LATVIA

Unlike the white dunes of the Maldives – bright coral, chewed to grains by parrotfish – Latvia’s sparkling littoral is actually lined with white quartz sand; these unusual pine-fringed shores are just one of the Baltic state’s little-known draws for curious travellers.

Away from the sea, this small European nation – lying west of Russia, south of Estonia and north of Lithuania – is known for its dense forests, thriving fauna (European bison, wild horses, moose, deer and even wolves run among its trees) and well-kept cities.

Riga, the country’s capital, is on the Baltic, and has served as a trading port since Viking times. Its medieval castle, huge Lutheran cathedral and ornate merchants’ hall – named House of the Blackheads after a local guild – are complemented by newer, Art Nouveau architectural works. After a turbulent 20th century, the country joined the European Union, NATO and the eurozone, and remains an outward-facing, easy country to move within, rich with rarely seen treasures.