Iceland
Borgarfjörður eystri
An elven capital where puffins nest in a grassy knoll called the Queen's Castle.
The puffins nest in a grassy hill above the harbour called Hafnarhólmi — the Queen's Castle in local elf lore. Borgarfjörður eystri in east Iceland is a village of fewer than 100 people where folklore isn't quaint decoration but a lived relationship with the landscape.
Borgarfjörður eystri is officially designated as the capital of Iceland's hidden people — the huldufólk of Icelandic folklore. An elf church, an elf queen's residence, and a complete elf mythology are mapped onto the surrounding rocks and hillsides with the same seriousness as street signs. The village's other draw is Hafnarhólmi, a harbour-side cliff that hosts one of Iceland's most accessible puffin colonies. Purpose-built viewing platforms put visitors within metres of nesting birds from May to August. Beyond the village, the Víknaslóðir trail system winds through rhyolite mountains and abandoned coastal inlets, rated by National Geographic among the world's top hikes. The population of around 100 ensures that visitors are met with genuine personal warmth rather than tourist infrastructure.
Solo
The folklore walks, the puffin colony, and the Víknaslóðir trailhead — Borgarfjörður eystri is a base camp for solo explorers who want wildlife, mythology, and solitude in equal measure.
Family
Children are captivated by the elf stories, the puffins are close enough to count individual feathers, and the village's tiny scale makes it safe and manageable.
- Hafnarhólmi harbour cliff hosts one of Iceland's most accessible puffin colonies.
- Local folklore officially designates the village as the capital of Iceland's hidden elven people.
- The Víknaslóðir hiking trails begin here, connecting to the Deserted Inlets trail system.
- A tiny population of under 100 creates genuine intimacy and community warmth.
Icelandic fish balls (Fiskibollur) served with curry sauce and boiled potatoes.
Spiced lamb heart skewers grilled over local birch charcoal.
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