So smitten was Lord Byron with Dubrovnik that he eulogised the one-time city-state as the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’. George Bernard Shaw also lavished praise on the city, proclaiming: ‘those who seek paradise on earth should seek it in Dubrovnik.’ This UNESCO World Heritage listed gem sandwiched between sheer limestone crags and the azure waters more than deserves the superlatives heaped upon it. Within Dubrovnik’s medieval walls themselves a multitude of baroque churches and ornate palaces wait to be explored.

Dubrovnik (formerly the Republic of Ragusa) was a free city-state for centuries, staving off attack from both the Venetians and the Ottomans. Its sturdy city walls have never been breached, with their most recent test coming in 1991-1992 when Serb and Montenegrin paramilitaries, backed up by Yugoslav forces, laid siege to the city.

The only legacy of this brutal attack are a swathe of bright orange roof tiles (the lighter tiles come from the original quarry which closed before 1991), and the boards located at the gates to the old city, which show where the shells hit.

Dubrovnik was quick to reclaim its tourism crown and today the crowds are back. In high season, the city overflows with tourists and cruise ship passengers and citizens from around the globe are increasingly investing in property in this idyllic corner of Europe. The swell in visitors has been accompanied by welcome investment in the city’s hotels.

Central European in appearance and spirit, Zagreb bears the hallmark of centuries spent under Vienna and Budapest. The capital of Croatia, with just over a million inhabitants (a quarter of the nation), Zagreb is the country's economic, industrial and administrative powerhouse.

Founded in the Middle Ages, Zagreb began life as two separate entities, Kaptol and Gradec, which today comprise the historic Gornji Grad (Upper Town). Centred around the city's landmark cathedral, Kaptol was a religious centre, while Gradec was home to craftsmen and merchants. Outsiders collectively referred to the settlements as Zagreb (meaning 'behind the hill'), although they were not officially united as the City of Zagreb until 1850.

Boom time followed with the late 19th century characterised by the arrival of the railways and the construction of Donji Grad (Lower Town). Next came industrialisation and the influx of migrant labour. Croatia's war of independence (1991-1995) saw Zagreb flounder as its industry collapsed and refugees flooded the city.

Today the difficult days of the early 1990s seem a world away. A strong national economy, coupled with investment in business and tourism, has restored the city to its former glory. For the visitor this translates as an ever-increasing choice of plush accommodation and a plethora of chic bars and restaurants, as well as the chance to ride on shiny new trams and to see some of Croatia's most important cultural sights.

It is perhaps no surprise, then, that Zagreb is confidently leading Croatia towards full integration into the European Union, with accession predicted as early as 2009.