To those familiar with the blissful, never-ending pleasure of the Dalmatian coastline, justly dubbed ‘Eastern Europe’s Riviera’, Croatia might not seem an ‘emerging’ destination. But it is worth remembering Croatia has had barely a decade to recover from the devastation of the Balkan war and, while tourists are certainly returning in force to its dreamy beaches and magical medieval cities, such as the jewel in Croatia’s crown, the walled Old City of Dubrovnik, the country is still recovering. It’s also worth remembering that Croatia is newly independent, and in the midst of forging its own identity and culture for the first time in 800 years. This combination of extraordinary natural beauty, compelling social change and value-for-money vacations make Croatia a destination to visit now – before its entry to the EU (expected in 2008 or 2009) forces prices up and borders down. Judges’ comments: "All the charms of its Greek Islands cousins – sleepy villages, glorious beaches, cities heaving with history – but without the hordes of tourists."