Bulgaria
In addition to boasting some of Europe's last deserted beaches, Bulgaria's mountain ranges are a delight in summer. For a scenic, culture-rich trail, drive and walk through the heart of the Balkan ranges; take in the medieval tsars' capital Veliko Tarnovo, with its hilltop fortress and breath-taking Preobrajenski monastery; or breathe in the Rose Valley, where most of Europe's rose oil is produced. On the way to Sofia, stop in the quiet 19th-century village of Koprivshtitsa, where every house is a masterpiece. The Rodopi mountains in the south are more beguiling yet: explore pine-forests, caves, national revival villages such as Shiroka Laka, and Bulgaria's Ottoman heritage - Muslim villages frozen in time. This region, home of the Mystery of Bulgarian Voices choir, is the birthplace of Orpheus; visit the scary Devil's Throat cave, where Orpheus reputedly entered the underworld.
Value for money The pound used to be worth three Bulgarian levs, but has dropped by a third recently. Still, if you avoid the overpriced seaside resorts, Bulgaria is still astonishingly good value for money. Boutique hotels outside the big tourist spots are startlingly affordable.
Best beaches Some of Europe's last deserted beaches survive along the Bulgarian coast. Most white-sand gems are in the south, part of a secretive and under-visited region, the forested Strandja national park. Ropotamo, south of the ancient town of Sozopol, is set in a lush, protected lagoon, while Sinemorets, a few miles from the Turkish border, has several dreamy beaches. And up near the Romanian border, the natural reserve of Durankulak has some very private wild spots for diving, bird-watching and romantic getaways.
If resorts are your thing, try Sveti Konstantin, a boutique complex with a classy beach near Varna, or the grand-sounding Riviera holiday club, set in a private park for an exclusive feel. Albena, with its 4km strip of beautiful sand and clear waters, boasts good water sports.
Family favourites The excellent-value Hotel Kaliakra (albena.bg) in Albena is ideal for families - right on the beach with a kids' swimming pool, playgrounds and kindergarten (at an extra charge). If you don't need a beach, the five-star hideaway spa-hotel Park Hotel Pirin at the foot of the Pirin mountains offers family suites with two or three bedrooms that work out quite reasonably. The speciality here is decadent beauty and spa treatments, but little ones can enjoy the children's pool and playroom, and in the evening the open-air garden restaurant is great for families.
Cultural highlights The capital, Sofia, boasts the Balkans' most extravagant cathedral, Alexander Nevski, the funky ethnographic and archaeological museums, and attractive art galleries, all within a 10-minute trot across the emblematic Communist-time yellow tiles. Loiter with intent in hilly Plovdiv, a gorgeous ancient town bristling with cobbled streets and impressive Roman remains. Varna on the coast is the kind of stately, pedestrianised belle-epoque town you didn't expect here. Hear some top talent in the turn-of-the-century opera house, wander around the Roman thermae, and gawk at the world's oldest gold treasure in the beautifully appointed archeological museum.
Summer climate Summer in Bulgaria runs from June to early September and it is reliably warm, dry and sunny. The seaside enjoys a breeze that cools it down at night. The mountain regions can get hot and sticky, but nights are always fresh. You can expect 25C to 30C this summer and rain is highly unusual, but take the usual precautions against sunburn.
Culinary treats Food is a fusion of Balkan, Middle Eastern and central European cuisines; head for the traditional tavernas called mehana and don't miss the traditional pastry banitsa and delicious chunky dips lsuch peppery lyutenitsa and aubergine-based kyopolu. Must-try regional dishes slow-cooked in earthenware dishes are Bansko's kapama, kavarma, and mussaka. Bulgarian red wines are outstanding, too.
How to get there Direct return flights for under £200 from London to Sofia take three hours (Wizz Air, Bulgaria Air, EasyJet, British Airways). All these plus Thomson Airways also fly to Varna and Burgas on the coast.
Kapka Kassabova
Turkey
A halfway house between the cultural sophistication of Italy and the exoticism of Arabia, and half-priced at that, Turkey is the place for endlessly stuffing on unimproved ancient ruins and delicious Byzantine cuisine; it also does a nice line in beaches, bars and even banana boats. This vast country's time-out corner is the mountain-backed shoreline of the south-west, with everything from mega-disco Halikarnas at bustling Bodrum to low-key paradises such as Patara where 20km of pristine powder sand front the first-century ruins of the birthplace of St Nicholas (Santa Claus). Oh, and people so nice that we in the EU should be begging them to join us.
