The beaches and mountains of Montenegro

Perched by the Adriatic between Croatia and Albania, Montenegro is roughly the same size as Northern Ireland, said Katie Gatens in The Sunday Times. But this tiny country – the smallest in the Balkans – is one of the world's fastest- growing tourist destinations, thanks in part to its beauty. 

Its most famous spot, the fjord-like Bay of Kotor, is reminiscent of Italy's great lakes, with its "crumbling" medieval towns and "towering" mountains, and while unregulated construction has blighted parts of the bay, there are still some quiet places on its shores and elsewhere on the country's rugged coast. Inland, where "spectacular" peaks rise to 2,523m, there's much less development, so it's well worth venturing away from the coast – as I did on a self-drive trip with Original Travel. 

On the Bay of Kotor, I stayed at an 18th-century palace hotel, the Heritage Grand, in the "unbelievably pretty" town of Perast, and ventured out in a speedboat to explore the surrounding shores. Far south of the bay, I spent a couple of blissful days in the little fishing village of Przno (wonderfully peaceful in May), and visited the historic town of Sveti Stefan, whose fortified island – linked by a causeway to the mainland – has graced a thousand postcards. 

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Next came a trip inland to Lake Skadar, on the border with Albania, for a boat cruise on which I spotted a host of birds, including Dalmatian pelicans, a rare species with a "mighty" three-metre wingspan. 

Deep in the heart of the country, I stayed in Kolasin, the gateway to the Biogradska Gora National Park, a hikers' paradise consisting of lush forests, alpine meadows and snow-capped peaks. The park is named after Lake Biograd, which is its most famous sight, but during a day-long trek to the lake, I only passed one other walker. 

And while my last stop, the Unesco-listed Tara River Canyon, was busier, I had a superb time rafting its "topaz-blue" waters and "babbling" rapids – a delectably "hair-raising" conclusion to a wonderful week. 

The trip costs from £2,655pp, including flights (originaltravel.co.uk).