Finding the ideal summer holiday destination can feel a little like Goldilocks and the Three Bears: this one's much too hot, this one's much too cold and we're always on the look out for one that's just right.
With Lonely Planet's list for the top European destinations for 2019, however, you can have your perfect porridge and eat it, too - with actual bears.
The esteemed travel guide announced its picks for the best European holiday spots for this year, impressing once again with their focus on off-the-beaten-track gems and surprising finds.
The High Tatras mountains in northern Slovakia, on the border with Poland, were named as the number one destination, famed for their sweeping landscapes and untouched natural beauty.
Here you can find the highest peak in the country, the 2,655-meter Gerlach, and the breathtaking Štrbské Pleso glacial lake, nestled in Gerlach's shadow. The area is a haven for nature lovers, and visitors can take in the thrill of seeing brown bears, lynx and wolves in the wild.
Proving their appreciation for immersive, non-cliche experiences, Lonely Planet lists Liechtenstein - the minute country of 37,000 hugged on either side by Austria and Switzerland - in second place. As Europe's fourth smallest country, it can be traversed in a weekend of hiking, which is the perfect way to take in its lush scenery.
The publication has no doubt singled it out due in part to upcoming celebrations marking 300 years as a sovereign nation, with the 75-kilometer Lichtenstein Trail opening this year. National Day on August 15 will be a big date in the festivities, so do with that information what you will.
Another noteworthy mention is the Arctic Coast Way in Iceland, a new project launching this June and aiming to drag some of the country's enduring tourism boom towards the Northern coast. Taking in 900 km of roads, 21 villages, and boat transfer to four islands, the route promises insight into more of Iceland's vibrant culture and stunning natural beauty.
For the foodies, Lyon - France's second city and a vibrant hub for food and wine - gets a well-deserved mention, while the ancient port city Bari in Italy will satiate those with a yearning for fun under the Tuscan sun, just without the Tuscan tourists. A visit to the 11th-century Basilica di San Nicola, a key pilgrimage site, for a glimpse at some of St. Nicholas’ remains can be balanced by a shopping trip up the city's 19th century promenades.
No list would be complete without a beachy idyll to lust after, so Lonely Planet suggest Istria in Croatia. While the medieval capital Dubrovnik has been experiencing a boom in recent years, thanks in a large part to the success of Game of Thrones which was partially filmed there, Istria has a substantial history itself, as the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea.
Roman architecture abounds alongside crystal clear waters, with sights like the Pula Arena an the 6th-century Euphrasian Basilica worth seeing.
See the full list below and try not to impulse-book any flights!
Lonely Planet's best in Europe for summer 2019
High Tatras, Slovakia
Madrid, Spain
The Arctic Coast Way, Iceland
Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bari, Italy
Shetland, Scotland
Lyon, France
Liechtenstein
Vevey, Switzerland
Istria, Croatia