Value for money Turkey is roughly 10% more expensive this year than last, but prices (in Turkish lira) outside the tourist hot spots are still very reasonable. Splurge on good-value items such as public transport, shopping and tours; prepare yourself to wince when it comes to car hire, petrol and wine.
Best beaches Whether it's the Mediterranean or the Aegean, Turkey does coastline in spades, though its endless bays and coves can often be stony and plagued by sea urchins. For the best sand of all, take the 30-minute boat service downriver from Dalyan to Iztuzu, famed for its nesting turtle populations. For families with young children, Oludeniz has a shallow lagoon beach, facilities and shade. And for total escape, there's nothing to beat the Beyaz Yunus Faralya (exclusiveescapes.co.uk), a collection of decked cabins set in a forest clearing at the foot of a sheer track where mountains meet sea.
Family favourites Ocakkoy (anatoliansky.co.uk) is a restored hillside village near Fethiye, with simple accommodation in 30 stone cottages set in spacious grounds, with swimming pools, a play area, family-friendly restaurant, and regular shuttle service to nearby Oludeniz beach. Black Tree Cottages offer individual mountain hideaways with stunning views over the Lycian coast. They are set in a rustic haven crawling with farm animals, and excellently served with a pool and walking trails.
Cultural highlights Conveniently, the ruins are often right by the beach, as typified by tree-choked Olimpos near the simple holiday cabins and oleander-filled gardens at Cirali (cirali.org). Not that you shouldn't gird yourself for a foray into the mountains, perhaps to take in a major site such as Aphrodisias, with its exceptional reliefs and carvings. For something more recent, there's the haunting ghost town of Kaya, inspiration for Louis De Bernières' novel Birds Without Wings.
Summer climate With temperatures that can often feel more Egyptian than Greek - 45C is common - it won't be the rain that drives you indoors. If the heat gets oppressive, join the locals and migrate to the mountains where you'll find charming traditional village accommodation at Bezirgan, and icy canyon waters and riverside restaurants at Saklikent. Alternatively, savour the offshore breezes by hiring a floating villa: the gulet, Turkey's delightful small-group cruising schooner, is the perfect way to enjoy this concertina coastline (petersommer.com; anatoliansky.co.uk).
Culinary treats Fish being expensive and unimaginatively served, you could do worse than make the starter your main by majoring on mezes - all manner of yoghurt and vegetable dips, cheese-filled borek (pastries) and salads, often with more unusual inclusion, such as deniz borulcesi (samphire).
How to get there A flight of roughly four hours, from some 20 airports across the UK, will get you to Dalaman, the region's main airport, or to Bodrum, Antalya or Izmir. A £10 visa fee is payable on arrival.
Jeremy Seal
• Jeremy Seal's Turkey travelogues include A Fez of the Heart and Santa; A Life (Picador)
Lithuania
Twice the size of Belgium and generally half as expensive, Lithuania possesses more history than the reading room at the British Library, plus 60 miles of white sandy beaches and a wealth of cultural distractions. Away from the pricey capital, Vilnius (one of this year's European capitals of culture), splash out in Lithuania's premier spa town, Druskininkai, a former playground of illustrious Soviet bigwigs with an enormous water park. The country's fifth city, Siauliai, is often wrongly overlooked as a destination. Playing second fiddle to the extraordinary nearby Hill of Crosses, Siauliai features some of the country's best examples of 20s and 30s national-style architecture, plus 14 quirky museums and some of the friendliest bars in country. A splendid option for car drivers is to base yourself in the Aukstaitija national park, which is bursting with wildlife and extremely cheap pension-style accommodation. You splash about in its many lakes and use it as a springboard for day trips to nearby attractions.
Value for money Lithuania remains excellent value despite rising prices (the currency is the litas). Plenty of package deals are available, but even doing the whole thing yourself won't break the bank. As a guide, the Sonata hotel in the tiny health resort of Birstonas, in a wooded park next to the mighty Nemunas river, offers a relaxing upmarket stay with doubles for less than £40 a night.
