Elf Houses in Iceland: Where to See Them and How to Get There

Iceland is a country of expansive scenery: lava fields, ravines, dark beaches, and deserted valleys. However, the smallest of its most popular attractions are the so-called elf houses. These little houses are even constructed using stones or turf and are usually located close to the rocks believed to be associated with folk in the shadows. You can believe in it, consider it folklore or entertainment, anyway, the houses of elves make an Iceland road trip a little more special. These directions cover the definition of what elf houses are, how they are referred to in Iceland, their locations, and the locations of some of the most memorable of all.

Icelandic elf houses are small constructions that are designed to resemble the houses of the people who are hidden, commonly referred to as elves in English. They could be embedded on a cliff, hidden in a hilly moss, or placed on a lava field as a small village. There are plain heaps of rocks with a door, and those that are well made, with minute windows, coloured roofs, and small walkways.

These houses are on the borders of the faith and the tradition. There is a deep folklore of concealed folk inhabiting boulders and hills in Iceland. There are special respects to some of the boulders or cliffs in several places. It is not merely that the elves live there, but that this place has a spirit, and ought not to be destroyed. That reverence is reflected in the language of discussing nature, the treatment of certain landmarks and the transmission of local lore.

The meaning of elf houses can nowadays be several things:

• An allusion to the traditional folklore and locality.

• One of the mischievous rituals that families play with children.

• A little good luck wish, left at spots which seem special.

• An adventure that tourists can visit, but which has a genuine cultural story behind it.

The interesting thing about visiting them is that they are not some museum exhibits. Most of them are on the street, visible to the human eye, and naturally connected to the scenery surrounding them. One of those may be found at a roadside rest, on a footpath, or in a small town where people have built a little community of the hidden folks.

In Icelandic, we usually call such things elves, otherwise known as alfar (in plural) or alfur (singular). It is also referred to as huldufolk or hidden people. The significance of that phrase is that it also gives allusions to the way the tradition operates: the creatures are not necessarily viewed, yet they are supposed to co-exist with the land.

Owing to that, you can hear about the existence of the houses of elves in a variety of ways:

• Alfhus (literally “elf house”)

• Huldufolkshuskell (a house of hidden people).

• Alfasteinar or references to the existence of elf rocks (stones associated with elves/hidden folk ).

In normal discussions, many Icelanders may just talk about the rock of the elves, the hidden people, or some place people do not mess around with. The English-language tours and travel guides are more inclined to use the terms of elf houses and Icelandic fairy houses, as these terms are common to the visitors.

To be polite in the request to the local folks, a straightforward solution will do, and you will ask: Does the place have hidden people? Or does it have an elf rock? You will have a story, a smile, or both.

The most accessible ones are based on a car; most of the Elf houses are spaced out and are not always located in the city centres. The positive is that Iceland is road trip worthy. You are able to create a flexible path, take a break to see something interesting and get to several well-known places in a day.

The most common starting point is Reykjavik, where most of the travellers start. You can then visit other nearby sites of interest in the area of elves located in the Reykjanes Peninsula, Hafnarfjordur or the Golden Circle. With more demanding journeys, such as the South Coast or the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, it will be easier to have your own wheels.

In pursuit of a standard self-drive, most tourists hire an ordinary car for short-trip tours. Reykjavik Cars is the place where a car-rental company fits well in the trip planning: it is a car-rental company that is dedicated to making a visitor rent a car and get on the road with fewer hassles, which comes in handy when you have additional stops, which are elf houses, on your way.

Another good alternative is a campervan, as it is a nice idea to make the journey the centre of attention. A camper enables one to drive, go sightseeing and stay over without going into a hotel every night. Such flexibility is useful in cases where you are willing to follow good weather or have an additional detour. Comparing that type of style, one is likely to consider Campervan Iceland in the process of organising a trip in the loop that would be in the form of a camper.

Some practical considerations will simplify your hunt for an elf house:

1. Check the road type before you go. Some are close to paved roads, and those that may be on gravel roads.

2. Watch the weather. Shoulder seasons are prone to weather, and it is easy to get blown off or rained out.

3. Stay on marked paths. Moss and the delicate soil will take years to regenerate.

4. Plan short walks. There are a few elf houses directly on the road there; a few more are a short walk.

The most likeable thing is that not all of the houses of elves are in a single site. They consist of a succession of little discoveries. A rental car or camper allows you to pull over and spend several minutes, take photos, read a sign and move on, without making the day more of a schedule.

There are houses of elves, places which are more or less famous. The following are some of the places and areas where the tourists usually find them, as well as what makes them worth stopping by.

Hafnarfjorour

Hafnarfjorour is among the most renowned locations of hidden folk. There are tales, local allusions and guided walks which point at the rocks of elves and places where people say huldufolfok reside. It is a convenient place to begin, even with just a little time to spend in Iceland, since it is near Reykjavik and, therefore, accessible.

Reykjanes Peninsula

Reykjanes is fillith the dramatic lava scenery, and it is precisely the sort of landscape that is associated with the hidden folk tales. The location of the peninsula makes it a good first or last-day plan, as it is situated near the airport. Look carefully in little pull-offs and walking paths, you can find little houses of the elves sometimes there, where the land is surreal, beside the lava rocks.

Borgarfjorour Eystri

Elves and folklore are places that are frequently discussed in relation to this region. The place, fjords, mountains, and paved roads are all appropriate to the mood. Should you be travelling to East Iceland, it can be a rewarding experience to inquire of residents about their folk tales, since communal folklore is a major element in making it seem that elf houses are real and not mythical.

Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Snaefellsnes is a mish-mash of cliffs, beaches, lava fields and small towns all on a drivable area. It is the type of path in which you can easily do pullouts, and little elements of folklore are often seen by the sides of roads and lookout points. The peninsula is the place to go, even without a list of specific houses; you just have to look around and surely find the Icelandic fairy house-style exhibitions and rocks associated with the elves.

Icelandic buildings are the size of an elf house, but they lead to something larger: Iceland, in relationship with the natural world, the story, and the location. On the one hand, a trip to a popular rock with elves on the outskirts of Reykjavik or the accidental finding of a small house in a countryside village can give you a playful break in your trip. Our trip takes a relaxed manner with an easy route, flexible schedule, and attention to the scenery, allowing you to witness the magic of the elf houses in Iceland and observe some of the most memorable landscapes the country has to offer in the meantime.