Tiny Montenegro has long been touted as the hot, new travel destination – and it’s easy to see why. The scenery is spectacular, with almost 300km of coastline, rugged, snow-capped mountains and pretty towns cut into the rock all waiting to be explored.

While it’s worth spending time on Montenegro’s excellent beaches, the real adventure comes inland. Head into the Durmitor and Prokletije mountain range and you’ll be able to hike, bike and kayak in forests and national parks that are still home to bears and wolves – it’s like stepping back into a fairytale.

This is also a place to explore some fascinating European history, as a dividing line between the east and west – and also the place that sealed the end of Yugoslavia, with a successful independence referendum in 2006. Look for frescoed monasteries, elegant mosques and imposing Catholic churches, as well as a number of hilltop fortresses.