Croatia's Neretva Valley is verdant, untouristified, and looks pretty much as it did in the 1960s, when early excavations began to reveal the Roman and Illyrian treasures embedded in its lush soil. Unlike in nearby Dubrovnik, here global hotel chains haven’t rushed to reap rewards from the summer tourist deluge and cosmopolitan chefs aren’t creating fusion cuisine. Simple, comfortable accommodation is the norm, frog, eel and fresh peppers on the menu at the rustic restaurants that line the delta. And this is just how a certain type of tourist – a birdwatcher, say, or anyone happy to take a boat trip round the Neretva’s many lakes and canals – likes it. Also the gateway to Bosnia, the Neretva has created a significant historic attraction from those rare ancient finds, the Narona Archaeological Museum. It's a great place to get off the tourist trail: check it out yourself in the new promo video below.
RECOMMENDED: read our guide to Neretva