Croatia

Easily reached via direct flights from the UK, Croatia has a quite a few feathers in its cap when comes to natural environment. The Croatian Coastline covers an area of over 1,185 islands and islets, 8 national parks, 11 nature parks and the cleanest sea in Europe - the Adriatic. The natural environment is remarkably preserved and regulated by strict environmental laws.

Nowhere in the world does natural beauty come together with magnificent ancient remains like in Croatia. The history is visible through the Greek, Roman and Ottoman sites that are simply breathtaking and beautifully illustrate the brilliance of their empires. Perhaps, the greatest site, The Diocletian Palace transports you to another world and time of the great Emperor Diocletian who was enchanted by the beauty of Split and decided to build his residency there. A UNESCO world heritage site, the Palace is bulit of white local limestone, most of it came from the marble quarries on the island of Brac. Today, the Palace is home to numerous galleries, restaurants and bars.

The medieval city of Dubrovnik is a UNESCO world heritage site of stunning elegance and captivating originality. The Rector's Palace, the Old Pharmacy and the breathtaking Franciscan Monastery are just a few examples of this unique city. One of the finest Croatian Renaissance playwright and prose writers, Marin Drzic, was born in Dubrovnik. His most famous comedy 'Dundo Maroje' was inspired by the life in Dubrovnik from 1551.