It’s the unofficial beginning of summer, and the rising temperatures mean your social media scroll will soon be overrun with infinity pools in Santorini, the cliff-hugging villages of Cinque Terre, and the blooming lavender fields of Provence. Or, if your friends are especially on-trend, the sunburned terracotta roofs of Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. 

“Croatia is huge,” says Andy Ross, head of product for the 40-year-old adventure travel company Exodus Travels. In recent years, he’s seen the country shift from an up-and-coming destination to a “very, very well-known” quantity. It is now the company’s fastest-growing European market.

There’s good reason for that: Croatia has more coastline than Portugal and France combined and more islands than the Maldives. Annual visitors to the country now quadruple the country’s population of 4.2 million.

But the surge in visitation has become controversial. Dubrovnik, Croatia’s most visited city, has become so swarmed with summer sightseers, that it—like Venice and Barcelona—is considering tourism restrictions. (Thanks, Game of Thrones fans.) Says Ross: “It’s [become] hard to find a time of year to have a peaceful, genuine experience in Dubrovnik.”

In the neighboring Balkans, the opposite is true: the same, untapped natural beauty, a fascinating mélange of cultures, but few crowds. And despite the region’s complicated war-torn history, the U.S. Department of State now considers the Balkan states safer than much of Western Europe.

Whether you start in Dubrovnik or head straight off the beaten path, here are the destinations to prioritize—no matter what your travel type. Your Mykonos-fatigued followers will thank you.

Best for Families: Lake Bled, Slovenia
While much of the region bakes in the summer heat, Slovenia stays more temperate, thanks to its lake-filled, forest-covered mountains. It also has relatively reliable infrastructure and high-end accommodations. According to Jonny Bealby, founder of the trailblazing travel outfit Wild Frontiers, this accessibility and maneuverability makes Slovenia a “brilliant country for family travel.”

How much time you’ll need: Five to seven days

What to see and do: Spend a day or two roaming the charming streets of Ljubljana, then head to the fairytale-like Lake Bled. Its 17th century church—set against the mighty Julian Alps—is one of the country’s most famous sites. But there’s more to the area than churches and castles; nearby Triglav National Park, which is named for the nation’s highest peak, has secret waterfalls, lakes, and canyons to explore.

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