, service animals are allowed on the tour.
Reykjavik Folklore Walking Tour: Elves, Trolls & Ghost Stories
1h 30m · EN
from US$ 52 per person
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