SLOVENIA

There’s a saying in Slovenia that translates as “Don’t praise the day before the evening”, as in, don’t jinx yourself by talking too soon what a great time you’re having. But taking in the distinctive sights of this almost criminally underrated international travel destination, travellers might be tempted to sing Slovenia’s praises early in the day.

The capital of Ljubljana sits on an historic trade route, between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region, with architecture that speaks to a long history of varying international influences: here you’ll find Roman ruins, Baroque churches, Art Nouveau masterpieces and 20th-century experimental elegance.

Among the most celebrated sites is the almost surreally photogenic Lake Bled, in the Julian Alps; an emerald-green body of water with a central island on which a medieval church appears almost to float. This small yet intensely geographically varied nation holds Alpine peaks and deep glacial lakes, dense forests, temperate vineyards and Adriatic coastal beauty spots – often within easy reach of one another.