Croatia became an independent nation on this day 27 years ago. Today it is one of the holiday destinations growing fastest in popularity among British travellers, with 1.4 million visiting in the first half of 2018, up from just over a million in the same period of 2017.

And it’s not all down to Game of Thrones (though that has helped). Here are 25 reasons why you should join them (if you haven't already).

1. It’s hot

Let’s get the obvious ones out of the way. Croatia is one of Europe’s sunniest spots.

Visitors should expect 12 hours of sunshine a day in May and June, on average, and 13 in July and August. That’s more than Provence (8 in May, 10 in June and August, 11 in July) or Corfu (10 in May, 12 in June, 13 in July and 11 in August). Even in October, the weather remains pleasant, with Dubrovnik offering 11 hours of sunlight and daily averages of 19C.

2. And easy to reach

Some Greek islands take four hours to reach by plane. The Canaries? More like four-and-a-half. Hvar, Split, Dubrovnik and Pula are all just two-and-a-half hours away or less.

3. It’s still good value

Croatia has been a member of the EU since 2013 but kept its currency, the kuna. So while the pound has suffered a massive slump against the dollar and the euro, the outlook isn't quite so alarming for UK visitors to the country.

Even in popular tourist destinations you can still find good value. A beer at all but the trendiest bars in Hvar will only cost the equivalent of a couple of quid; dinner for two at a good restaurant in Split (including wine) will set you back less than £50. Good value hotels are ubiquitous, as are cheap holiday apartments.

Dubrovnik has more than a bit of the Games of Thrones about it Credit: istock

4. And has the Game of Thrones appeal

There is surely some correlation between Croatia’s growing popularity and its starring role in the HBO series Game of Thrones. Among the attractions to have featured are Dubrovnik, whose city walls and forts became King’s Landing; beautiful Trsteno Arboretum on the outskirts of the city, which becomes the Red Keep’s gardens; the Fortress of Klis, which is used for exterior shots of Meereen; and St Dominic Monastery in Trogir, which appears as the city of Qarth.

5. It has the world’s most atmospheric Roman ruin

The remains of Diocletian’s Palace in Split, another Game of Thrones filming location, is now the buzzing heart of the city. Among the ancient columns, temples, walls and underground cellars that once made up the Roman emperor’s retirement home, you’ll find dozens of hidden bars, restaurants and shops. Stay at Apartments Salvezani, right in the centre of the Unesco World Heritage Site, and be sure to visit hip Uje, a restaurant and wine bar that also lies within the old palace boundaries.

6. And one of its finest amphiteatres

The port city of Pula in Istria is noted for its first-century Roman amphitheatre, one of the best preserved in the world. Time your visit to the city to coincide with its annual film festival (held in July, next week, as it stands), which features screenings inside the ruin, or look out for one of its regular musical concerts.

Pula Arena Credit: kaycco - Fotolia

Close to Pula, the islets of the Brijuni National Park, once Tito’s summer retreat, make a memorable day trip.

7. There are spectacular beaches

Just don’t go hoping for sand. Croatia is all about picturesque pebbled beaches, lapped by crystal clear water. Zlatni Rat is the best known, and adorns just about every travel brochure, so expect crowds, but there are gorgeous hidden spots on the mainland, such as Nugal, just south of Makarska.

8. Incredible national parks

Croatia has eight national parks, including the Unesco-listed Plitvice Lakes and Krka, both of which are famous for their stunning lakes and waterfalls.

9. You can combine beach life with soaring mountains

The Biokovo mountain range contains Croatia’s second highest peak – Sveti Jure, at 1,762m – but lies just a few miles from the sea. Rise early and follow the steep zig-zagging trail, from the little village of Makar, just above the beach resort of Makarska, up to the peak of Vosac (1,422m), or, if you’re feeling very energetic, Sveti Jure. It’s a spellbinding route, scattered with wildflowers and butterflies, sweet-smelling pine trees and limestone boulders. Then head back down for a refreshing dip in the sea and a well earned gelato (the ice cream here is as good as you’ll find on the other side of the Adriatic).

