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

This tour is interesting because it turns Reykjavík’s real streets into a map of Iceland’s favorite invisible residents. You’ll spend about 1 hour 30 minutes walking through the oldest parts of town, while your guide links local myths to specific buildings and places, including the long-running spooky draw of Hólavallakirkjugarðurt.

Two things I especially like are the mix of stop types, you get both folklore talk and proper atmosphere from spots that go back centuries. I also like that you might hear performance-style storytelling, with some guides using voices and even song, like Dúi’s singing, or the playful energy guides such as Ester and Bo bring to the walk.

One possible drawback: it is mostly on your feet, and the tone can be very spooky, sometimes even gory, so if you want a calm, light chat, keep that in mind.

What You’ll Notice Fast About the Style

The best part of this walk is how it feels like a guided nightcap, only you’re doing it outdoors in downtown Reykjavík, with the guide steering you from graves from around the year 900 to myth stops like the Deacon of Dark River. You’ll also get that satisfying city-orientation benefit, since the route passes key central landmarks such as Cathedral of Christ the King and City Hall, then ends near Austurvöllur Square.

If your travel style is all hard facts and quiet museums, this might not be your thing. But if you want stories tied to place, and you enjoy a little playful fear, it’s a fun way to kick off your time in Iceland.

Key Highlights You Should Actually Care About

• Oldest graveyard stop dating to around 900, so the myths land with real time depth
• Hólavallakirkjugarðurt cemetery, home base for the ghost story of the Deacon of Dark River
• Tjörnin lake, where monster stories connect myth to everyday city scenery
• Cathedral of Christ the King, a practical landmark used for troll folklore and church-versus-creatures storytelling
• Alþingishúsið guardian spirits, a final myth stop that feels culturally specific
• Live performance energy, including guides who use voices and even singing, like Dúi

Entering Reykjavík’s Myth Zone, Meet-Start at Ingólfstorgi

Your first job is simple: get to the start point at Hlöllabátar, Ingólfstorgi 1. You should arrive 5 minutes early. This matters because the tour starts on time, and the group moves as one, so late arrivals can mean you miss the initial orientation.

You do not need hotel pickup. That’s a plus if you like planning your own day, and it also keeps the schedule from getting tangled. If you’re using public transit, you’ll be fine, since the meeting area sits in central Reykjavík where getting there is straightforward.

Cost is listed at $55.63 per person, and you’ll see mobile ticket info tied to your booking. In plain terms, bring your phone with the ticket ready, and you’ll glide through check-in.

The Walk Begins: Old City Anchors and How the Stories Are Framed

Right away, you’re in the oldest-part-of-town vibe, with the guide setting the rules of the evening. The pitch here is not just telling a legend, it’s linking it to a real location you can point to afterward.

Guides like Ester, Bo, and Mathias come up often in the overall experience because they tend to keep the mood lively. You’ll hear humor mixed in with folklore, and you’ll get local tips at the end, which is handy when you’re deciding where to go next in Reykjavík.

Stop at Skúli Magnússon Sheriff: The Cemetery That Starts Around 900

The first big anchor is the oldest graveyard in Iceland, dated to around the year 900. This is one of the strongest choices in the whole route, because it gives weight to everything that follows. Even if you’re not the most myth-believing person in the group, the fact that the site goes back about a millennium changes how you hear the stories.

Expect the guide to explain the folklore angle while you’re standing in a place that looks like it has always been there. The time depth helps you understand why Icelandic stories often feel practical, moral, or tied to survival, not just fantasy entertainment.

Practical note: cemeteries can be a bit uneven underfoot. Wear shoes you trust.

Cathedral of Christ the King: Where Trolls Get Their Favorite Target

From the old graveyard vibe, the tour shifts to architecture you can recognize fast: the Cathedral of Christ the King. Here, the guide brings in the folklore idea that trolls in Icelandic stories do not play well with churches.

What I like about this stop is that it’s easy to visualize. You’re not hunting for a random myth rock or trying to interpret a distant landmark. You see the building in front of you, and you hear how the legend uses it, which makes the story stick.

This is also a good breather stop. It’s short, and it breaks up the walking while still moving the myth theme forward.

Hólavallagarður and the Deacon of Dark River Ghost Stop

Next comes the second-oldest cemetery in Reykjavík: Hólavallagarður (Hólavallakirkjugarðurt). This is the cemetery stop that’s built around the most famous ghost mentioned on the tour: the Deacon of Dark River.

If you want the spook factor, this is where it likely lands hardest. The guide ties the ghost story to the cemetery setting, so you’re not just hearing a plot, you’re in the atmosphere where people imagine it happened or might still happen.

This is also where you’ll feel the tour’s mix of old place plus performance-style storytelling. Some guides use voices and theatrical pacing, and that can make the cemetery feel much more cinematic than you expected from a simple walking tour.

Tjörnin Lake: Monsters in the Middle of the City

After cemeteries, you shift to city life at Tjörnin, the lake in central Reykjavík. Here the folklore turns toward Icelandic monsters. This matters because it shows you how myths in Iceland are not only about remote places. They show up in everyday geography, even right in the middle of town.

