Croatia

Often touted as the ‘new this’ or the ‘new that’, Croatia is in fact a dream destination in its own right. Just take a look at its coastline: 1,778 kilometres of crystalline waters, remote islands, hidden coves, glitzy beaches and traditional villages.

Images of glittering waters and white-pebble beaches framing stone-clad towns with terracotta roofs are instantly recognisable. The island-speckled coastline is indisputably the main attraction, drawing in travellers from all around the world, who come to bask in glorious sunshine, sample authentic cuisine and enjoy all kinds of cultural and active adventures.

At the country’s southern end you’ll find Dubrovnik, one of the finest walled cities in the world, whose UNESCO-listed old town is punctuated with marble streets and Baroque churches. Add the rolling vineyards and olive groves of Istria, the waterfront bars of heavenly Hvar, historical delights such as Diocletian’s Palace in Split and the beautifully preserved first-century Roman amphitheatre in Pula, the secluded coves of islands like Korcula and natural wonders like the Plitvice Lakes and you’ll soon understand why Croatia has emerged as the Balkans’ star attraction.