Private Folklore Walking Tour – Meet the Elves, Trolls & Ghosts of Iceland

Ghosts and trolls start right at the square. This private folklore walking tour takes you through Reykjavik landmarks tied to Viking roots, the church, and graveyards, with a guide who turns each place into a quick, memorable scene. I love starting at Ingólfstorg and meeting those stone pillars that Icelanders link to early settlement. I also like how the stops are short and story-focused, with plenty of chances to ask questions. One possible drawback: it is still a walking tour with quick moments at each site, so if you want long museum time, this is not built for that.

You begin at Hlöllabátar by Ingólfstorg Square, and your guide wears a light blue jacket so you can spot them fast. The tour runs about 1 hour 30 minutes, in English, and it is designed around your group only. Pickup is offered from hotels in the specified downtown radius, which makes it easier if you are staying central.

What makes the experience feel worth it is the format: legends tied to real addresses. You get a chain of stops, from the city’s founding story to elves, trolls, undead tales, and guardian spirits, all in one compact walk. At $172.55 per person, it is best value when you have one or two companions who truly want stories, because you are paying for private time plus a story-driven guide.

Key things to know before you go

• Ingólfstorg’s stone pillars set the Viking tone before the myths start flying
• Settlement Museum area mixes the oldest graveyard setting with humorous ghost lore
• An elf-stone or elf home stop gives you a place to focus your imagination
• Cathedral of Christ the King brings the church into the troll story
• Holavallagardur cemetery and Lake Tjörnin are perfect stages for undead and aquatic-monster talk
• Parliament House finish ties guardian spirits to modern Iceland

Ingólfstorg’s stone pillars, the Viking story starter

Most Reykjavik walks start with a view. This one starts with an origin story, right at Ingólfstorg. You meet by the two stone pillars that represent how Reykjavik was discovered and settled by the first Viking. Even if you have only a basic sense of Icelandic history, these pillars give you a simple mental map: myths are not floating in space, they are connected to places.

What I like here is how fast you get oriented. You are standing in the exact kind of square where you can picture the city beginning. Then the guide uses that moment to transition from human settlement to the world of beings who are supposed to have been around from the start. If you enjoy mythology that has a local address, this is a strong opening.

The practical thing to watch: the tour is timed. Your first stop is short, about 5 minutes, so come ready to listen rather than expecting a long site briefing.

The Settlement Museum area: graveyard ghost stories and an elf-stone

Next, you head to the Settlement Exhibition zone, in front of the Settlement Museum. Here you are near what is described as the oldest graveyard in Reykjavik. The guide builds stories around the idea that you can summon a zombie or a ghost to do your bidding. Even if you treat that as playful folklore, the point lands: Icelandic tales often used fear, humor, and practical thinking in the same breath.

Right after that, the route includes a second stop also tied to the Settlement Museum area, this time for elves. You visit what is described as a secret elf-stone or elf home close by, and you hear stories about the elves of Iceland. This is where the experience turns from general myth talk into place-based noticing. You stop looking at the city as just streets and buildings, and start viewing it as a set of story markers.

A drawback to consider is that these two stops are each about 7 minutes. The stories are designed to be punchy and memorable, but you might still want a slower pace if you prefer deep, extended detail.

Cathedral of Christ the King: religion enters the troll plot

From the graveyard setting, you move into the Cathedral of Christ the King. The tour uses the cathedral as a way to talk about religion in Iceland and how it influenced mythical beings. The highlight here is the claim that trolls did not like the church very much.

This part works well because it explains how myths can change depending on what society is doing. You are not just hearing about trolls as monsters. You are getting a sense of conflict, symbolism, and how religious institutions shaped what people said, feared, and repeated. If you are the type who likes meaning behind the story, this stop delivers.

Also, expect it to be brief again, around 7 minutes. This is not a long church visit with a full religious lesson. It is a myth-and-context stop, built to keep the walking flow moving.

Holavagardur cemetery and Lake Tjörnin: where ghosts and aquatic monsters fit

After the cathedral, the vibe shifts to something unmistakably eerie: Holavallagardur Cemetery. This stop lasts about 20 minutes, which is the longest time on the route besides the cemetery itself. The setting is described as beautiful and haunting, and the guide uses that atmosphere to tell tales of ghosts and the undead.

I like that the tour gives this stop extra time. You need a little breathing room when the theme is death and supernatural stories. Standing in a cemetery makes the folklore feel less like a lecture and more like a scene. If you are sensitive to heavy themes, you should know the tour is deliberately aiming for haunted storytelling here.

Then you walk to Lake Tjörnin, a pond or lake in Reykjavik. This stop is about 10 minutes, and the guide talks about the possibility of aquatic monsters or other mythical beings visiting. The fun part is how the tour reframes an ordinary city body of water. You stop seeing it only as scenery and start hearing it as folklore territory.

