Croatia has one of the most spectacular coastlines in the Mediterranean — the Dalmatian coast runs for over 1,000km with 1,200 islands, clear Adriatic waters, and a string of well-preserved medieval cities that include Dubrovnik (the most filmed city in Game of Thrones), Split, Hvar, and Šibenik. The Plitvice Lakes National Park — terraced travertine lakes in colours that shift from turquoise to emerald to grey depending on the light — is one of Europe's most beautiful natural sights.

Croatia is well-developed for tourism (sometimes too well in July and August) but rewards travelling in the shoulder seasons, when the Adriatic is warm, the crowds are manageable, and prices are significantly lower. The interior — Zagreb, Slavonia, Istria — offers a completely different Croatia from the coastal one: forested hills, truffle country, and a Croatian capital that is rapidly becoming one of Central Europe's most interesting cities.