Montenegro

“At the birth of the planet, the most beautiful encounter between land and sea must have been on the Montenegrin coast,” wrote Lord Byron. Late to the tourism game, and all the better for it, Montenegro is luring droves of billionaire investors, says the Telegraph. Unspoilt medieval villages sit beneath soaring mountains that plunge into the glassy Adriatic. “The coastline curls into hundreds of bays, ensuring spectacular 360-degree views that look like Lake Como from certain angles and Cape Town from others.”

Places of note Our Lady of the Rocks is a manmade island formed in the 15th century by villagers weighing down hundreds of stolen ships with rocks. Every July Montenegrins throw stones into the Bay of Kotor to keep its tiny church above water. The 17th-century Ostrog Monastery, set in a sheer cliff, draws thousands of visitors and pilgrims. For the best views of Kotor, walk the 1,355 steps to the top of the 9th-century San Giovanni Fortress. Or escape the heat by going white-water rafting in the rapids of the Tara Canyon. You can watch migratory birds en route from northern Europe to Africa at Unesco-listed Skadar Lake. It’s the last breeding ground for the endangered Dalmatian pelican and pygmy cormorant.

Weather Typically Mediterranean on the western coast and more continental as you head inland.  

Famous faces Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, tied the knot in 2014 at the ritzy Aman Sveti Stefan hotel – where the Beckhams have stayed twice. Top models Naomi Campbell and Adriana Lima have toured Montenegro, and the pink sands of Sveti Stefan have attracted royalty since the 1930s.

To eat The Living Room is the place to see and be seen in the capital, Podgorica. A “destination for coffee, dining and cocktails”, it holds a Travellers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor. If you’re looking for something meatier, Pod Volat, also in Podgorica, is famous for its kebabs. The Catovica Mlini tavern, in Morinj, was a flour mill for 200 years before becoming a restaurant. Its mills and stream provide a peaceful backdrop to fish dishes, homemade cheeses and local wines. There’s more Montenegrin wine and cheese on offer at the Old Winery, in Kotor, this time with live jazz.