Living in a country where the elements prevail in such an intense way as in Iceland does not leave you without a trace. After centuries between volcanoes, glaciers, storms, polar lights and the open ocean, Icelanders have remained particularly superstitious and have adopted some rituals from the time of the Vikings

So one is firmly convinced that elves and trolls live on the island and that one shares the land with them. There are certain places that are taboo for any construction project, as elves have a grove there and bridges were torn down again when it was discovered that trolls lived there, as we know.

You can’t blame the Icelanders, but smile about it and go in search of the mythical creatures yourself. Sometimes the inhabitants put up small doors and houses for the elves.

But you can also recognize the “hidden people” simply by looking at natural phenomena. Tower-like lava rocks or a natural stone circle is a clear indication for supernatural inhabitants, whose places you can also read the names of places, such as Trollaskagi or Tröllafoss.

In some places it’s really obvious. One of them is Hvítserkur, a rock that juts out of the sea and, according to legend, is itself a troll petrified in the sun. According to the shape, one involuntarily has to agree to the legend. The loneliness in this remote piece of earth away from the people and the view towards the Arctic lets you fall back into the arms of nature and hold your breath before its power.