Tjörnin is also a visual reset. You get water and birds nearby, and the guide can steer the story while you look around at real city details. It’s a smart pacing choice in a short tour, because it prevents the whole walk from becoming one long stretch of heavy cemetery mood.

Reykjavik City Hall and Alþingishúsið: Guardian Spirits and Troll Cartography

The tour then moves past Reykjavík City Hall, and you may even get a look at a big map of Iceland discussed in terms of creature locations. Even if you do not remember every plotted spot, it’s a fun way to hear folklore tied to geography, not just characters.

Then comes Alþingishúsið, where you visit Icelandic guardian spirits. This part of the walk feels culturally specific. You’re not only hearing generic ghost tales, you’re hearing how local belief systems fit alongside Iceland’s civic identity.

If you like the idea of folklore having a role in how people see the land, this segment is a great payoff.

Final Stop at Austurvollur Square: Back to the Center, Not the Backcountry

The tour finishes at Austurvollur Square, close to where you began, but now near the Parliament building. This is practical. You end in a central place where it’s easy to continue your evening with a meal, coffee, or a second activity.

If you want a clean first-day plan, this ending helps. You’re not deposited on the far edge of Reykjavík with nowhere to go except walking back the long way.

Live Entertainment, Singing, and Those Small Extras at the End

The tour lists live entertainment as included, and in practice that often means more than a bland lecture voice. Some guides use character voices for trolls and elves. Others bring singing, like Dúi with his singing voice, which turns the storytelling into something closer to local performance art.

You might also get small end-of-tour extras. For example, some experiences include a gift at the end, and some guides take group photos and share them later by text. There can also be a few branded souvenirs like magnets, depending on the guide’s approach.

None of that is essential to the core tour, but it’s part of why the experience can feel friendly and personal rather than scripted.

How Much Walking Is Really Involved, and What to Wear

This is a walking tour, about 1 hour 30 minutes total. That’s enough time to cover several central stops, but it can still feel like a lot if you have limited mobility or you’re wearing shoes that aren’t made for city cobblestones.

Also, it runs in all weather conditions. Reykjavík weather is not polite, so dress for wind and changeable skies. Bring a layer you can adjust quickly. If rain starts, this tour keeps moving, it’s not built around waiting out storms.

One more small consideration: the cemeteries and lake area can be cooler underfoot. I’d plan to stand, not just walk.

Value Check: Does $55.63 Buy Enough for 90 Minutes?

At $55.63 per person, this is not a bargain bargain, but it also does not try to pretend it’s a full-day museum. For the price, you get three useful things in one package:

1. A guided route through central Reykjavík, which helps you orient fast
2. Storytelling with performance-style energy, not just dry narration
3. Key stops you can’t easily connect on your own, especially the older cemetery sites and the specific myth tie-ins

If you’re visiting for a short time, the value is strong because it compresses orientation plus folklore into one structured walk.

Where the value can feel less perfect is if you personally want more time inside a cemetery or more focus on one creature category. The route is time-managed and moves through multiple points, so you do not get a long, unhurried sit-down tour.

Who This Reykjavik Elves, Trolls, and Ghosts Walk Fits Best

This works best if you like myths with a sense of place. If you enjoy hearing why locals think certain spots matter, and you enjoy humor mixed with spooky stories, you’ll likely have a great time.

It’s also a nice first activity on your trip. It helps you learn where things are, and it gives you a cultural hook for the rest of your Iceland days.

If you are sensitive to intense or gory story elements, or if you prefer purely historical explanations with zero mythology, you may find parts of the tour too spooky for your taste. And if your expectation is that every legend gets equal time, you might find the balance varies depending on the guide.

Should You Book This Walk?

I’d book it if you want a fun, atmospheric way to understand Reykjavík beyond the main streets. The combination of ancient cemeteries (including the around-900 graveyard and Hólavallagarður), Tjörnin’s monster stories, and myth stops like Alþingishúsið makes this more than just a ghost story walk.

I’d skip or rethink if you only want facts, or you dislike creepy storytelling. Also, be honest with yourself about walking time and weather, because this tour keeps going outdoors.

If you do book, pick a day you can be flexible, wear good shoes, and arrive at Ingólfstorgi early. Then let the guide do what they do best, turn the city into a story you can still picture later.

FAQ

Where does the Reykjavik Folklore Walking Tour start?

It starts at Hlöllabátar, Ingólfstorgi 1, 101 Reykjavík. You should be at the meeting point about 5 minutes before the starting time.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Jón Sigurðsson Austurvöllur, near Austurvöllur public square in central Reykjavík.

How long is the tour?

The duration is about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The tour is offered in English.

Does the tour run in bad weather?

It operates in all weather conditions, so you should dress appropriately. If it is canceled due to poor weather, you are offered another date or a full refund.

Do I need hotel pickup or drop-off?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you’ll make your own way to the meeting point.

Is admission included for the stops?

The stop details list Admission Ticket Free for the locations on the route, so you should not need to pay separate admission for those listed stops.

Can kids join the tour?

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes. Service animals are allowed.

What is the cancellation rule?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.