Home & Review
- Are you interested in elves?
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- Did you know that 54% of the Icelandic nation belives that elves exist?
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- And would you love to spend one plesant afternoon in listening to true stories of friendship between elves and Hidden People and Icelanders in recent times, and eat pancakes and drink coffee or tea in the meanwhile?
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... Then the Elfschool might be for you ...
“Particularly fascinating”
“We enjoyed the Elfschool very much. The school lived up to my expectations since I was interested in learning more about how elves and hidden people are a part of Icelandic culture and history. The retelling of the stories of elf encounters was particularly fascinating ... I would have enjoyed listening to this for a much longer time. The pancakes and coffee during the break was very nice also“. - Eivind Jensen. US. - (August 2016) -
“The perfect amount of strangeness!”
“My wife and I attended The Elfschool this afternoon. I genuinely enjoyed every minute of it - Magnus the headmaster is a magnificent character. A man judging by today's performance who is not afraid to go off on delightful ridiculous tangents, dive into the dark world of politics without a word of warning, discuss his pretty out there theory regarding schizophrenia. ... All this aside once you peel away his quirky nature you will see a man who clearly loves what he does and throughly enjoys opening up about old Icelandic culture, tradition and of course has tremendous ability to enthral a room with some fascinating stories regarding the hidden people.
I read the other reviews just before posting mine (curious about what impressions others had and to be fair they were a mixed bag - some made me laugh out loud!) I think you must just allow yourself to enter the world of Magnus for the 3 or so hours. I promise you if you do you will come away with a wealth of knowledge that will give you a greater understanding about the old ways and possibly even sparkle a bit of magic into your own life.
If in doubt think let me leave you with this fact. I'm a 34 year old man that would be a cynic (despite my best intentions) and like to think that I can smell BS from a mile away but you know what I did straight away when I got back to the apartment? I opened up the Elf Book he gave us and read it from cover to cover.
I would highly recommend this activity - just don't worry about the size of the room or his eccentric ways.... Allow yourself to get lost in his world and let him take you to the invisible people, you never know it might just open up a whole new world for you.
P.S. I have to say the pancakes were ridiculously good and I ate way too many!" - Peter and Claudia. Ireland and Mexico. - (January 2018) -
“Entertaining!”
“This is absolutely not like any “school” I’ve ever been to. It’s an entertaining afternoon with good hearted people. You have to be open and appreciate a little silliness. I felt the takeaway is that there are things out in the universe(especially Iceland) that we may not be able to see but they are watching out for us.Its a nice thought. Well worth the price for me”. - Lindsay. Missouri, US. - (January 2018) -
“The highlight of my visit to Iceland!”
“Having read the reviews on Trip Advisor I thought I knew what to expect from an afternoon spent at The Elf School. Yes, it was a memorable experience; yes, Magnus is a master story-teller; and yes, delicious bread, pancakes and coffee are served during the break.
What I wasn’t prepared for was just how much I absolutely loved my time there. The four hours (not too rushed start, and pleasantly indulgent break), whizzed by and it was almost over before I realised. I could have stayed much longer to listen to what Magnus had to say. In fact, I could happily have spent all week there!
The School has been running for 30 years, and yet Magnus’ stories and description of events in Iceland, and in other countries he has travelled to, were as fresh and new as if he was telling them for the first time.
The Elf School describes itself as an introduction to the Elves and Hidden People of Iceland, and certainly, if you are interested in this subject matter you won’t be disappointed; however, there is so much more to it. It is not a history lesson, but you will gain an understanding of how the ancestors of modern Icelanders lived. Nor is it a lesson on culture, or religion in Iceland, and yet you will gain insights into how and why this beautiful country has developed into what it is today. Facts are mixed with beliefs, folklore, and recollections of those whose stories have been passed down through the generations and those who are still alive today.
If, like me, you believe that "there are more things in heaven and earth", then this is the place for you. Returning to attend another of Magnus’ lectures, and additionally a guided walk led by him, is now on my bucket list”. - Sherin. UK. - (January 2018) -
“Special and unique. - A must if you like folklore”
“Magnus is one of the most interesting people I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with. His wealth of knowledge and stories and history is only overpowered by his obvious passion for his job and life work; collecting witness accounts of the supernatural. My family spent 5 hours with him in his cozy classroom listening and discussing everything from elves to aliens to religion to history and personal beliefs and experiences. We were only interrupted once so we could enjoy cake, leaf bread, tea and coffee. I highly recommend this experience for anyone looking for a very unique experience who loves storytelling. Definitely was a highlight of my trip and I am telling all my friends to make time for this attraction!!!” - Kelsey. US. - (December 2017) -
“Learn about the world of the Unkown!”
