Balkan beauties; MARK EATON BASKS IN THE STUNNING SCENERY OF CROATIA AND SLOVENIA.

WELCOMING back British visitors with wide open arms are two firm holiday favourites: Croatia and its neighbour Slovenia.

Croatia is a green land boasting one of Europe's most stunning coasts, dotted throughout with ancient settlements, countless coves, hidden, mostly rocky beaches and a myriad offshore islands, and with a hinterland of lakes and mountains.

Slovenia's comparatively short Adriatic shoreline, less than 30 miles, is a gateway to an unspoilt natural paradise that's a haven for all lovers of the outdoor life.

Together, this corner of what many describe as the "new" Europe, is fast becoming the preferred holiday choice, especially with those seeking an alternative to Italy's increasingly crowded beaches and tourist hotspots.

And, given that most of us are feeling the pinch, compared to any other tourist hot-spots, Croatia is really cheap. Prices are generally not too high, especially away from city centres. Opt for local goods, not imported.

Among Croatia's most sparkling jewels is the province of Istria, the triangular peninsula that juts out into the northern Adriatic, a short sail across the gulf from Venice, and a shorter hop still from the Italian city of Trieste, which is separated from Croatia by Slovenia's tiny coast.

The local Istrian cuisine - pasta, gnocchi, cured ham, plus locally-made olive oil - is virtually indistinguishable from that of its near neighbour, and in the local dialect, as well as in the street names of Venetian gems like Pula, Rovinj and the popular resort town of Porec, Italian influences are keenly felt.

In Porec and Rovinj especially, sensitive and no-expense-spared tourism developments are attracting more and more visitors. Luxurious hotels, a host of bars, restaurants, shops and stalls, and even trendy clubs, and of course the attractions along the shoreline, make Istria a perfect holiday choice.

All the more so when the medieval and Venetian charms of the beautiful coastal towns remain untouched by modern developments, which have been carefully and tastefully confined to the surrounding shores.

Lace from the island of Pag is known as "white gold". This handcrafted decorative work can be bought from embroiderers who craft the lace in front of their homes during the summer.

South from Istria, all the way to the southernmost province of Dalmatia, the coast is dotted with wondrous settlements - Sibenik, Trogir, Split, peerless Dubrovnik - which would take a lifetime to explore, although a week's tour will be an effective introduction.

Offshore, the islands - some, like Krk, Hvar and Korcula holiday havens in their own right, others innumerable shelters for gleaming sailboats - sparkle in the blue waters, while inland stunning the Plitvice Lakes National Park is a natural wonder on a Premier League scale.

Neighbouring Slovenia, north from the Austro-Hungarian splendours of the elegant resort of Opatia, is home to more natural wonders. But none more spectacular than the awe-inspiring Postojna cave system, a series of vast chasms deep beneath the mountains in the scenic Karst region.

Visitors - and there are more to Postojna than to any of Europe's other "show" caves - travel into the grottoes by miner's train and simply wonder at the jaw-dropping scale of it all.

North of the country's historic, pretty capital, Ljubljana, is one of Europe's prettiest corners, where scenic Lake Bled is picture-postcard perfection, and nearby Lake Bohinj is just about as close as you can get to "truly unspoiled" anywhere in the Alps.

The Triglav National Park is home to the eponymous mountain that is the country's symbol, and close-by, pretty Kranjska Gora is a Mecca for ski-jumpers, and a popular year-round resort.

Dotted with ancient castles and pretty towns, the part of Slovenia that isn't forested, pristine mountains, is given over to rolling farmland, including the fields of the Lipica Stud Farm, home to the famous Lipzanner horses of the famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna.

Combined with a stay on Croatia's Adriatic coast, a holiday here offers the best of two very wonderful worlds.

CROATIA&SLOVENIA HOLIDAY OFFERS

Take an eight-day trip to Croatia and Slovenia, flying direct from Liverpool on May 26 next year, and follow one of four exciting itineraries...

Porec and the Istrian Riviera, from pounds 559 explore this peninsula's scenic coast and Italian-inspired architecture Croatian highlights and a taste of Slovenia, from pounds 749 stay in Porec with visits to Pula, Venetian Rovinj, the cave at Postojna, the Lipica stud farm and the Plitvice lakes Treasures of Croatia, from pounds 869 tour Plitvice, Mostar, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Porec, Rovinj and Pula Slovenian Alps, Lake Bled and the Adriatic, from pounds 729 two-centre holiday combines best of both beautiful countries, and includes visits to Lake Bled and the Postojna caves

For further details on these offers and more, call Daily Post Travel Service on 0151 227 5987

More details on what to do and where to go at www.croatia.hr - choose the English option

CAPTION(S):

Dubrovnik (main picture), Split (top left) and Julian Alps, Slovenia (right)