Slovenia

Slovenia packs a lot into a small space, with Lake Bled’s church-on-an-island, the capital Ljubljana’s walkable old town, and the Julian Alps all within a short drive of each other. It also has a small stretch of Adriatic coast around Piran. The country leans heavily into outdoor activities, from hiking to caving at Postojna. It’s more expensive than its Balkan neighbors, but still cheaper than most of Western Europe.