“For the beginning Magnus is a really nice and funy man. You need to have a good humour, especially when you are from Germany or the States. Or if you are a Republican ;).
We talked about hidden people, elves and many more. A lot of people mentioned, that he only talks about stories. But the most of the researches he told about are stories. And in our time, he asked all the time if we have questions. And if someone wants to talk about other things, or can ask him all the time. - Like other people already mentioned, we got more a discussions in the end instead of a lecture. - It was really nice and I would recommend it to everybody!” - Gerhard. Germany. - (September 2017) -
“Unique!”
“I really enjoyed this afternoon, the whole atmosphere of this ok bit special place. But hey, thats how it it is and makes it unique. Magnus is very authentic in his way of telling stories and acting with his "students", making jokes etc. Its not a typical school class. It is the atmosphere and the whole spirit around him and how he tells stories and how he talks about the Icelandic culture. Good to understand the Icelandic culture and why elves and hidden people are part of life in Iceland...” - Klaus Jenter. Germany.
“Captivating & Wonderful”
“Its impossible to be in Iceland and not hear about Elfs, Hidden people & Trolls. Attending the school on day one was a great idea. It was much more than I expected, a good mix of storytelling and history with lots of opportunity to ask questions throughout. ... I thorougly enjoyed it.” - Tom Carter. US.
“Very interesting”
“This is your must to see in Reykjavik when you are interested in Iceland an its special relation to paranormal and elfs. Magnus is a very warm and gentle teacher making lessons lively and interesting. Many exciting stories about real happened events between "normal" Icelanders and elves. ... Also questions about history and society of Island will be answered . Unforgettable are the pancakes in the break. I would love to come back.” - Linda Oneill. Canada.
“I loved Elfschool”
“I want to return alone to Iceland. But even if I can’t, I brought the mysteries and wonders home with me. It was such a lucky timing that I could attend your elf class... In fact, it helped me have more faith in my own experiences, which I think started in my preschool years but were stamped out by the left-brained world of school... I have returned from Iceland with something I cannot yet describe or fully access... I loved Elfschool. I wish I could have had more to talk with you. Sometimes I have a hard time believing what I know to be real... You have lived your life in service to your beliefs. This has inspired me... Thank you for the opportunity of free thinking you provided me through the Elfschool... I hope we meet again.” - Joan Cutuly. US. - (May 2017) -
“We thoroughly enjoyed the elf school”
“I wanted to drop you a line to thank you for the very, very enjoyable experience at your elf school last week. My group really loved our time with you and we were all very appreciative of your hospitality. We will highly recommend you to anyone we know that is traveling to Iceland. ... We thoroughly enjoyed the elf school. ... - Thanks again”. - Brennan Posner. US. - (May 2017) -
“Amazing and entertaining stories, funny headmaster”
“We attended the elf school on our first day in Reykjavik, and it was such a great start to the trip! Magnus is an amazing storyteller, with great dramatic flair and crazy jokes. It's definitely one of the more interesting ways to learn about Icelandic culture, especially the prevalent belief in elves. The stories from Magnus (both traditional and modern) were fascinating, and we never got bored. The tea (pancakes and bread) were quite amazing as well, and we were treated very hospitably. We definitely only scratched the tip of the iceberg of elf stories, and would love to hear some more!” - Rachel and Marcus. Singapore. - (June 2017) -
“Elf School - Definitely a highlight of our trip!”
“During our recent trip to Iceland, my husband and I attended Magnus's Elf School, and it was one of the most unique experiences of our vacation. Magnus is, above all, a master storyteller. He is the kind of person we could listen to for hours, whether it be about elves or earthworms. (And given his penchant for trailing off, you might just learn a bit about earthworms!) The "school" was very informal, and by the end of the afternoon, it felt more like a group of friends discussing the unknown than an expert lecture. We ended up staying beyond the scheduled, and if it weren't for our need to eat, we could have talked with Magnus even longer! Speaking of eating, the bread and blueberry pancakes served during the lecture truly were the best in Iceland. My husband has a nut allergy, and Magnus did everything he could to check on the products for his safety.