Peeking past City Hall, then landing at the Parliament House

On the way back, you pass Reykjavik City Hall. Sometimes the guide peeks inside if there is something interesting going on. This is a small add-on, but it can make the route feel less scripted and more responsive.

Your final stop is in front of the Parliament House, known as Althingishus. Here the theme shifts again, toward guardian spirits of Iceland. The guide also suggests you might learn some Icelandic magic, wrapping the walk with a playful send-off that connects old beliefs to the idea of protectors watching over people.

This last stop is about 10 minutes. I find it a satisfying finish because the tour begins with settlement and ends with guardians. It makes the folklore feel like one continuous thread rather than disconnected “fun legends.”

How the guide style and pacing really affect the experience

A private walking tour lives or dies by the guide. Here, the guide’s storytelling matters as much as the locations. In particular, you can expect a guide who tells the tales like mini sagas, with acting out parts of the story. That kind of performance turns short stops into scenes you can remember later, instead of bits of trivia you quickly forget.

Pacing is another quiet win. The route is built around brief segments, then gives you one longer break in the cemetery. That pattern helps a mixed group stay focused. If you are in a slower pace group, you will likely appreciate that the tour is organized for a steady walk, not a sprint.

The private aspect changes the feel too. You are not waiting for the loudest people to catch up or tuning out while someone else asks a question. You can ask your own questions, and the guide can steer follow-ups right where you care.

Price and value: what $172.55 buys for 90 minutes

At $172.55 per person, this is not a budget stroll. You are paying for a private guide, a story-led route, and your group-only time in Reykjavik’s central sights. If you were thinking of doing individual tickets plus a standard walking tour, the pricing starts to make more sense because you are getting a guided package rather than piecemeal planning.

The value gets stronger because the stops are listed as free admission at each site. In other words, your money is going into the guide and the route design, not into entry fees that can inflate costs.

The key decision is who you are traveling with. This is at its best when your travel group enjoys folklore, atmosphere, and a bit of theater. If you are more interested in museums, long guided interiors, or spending lots of time reading signs, you might prefer a different kind of tour format.

Also, the tour has a track record of being booked well ahead, with an average booking of 52 days in advance. That is a hint that people do plan this as one of their key Reykjavik activities, especially when they want stories early in their trip.

Logistics that make the walk feel easy

Start and end points are simple and central. You begin at Hlöllabátar at Ingólfstorg Square, next to the artwork of the two stone pillars. The meeting spot is described with clear landmarks: outside Hlöllabátar, facing Ingólfstorg Square and the two tall stone pillars, with CenterHotel Plaza to your right. There are benches, tables, and a covered ceiling to wait under.

Ending at Hallgrímst­kirkja is convenient because that is a major focal point in town. It means you can keep exploring after the tour without needing a long transfer.

If you are staying downtown, pickup is offered from hotels within the specified radius. If you are outside the downtown area, you are asked to meet at the designated location instead. The tour recommends using Google Maps, which is exactly the kind of practical advice that saves time when you are trying to find a meeting point on foot.

Finally, remember this is a walking tour of about 1 hour 30 minutes. Bring comfortable shoes and expect you will be moving between several central stops without long gaps.

Should you book Meet the Elves, Trolls & Ghosts of Iceland?

Book it if you want Reykjavik stories tied to specific addresses, and you like folklore that mixes humor with a little chill factor. This tour is a good fit for couples and small groups who want private time and a guide who acts out scenes, not just reads off a script. It is also a smart choice if you are short on time and still want to cover the city’s key themes, from Viking-linked settlement to undead tales, elves, trolls, and guardian spirits.

Skip it or consider a different option if you are looking for long museum-style pacing, lots of interior time, or a tour that focuses mainly on one site. Here the stops are short and designed to keep momentum.

My simple rule: if you can enjoy a 5-minute story opener at Ingólfstorg and still feel satisfied after the cemetery and lake segments, you will probably love this format.

FAQ

How long is the private folklore walking tour?

It runs about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Is this tour private or shared with other groups?

It is private. Only your group participates.

Where do we meet, and where does the tour end?

You start at Hlöllabátar by Ingólfstorg Square (next to the two tall stone pillars). The tour ends at Hallgrímst­kirkja at Hallgrímstorg 1.

Is hotel pickup available?

Yes, pickup is offered from hotels or accommodations within the specified radius. If you are staying outside the downtown area, you will be asked to meet at the designated start location.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Do we need to pay for admission at the stops?

Admission tickets are listed as free for the stops included in the itinerary.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts, based on local time. If you cancel less than 24 hours before, the amount paid is not refunded.