If you've ever wanted to visit a place that few people even know exists (and fewer still can point out on a map), start planning your trip to Slovenia soon; it won't be long before this smart central European country is setting the tone for fashionable travel. With fewer than two million inhabitants, and only recently discovered by a select group of globe-trotters who've tuned into tales of its idyllic beauty, Slovenia is considerably more tranquil and sophisticated than any other destination cast under the "Eastern European" banner, with almost none of the hang-ups associated with its former Communist connections; 15 years after gently wresting itself from Yugoslavia, there's a fresh exuberance of spirit here suggesting a nation still enjoying its independence honeymoon. Its beauty has drawn comparisons with Switzerland, a country that is twice its size, and while there are similarities, Slovenia's relative anonymity means that you can still enjoy yourself here for fewer euros (although it's certainly not as cheap as other Eastern European destinations). Imbued with fantastic, scraggy mountains, turquoise rivers and silver lakes, vast subterranean caves, and just enough medieval castles to conjure up a fairy tale or two, Slovenia is one of those destinations you wish you could make your regular weekend getaway.
