[eatwater123]

From my experience, the glory in Iceland is absolutely not found in the golden circle. The rest of the country is mind-boggingly empty and gorgeous. The interior looks like a complete different planet, the western fjords are stunning, and then when you do eventually come across another human; they are incredibly nice and welcoming.

[alpinemeadow]

Absolutely! I went there many times, but first time was in 2014 with my teenage daughter to do the Laugavegur trail from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk. It was a 4 day hike thru lava fields, skirting glaciers, hot vents and fumarolas. Over tourism is only a problem if you stay in the well known circuits!

[rootbear]

I visited Iceland two years ago and loved it. It was a short visit and I did the usual tourist things, like the Golden Circle tour. I would like to go again and see other parts of the country, outside the basic tourist areas. A friend drove around the entire perimeter of Iceland and had a great time.