Forget Crowds: We Found a European Country You Can Have All to Yourself

In a world where iconic destinations are often defined by the crowds they draw, the new definition of luxury travel has little to do with gold taps and everything to do with space. It’s the profound freedom to explore without the shuffle of a queue, to witness a geological wonder in reverent silence, and to stand on a coastline feeling like you have an entire country to yourself. If that is your idea of a true VIP experience, then it’s time to discover Iceland, the European nation so sparsely populated and breathtakingly vast, it often feels like your own private kingdom.

Forget jostling for the perfect photo at a crowded viewpoint. With a population of just under 400,000 people spread across an area larger than Portugal, Iceland is a realm of colossal glaciers, thundering waterfalls, and beautifully, profoundly empty spaces. Its population density is a mere three people per square kilometre, a stark contrast to the bustling landscapes of the UK or the Netherlands. Here, the land is the main character, a dramatic and untamed force where nature dictates the terms and humanity is but a visitor.

While many first-time visitors understandably flock to the famous Golden Circle route near Reykjavík, the true magic of Iceland—the VIP experience—begins the moment you venture beyond. The country unfolds into a series of epic, sparsely-travelled regions that feel worlds away from any tourist trail.

Consider the Westfjords, a rugged peninsula in the northwest that many Icelanders themselves have never visited. This is the country at its most remote and untouched. The journey here is part of the adventure, involving long, winding drives along the edges of colossal fjords, where tiny fishing villages are the only signs of civilisation for miles. Here, you can stand on the Látrabjarg cliffs, the westernmost point of Europe, surrounded by millions of puffins, with nothing but the vast expanse of the Atlantic before you. It’s a place that demands time and rewards the patient traveller with a sense of sublime isolation.

Alternatively, head to the Eastfjords, where dramatic mountains plunge directly into the sea and herds of wild reindeer—the only ones in Iceland—roam the hillsides. The coastal roads here weave in and out of serene fjords, each turn revealing another picture-perfect village like Seyðisfjörður, nestled at the end of a long inlet. This is slow travel at its finest, a journey of discovery through a landscape that feels forgotten by time.

For the ultimate feeling of exclusivity, however, nothing compares to the Icelandic Highlands. Accessible only during the summer months and requiring a robust 4×4 vehicle, this uninhabited interior is a volcanic desert of raw, otherworldly beauty. It is here you’ll find the rainbow-coloured rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar and the stark, black sand deserts stretching towards the horizon. Hiking a trail in the Highlands can mean walking for hours without seeing another soul, a truly humbling experience that connects you directly with the raw power of the planet.

Even a journey along the famous Ring Road, which circles the entire country, offers this sense of solitude. Imagine driving for an hour without passing another car, pulling over on a whim to explore a colossal waterfall with only the sound of crashing water for company, or walking across the surreal, black sand beaches of the south coast as the waves crash on the shore. This is the true Icelandic experience, a personal adventure written on an epic scale. For more unique travel ideas, be sure to visit our Travel section.

From hunting the Northern Lights in a remote corner of the country, far from any tour bus, to a private hike on a creaking, ancient glacier, Iceland offers a sense of exclusivity that no five-star resort can replicate. It’s an adventure where nature provides the luxury, and the priceless reward is the profound feeling of having one of the world’s most stunning countries all to yourself.

Verified Outbound Link: To plan your own Icelandic adventure, visit the official tourism website, Visit Iceland.