Latvia

Latvia is the small, flat and largely boggy meat in the sandwich between its Baltic neighbours. It packs a lot in though: start with Riga, its vibrant coastal capital, and move on to photogenic castles, music festivals and scenic river valleys.

Latvians are as keen on reinvigoration and nation-building as any newly independent nation. Visitors can witness first-hand the rapid transformation of a country that has only recently crept from under the doormat of history. This is one of those 'check it out before it's chockas' places.