Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Eye of God at Newchurch in Pendle
St. Govor’s Well.
St. Govor’s Well
Shivsrushti
Pierced domes of Hammam Seffarine.
Hammam Seffarine
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
26 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
26 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
27 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
28 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Iceland Reykjavik Álfaskólinn (Elf School)

Álfaskólinn (Elf School)

Learn about Iceland's hidden folk at this school dedicated to the study of elves.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Added By
Oliver Hong
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Elf Houses   Andrey Savchenko / CC BY-SA 2.0
Elf Houses   Andrey Savchenko / CC BY-SA 2.0
  danibatterman / Atlas Obscura User
Álfaborg, a fairy castle.   Schorle/CC BY-SA 3.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Some Icelanders take their belief in elves very seriously. For example, road crews in Iceland will sometimes hire folklore experts to determine if certain boulders are homes to elves, and will divert the road around the boulder if it turns out there are little people living within it.

This belief in elves doesn't stop with road workers and superstitious locals either. After escaping a car crash unscathed, a member of the Icelandic Parliament had a 30-ton boulder moved to near his home because he believed that the local elves inside the boulder used their magic to save him. While there are many Icelanders who pay no mind to the superstitious elf-talk, there is a higher-than-average number of citizens that are believers.

With all that said, it's not surprising to see that there's an entire school dedicated to learning about these hidden people. Located in the thoroughly modern city of Reykjavik, the school has a full curriculum of study about the 13 types of elves in Iceland. This concentration comes with a set of published textbooks with drawn depictions of these creatures for reference in the classroom, or just in case you encounter one in the wild.

The school studies Iceland's other supernatural fauna as well, such as fairies, trolls, dwarves, and gnomes, but they mainly focus on elves, because they are the most commonly believed in and "seen." 

The school also offers five-hour classes for curious travelers which include a tour of hidden folk habitats and ends with coffee and pancakes with the school's headmaster. He alone makes the experience worthwhile, as his genuine belief in elves and pointed sense of humor provide quality entertainment regardless of whether you believe his stories or not. Be prepared to be made fun of (especially if you're Canadian) and to be surrounded by the likes of psychics and mediums. At the end, you will have a beautiful diploma to show off to your friends and colleagues as proof that you were sufficiently educated in the affairs of elves.

Related Tags

Superstitions Schools Cultures And Civilizations Repositories Of Knowledge
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Iceland in Summer: Journey through the South Coast & the Westman Islands

Explore Iceland's Myths, Wonders, & Landscapes.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Oliver Hong

Edited By

hrnick, relizh, Molly McBride Jacobson, danibatterman...

  • hrnick
  • relizh
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • danibatterman
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • amcagg

Published

January 21, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Elf_School
  • http://www.gonomad.com/features/0101/waigand_iceland.html
  • http://www.kristinscamera.com/kristins-camera/2012/01/icelands-elf-school.html
  • http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/146/urban-nature?act=1
Álfaskólinn (Elf School)
28-30 Síðumúli
Reykjavik
Iceland
64.133069, -21.876126
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Piece of Berlin Wall In Iceland

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

The Raven's Nest

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Holdsveikraspítalinn í Laugarnesi

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Reykjavik

Reykjavik

Iceland

Places 23

Nearby Places

Piece of Berlin Wall In Iceland

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

The Raven's Nest

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Holdsveikraspítalinn í Laugarnesi

Reykjavik, Iceland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Reykjavik

Reykjavik

Iceland

Places 23

Related Stories and Lists

9 Bizarre Schools That We Promise Actually Exist

libraries

By Oliver Hong

Fairy Forts, Dens, & Glens: When Places Are Preserved by Mythical Belief

cryptozoology

By Melissa Marshall

Related Places

  • Ben Youssef Madrasa.

    Marrakesh, Morocco

    Ben Youssef Madrasa

    The largest madrasa in Morocco once housed more than 900 students within its exquisite walls.

  • The entrance to the museum.

    Kharkiv, Ukraine

    Museum of Sexual Cultures of the World

    It's the only museum of its kind in Ukraine.

  • Santa school exterior

    Midland, Michigan

    Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School

    There is an art, a science, and certainly a responsibility to occupying the Big Red Chair, and this is where it's learned.

  • Bai Gong Fang - The 100 Handicraftsmen Workshop

    Beijing, China

    Bai Gong Fang (100 Handicraftsmen Workshop)

    A studio devoted to keeping hundreds of unique Chinese arts alive.

  • Machu Picchu.

    Aguas Calientes, Peru

    Machu Picchu: The Lost City of The Inca

    The intricate stonework of Machu Picchu serves as a testament to Incan engineers.

  • Armenian clothes

    Watertown, Massachusetts

    Armenian Museum of America

    Large Massachusetts museum dedicated to Armenian history and culture.

  • Los Angeles, California

    Tempest Freerunning Academy

    An academy where anyone can train in the exciting acrobatic sports of parkour and freerunning.

  • (Flickr/Bebulaki)

    Paris, France

    I Love You Wall

    Paris' linguistic guide to the international language of, yes, love.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.