Podcast: Witchcraft in Western Iceland

updated 23.03.2021

We’re in Iceland for episode two of the Rough Guide to Everywhere podcast. The home of monster glaciers, thunderous waterfalls and bubbling hot springs, there’s plenty to take in here, from lively Akureyri on the north coast to the ever-popular Reykjavik in the south.

We’re an inquisitive bunch here at Rough Guides and wanted to discover the roads less travelled in Iceland. The rugged West Fjords has seen a rise in visitor numbers over recent years and so we were curious to find out why. Is it the dreamlike scenery? The chance of spotting a puffin perched on a cliff? Well, yes, but there is another reason – and it might not be what you first expect.

The Museum of Witchcraft and Sorcery opened in 2000 in an effort to increase tourism to the West Fjords. Located in the small coastal town of Hólmavík, the museum provides an insight into Iceland’s mystical heritage. In this episode, we speak with Magnus Rafnsson (co-founder of the museum) to find out how a history of witchcraft, folklore and sorcery tie in with the landscape of the area.

Intrigued? So were we. You know what’s coming next – listen to our latest episode to find out more.

We hope you enjoy this episode – don’t forget to let us know what you think. Rate us on Apple Podcasts and get in touch on Twitter using #roughguidespod!

Subscribe to The Rough Guide to Everywhere now (iTunes; Soundcloud; Spotify).

Thanks to Magnus Rafnsson from the Museum of Witchcraft and Sorcery; and to our producers Alannah Chance and Femi Oriogun-Williams of Reduced Listening.

Header image: Museum of Witchcraft and Sorcery © Jennifer Boyer / Flickr

written by Aimee White

updated 23.03.2021

Aimee is an in-house Senior Travel Editor at Rough Guides and is the podcast host of The Rough Guide to Everywhere. She is also a freelance travel writer and has written for various online and print publications, including a guidebook to the Isle of Wight. Follow her on Twitter at @aimeefw.