Best beaches Lithuania's handsome coastline features the magnificent sand dunes and white beaches of the Curonian Spit, whose foremost laid-back resort Nida prompted novelist Thomas Mann to buy real estate there. For action, you should head north to Palanga, Lithuania's answer to Margate complete with hedonistic non-stop weekend parties, all-night bars on the beach and a thoroughly kiss-me-quick ambience.
Family favourites For families with young children, Palanga's excellent value and decidedly swanky Pajurio guest house (sveciunamai.lt) offers a choice of rooms, apartments and even a three-bedroom cottage close to the children's zoo and two minutes from the sea. Extras include free bicycles and a babysitting service. Just 20 miles west of Vilnius, the Trasalis (trasalis.lt) in the former medieval capital of Trakai has several family-friendly apartments and its own indoor water entertainment centre, tenpin bowling and spa centre. The town's superb lakes are hugely popular with local families who come to swim, canoe and swim during the high season.
Cultural highlights This year's capital of culture events in Vilnius promise a unique opportunity to enjoy all manner of special exhibitions and live music. You have to land in Kaunas anyway, so visit the MK Ciurlionis state art museum, dedicated to the work of the nation's great painter and composer.
Summer climate With long evenings of extended daylight and occasional Mediterranean-like weather, average summer temperatures are known to push the mercury above 30C but are generally similar to those in the UK. July is usually the wettest month of summer.
Culinary treats Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes - from pancakes with lashings of sour cream to the national dish, the blimp-like beast cepelinai.
How to get there Flights take about two-and-a-half hours. Ryanair is the only way to get there direct, with 18 flights a week to Kaunas from Birmingham, Liverpool, Luton and Stansted.
Richard Schofield
Poland
There's more to Poland than Krakow (though try telling that to the stag parties that arrive each Friday for their Sky Sports with vodka). The capital, Warsaw, has moved fast with the times, and nowadays leftover Soviet showpieces mix with glittering glass towers and world-class bars. Rent a car to explore the Baltic coastline, maybe using the Hanseatic city of Gdansk as your base, or head to the opposite end of the country to hike the Tatra mountains.
Value for money While Poland is no longer the bargain bucket of yesteryear, it's still possible to make your zlotys go a long way. In Warsaw expect to be paying around £8 for a main course in a high-end restaurant and £2 for a lager, but these prices decline dramatically outside the capital.
Best beaches Once hailed the Monaco of the north, Sopot is where the rich and idle once came to gamble their fortunes during the inter-war years. Today it's Poland's most popular resort, and features the longest pier in the Baltics and a beach that positively swarms with inflatable crocodiles and hot dog stands. For something a little less Balearic head to the Slowinski national park, home to the tallest sand dunes in Europe. Rommel was so impressed he trained his Afrika Korps here. For water, though not necessarily sand, take a sailing holiday around the Mazurian lakes, where stop-offs include Hitler's former headquarters, abandoned castles and ancient forests that bristle with bison.
Family favourites The newly opened Sopot Sheraton features upmarket rooms that stare directly on to the beach below. Pirate ships depart from the pier each day to circle the Bay of Gdansk, while more outdoorsy fun can be had following the cycle trails, visiting Oliwa Zoo or climbing around the reconstructed 10th-century fort. If it's a rainy day then seek solace in the Sheraton Brunch, an epic Sunday buffet featuring supervised kids activities. The timber-logged Hotel Sabala is typical of the high-end hotels found in the Polish mountains, and nearby attractions include the Zakopane Aquapark, cable car rides up the Tatra Mountains and the nerve jangling Trollandia High Ropes Park.
Cultural highlights For the full Scooby Doo experience, stay in haunted Reszel Castle (zamek-reszel.com), a creepy gothic masterpiece which sits on a craggy rock overlooking the medieval town of Reszel. Rooms have been designed by local sculptor Boleslaw Marschall, with the apartments occupying brick turrets dating from the 15th century. Warsaw's Old Town isn't actually old, but if you're visiting Poland then don't dare miss it. Flattened by the Germans in 1944, the historic centre has since been meticulously rebuilt, and its inclusion on the Unesco world heritage list speaks volumes for the restoration. Further afield, Majdanek death camp in Lublin is, like the more-visited Auschwitz, an unsettling testament to those murdered in the Holocaust.