Other reviewers mentioned the campus and location as negatives. The location is not particularly close to city center, but I downloaded the city's Straeto bus app which makes paying bus fare and planning trips exceptionally easy. The bus app also comes in handy if you plan on visiting any of the city pools. Besides, isn't the point of visiting Iceland to discover interesting places outside of city center? The Elf School certainly fits that bill. It's also true that the campus is not the most organized space I've ever seen. However, the charm of the Elf School is that Magnus is funny, engaging, and passionate, not that his books and trinkets are nicely arranged.
Perhaps the Elf School isn't for everyone, and that's OK. But if you're open-minded, want to travel off the beaten path, and enjoy a good story, this is the place for you...
It was far better and more wonderfully weird than we could have imagined. Definitely a highlight of our trip!” - Tessy and Mike. Luisiana US. - (June 2017) -
“I really enjoyed your elf school so much!”
“Once again, thank you for your wonderful class - I really enjoyed your elf school so much last week. I wished we could have gone on forever:-) ... ... Thank you for bringing back the knowledge of the metaphysical to the world and for your help.” - Markus. Germany. - (August 2017) -
- Do you want to know why 54% of Icelanders believe that elves exist?
- And do you want to know where these elves live, and what they look like?
- And do you want to know everything that is known about their culture, tradition and habbits?
- And do you want to know why so many elves and Hidden people are in Iceland? - Much more than seems to be in any other Western country?
- And do you want to understand what these "other dimensions" are (which the elves and the Hidden people claim that they live in), and what we know about that, as well as what the psychic ability is (or the sixth sense), that seem to be the main way to see or sense these friendly beings?
- And do you want to hear true stories and explanation of real and deep friendship between present living Icelanders and elves, that sometimes has lasted for lifetime, - for a very little and fair school-fee (just 54€, or 64$)?
... Then the Elfschool might really be something for you ...
- And do you want to meet one of the best expert in the world in elves and Hidden people, and Nature spirits in general, - and hear his lectures, - and have a chat with him after, - and ask him also all the questions you might have in mind about all this, - for about 3 to 4 hours, (and eat pancakes with cream and jam, - or the best bread in the country, - in the meanwhile)?
... Then you should enter the Elfschool during your stay in Iceland ...
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But what is the Elfschool and what is it not? ...
The Elfschool is about two lecturers, before and after the coffee-break, - with the bread and the pancakes and other delicious things the school offers to all its students (for free) aside the teachings of this strange phenomena in Iceland. The background of this folklore is looked at, with a critical and historical view but also a lot of true stories of friendship between Icelanders and these mythical beings in modern times are told to the students in the school. - About 2/3 of the school is the telling of all these different stories of this very unique but real friendship in recent time. - Stories that all of them have been collected by the headmaster of the Elfschool himself from the witnesses in the last forty years or so. None of these stories have been published jet, but some of them will hopefully be published in the coming years.
The Elfschool is neither a strict academic foundation, nor teaches only the "accepted" view of this very strange phenomena. Because the view of most academics in the world more or less deny the real existence of most or all nature spirits. That is one of the main reason why this subject is hardly never explained in this manner as here, nor in any other school or educational foundations in the world that we know of... - And this is also the reason why a lot of academics do not like how we approach this subject in general, and how these things are looked at and tought here...
The Elfschool is a soft and a nice introduction of what elves and Hidden people in Iceland seems to be, and most likely are in reality according to our view here on the subject. - The schools´ approach to all this phenomena is, first - second and third from the view of the witnesses and their experience of this, of those that have had a little or a large or a lot of personal encounter and personal experience of these very nice beings here in these "other dimensions", and how the real and most likely the true experience of that seems to be in the core of the reality we are facing in this all. And the students in the Elfschool will hear stories of real and sometimes deep friendship between Icelanders and the elves and the Hidden people in modern time of most or all of these views we teach here... - And have in mind that elves and Hidden people have directly or undirectly saved a lot of lifes of Icelanders through these 12 centuries, - since our ancestors the wikings first settled down here in Iceland in the year of 870, and others most likely also before that too...
... And if you would love to look into this very unique side of this mythical phenomena - the witnesses experiences specially, then you should definitely go to the Elfschool when you arrive to Iceland. ...
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