France receives nearly 100 million visitors every year. Spain receives 90 million visitors. Italy gets 61 million. The country I will talk about has just over 7 million tourists visiting it every year. Yet after visiting France, Spain and Italy I can confidently say that Slovenia beats them all.

You may not have heard of the country Slovenia, and I don’t blame you, my sister hardly knew it existed until we were hopping on a plane there. Alas, little Slovenia is only a 12th the size of the UK, and is home to only a mere 2 million people. But that is also what makes it great. It is truly the epitome of the phrase ‘hidden gem,’ and since returning I could not stop recommending it to people. Of course, most will turn a blind eye and jet off to an all-inclusive sun-soaked resort next time they go on holiday, but here I will pledge my case as to why Slovenia should be your next destination.

First of all, Slovenia has some of the most beautiful scenery I have seen. Lake Bled was stunning, and my eyes were glued to the picturesque church laying on its emerald waters for the entirety of the 2 hour walk around it. The lake is often the first picture that comes up when you look up Slovenia on Google, and was on almost every postcard I came across in the country. It truly does feel like a dream when you are there in person. In the background of the lake is a moody castle sitting on top of a huge cliff, and on the other side is a toboggan line running down the hill, a perfect activity for thrill seekers or someone wanting to enjoy the lakes picturesque views. You can visit the church on the lake by hiring a rowing boat or a Pletna. There are also areas in the lake where you can swim, Kayak or SUP.

Whilst this lake is still absolutely gorgeous, it does somewhat overshadow Slovenia’s other two main natural beauties, Lake Bohinj and the Soca valley. Just a 20 minute drive down the road, Lake Bohinj is just as surreal as Lake Bled. It is much bigger, wilder, and less touched by tourism, and makes a great daytrip from Bled. A bit further away by car is the Soca Valley. Whilst all three waters are crystal clear, Soca valley takes the crown. If you can handle the nearly numbingly cold water, Rafting along the river is a must-do, and was such a great experience.

However Slovenia is far from a one-trick pony.  Whilst both Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj and the Soca Valley are all in the north-western part of Slovenia in and around Bled, a trip to the country would not be complete without visiting the capital city. Ljubljana is a relatively unknown European city, but is nevertheless rich with charm and beauty. The old town is very pretty, and if you take a short funicular up to Ljubljana castle, you can see over two thirds of the country! I would recommend staying as close to the city as possible, as we found ourselves stretched for time to visit its to its fullest. I also noticed that there were more tourists in the city than I expected, so you should go before social media truly catches on.

A short drive away from the city, you can find the Postojna Caves, one of the craziest places I’ve ever been to. You take a short ride into the depths of the cave and then are surrounded by extremely thin spikes hanging from all sides of the walls, known as spaghetti spikes. The amazing Predjama castle is also very close to the cave, so is worth a visit.

Finally, I must talk about Piran. With our holiday nearly over we headed over to the coastal town and were blown away by the partial culture shock. Only 45 minutes ago, we were in the Slovenian capital, and yet now we felt completely convinced we were in Italy. Indeed it was very close to Italy, and you can see the Italian city of Trieste from the coast. Nevertheless, Piran was utterly beautiful, and a dinner on the seaside watching the sun set was a perfect ending to a truly remarkable country. Here therefore ends my pledge for why Slovenia should be on your Bucket-List.

Here is a list of everywhere I would recommend:

• Lake Bled
• Lake Bohinj
• Soca Valley
• Straza summer toboggan
• Ljubliana castle
• Slap Savicca
• Postojna Cave
• Predjama Castle
• Piran