Summer climate While average temperatures are 18C in July and August, it's not uncommon to find the thermometer going beyond 30C. Summer storms are rare but brutal, so bring a brolly - this is especially true in June, traditionally the wettest month of the Polski year.
Culinary treats Pierogi are ravioli-style dumplings filled with anything from strawberries to cabbage, though usually cheese or meat. Braver diners should order bigos, a vile-smelling mash of meat, onion, cabbage and sauerkraut; keep some vodka at hand to wash it down.
How to get there The recent increase in airport taxes has seen numerous budget carriers rethink their strategy and can their flights. Wizz, EasyJet and Ryanair still land at a wide selection of Polish airports (flights take upwards of two hours). National carrier LOT flies to Warsaw and Krakow from Aberdeen, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Heathrow and Manchester.
Alex Webber
Croatia
The land of 1,000 islands, Croatia is a popular summer destination with its beautiful coastline, tranquil mountains and national parks. Ecologically one of Europe's best-preserved countries, exploring it takes you on a thousand-year journey through history, which has been turbulent, exciting and glorious. Lie on golden sandy beaches and swim in romantic coves that are but a stone's throw from ancient Roman monuments and streets as old as the emperor Diocletian himself.
Value for money The Croatian kuna still represents good value in comparison to Euro-based Mediterranean beach destinations. Half-board ranges from £37-74 per person/per day, while pints of beer are about £2. Look out for special packages that are constantly available via tourist agencies.
Best beaches Croatia's shores are the hidden garden of the Mediterranean. Zlatni Rat in Bol (on the island of Brac) is the country's most beautiful beach — more shingle than sand, while on the Peljesac peninsula, the small town of Zuljana boasts one of the most perfect pebbled beaches on the Adriatic. The Kornati National Park's 150 islands can provide an unforgettable sailing experience as you anchor at any of the hidden beaches, sandy inlets and tiny ports. One other top watery tip: Hotel Maestral (hotelmaestral.com), on the island of Prvic, is a refurbished 19th-century stone house right on the seafront. As part of its restaurant, guests can admire the sea views from a 12-metre floating pontoon.
• This article was amended on Monday 20 April 2009. The original referred to Zlatni Rat as a sand beach. This has been corrected.
Family favourites In May, Hotel Vespera on the island of Losinj will reopen as a 400-room, state-of-the-art hotel complex. It is 50 metres from the beach and outdoor pools will cascade towards the sea. Children should enjoy the huge water slides, tobogganing, wave pools and waterfalls. The huge Hotel Funimation complex in Zadar is another geared towards family entertainment, with swimming courses for kids, fun sports, children's olympics, children's cinema, mini discos and much more.
Cultural highlights Trogir, known as the "museum city" because of its high concentration of palaces, churches, and towers, is a Unesco world heritage site. The town of Rovinj, famous for the church of St Euphemia, irresistibly draws artists inspired by its vistas, preserved old town houses and picturesque streets. Sibenik is over 1,000 years old and will expose you to some of the most precious works of art in Dalmatia.
Summer climate Centrally positioned along the Adriatic, Croatia has a typical Mediterranean climate, with southern coastal cities always a few degrees hotter then the north (don't be surprised if temperatures reach the mid-30s during peak season). The average sea temperature is 25C to 27C, perfect for a dip or snorkel.
Culinary treats Fishy delicacies include octopus cooked in an ispod peke (a traditional Dalmatian cast-iron bell heaped with glowing ash) and brudet, a delicious stew of sea eel, red fish and other sea fish. For a quick snack, try salted sardines served with olive oil, bread and salted capers. The town of Ston is known for its cultivation of oysters: a gastronomic delight.
How to get there Split, at the heartland of Dalmatia, has two-hour flights from London with Croatia Airlines, British Airways and EasyJet (which also flies to Liverpool). All three airlines also fly from London to Dubrovnik's Cilipi airport. Pula Airport in Istria has flights from Edinburgh (Ryanair) and London (Croatia Airlines).
Frank Jelincic