View our escorted tour of Croatia

10. Its capital is heaven for coffee lovers

Zagreb is “a world away from the sun-soaked islands and seascapes of the Adriatic, with a charm all of its own”, says Jane Foster, our Croatia expert. Explore the medieval quarter, Gornji Grad, home to the 13th-century Church of St Mark and a neo-Gothic cathedral, and the very different district of Donji Grad, filled with green squares rimmed by grandiose Hapsburgian buildings and linked by tree-lined avenues, before embracing the city’s coffee culture. The city is bursting at the seams with fabulous cafes – the residents take their coffee drinking very seriously indeed.

The Croatian capital's Museum of Contemporary Art is also among the best in the world.

11. With one of the world’s quirkiest museums

The Museum of Broken Relationships, also in Zagreb, features seemingly mundane and insignificant objects accompanied by captions that explain their relevance in a failed relationship. It explores the “love, pain, drama, irony, humour and reconciliation” of break-ups, and has proven so popular that a second branch opened in Los Angeles last year.

12. They made the White House

In addition to the photogenic beach of Zlatni Rat, the island of Brac is famous for its glorious white stone, which was used in the construction of Diocletian’s Palace, and, far more recently, The White House in Washington DC. To reach the island, take your hire car on the Jadrolinija ferry from Split or Makarska, and be sure to explore the interior, home to dozens of abandoned villages.

13. There are some incredible summer festivals

Croatia hosts numerous open-air cultural festivals during the summer, the best known being the Dubrovnik Summer Festival (dubrovnik-festival.hr), staged from mid-July until mid-August and attracting well-known international performers. Tiny Motovun, a hilltop village in Istria, hosts a film festival each year, with parties held within its medieval walls each night (motovunfilmfestival.com).

There are also plenty of contemporary music festivals. Some of the biggest are the Love International Festival (loveinternationalfestival.com) at Tisno near Zadar, Fresh Island (fresh-island.org) on Zrce beach in Novalja on the island of Pag; the Dimensions Festival (dimensionsfestival.com) and the Outlook Festival (outlookfestival.com), both at Fort Punta Christo near Pula.

14. And party towns

Hvar Town and Rab Town are the best places to go if you love to stay out late. See our expert's guide to the best hotels in Hvar here.

15. Parts of it remain virtually unknown

Ryanair only last year added Osijek to its route map - the gateway to the little-known region of Slavonia. Telegraph Travel's Adrian Bridge says: "Venture north from the city to the immaculately preserved traditional village of Karanac, where the Baranjska Kuca restaurant offers hearty Slavonian fare (smoked meats and stews are big here) and excellent local wines; to the east and the bird and wildlife-rich wetlands of the Kopacki Rit Nature Park; west to the Djakovo stud farm, in which the world famous white Lipizzaner horses are bred; or south to Vukovar, the city on the Danube that became a symbol of the Yugoslav wars, but which is now is a key stopping off point for cruise ships plying one of Europe’s greatest rivers. It is a fascinating part of the continent with rich stories and deep histories."

16. And it’s got wonderful cities you never thought to visit

Jane Foster recommends Zadar, in North Dalmatia, which contains a lovely old town and is home to several Romanesque churches, plus the quirky Sea Organ, which produces music powered by the waves; and Varazdin, with its 18th-century Baroque architecture and an annual Baroque music festival.

Rovinj in Istria Credit: daliu - Fotolia

17. It’s the birthplace of Marco Polo

Or so claim tourist officials in Korcula, much to the annoyance of their Venetian counterparts. Whatever the truth, Korcula Town is worth visiting anyhow for its impressive medieval old town, good wines and Moreška sword dance performances.

18. And has one of Europe’s tastiest regions

"Istria's international profile as a fine purveyor of quality olive oil, truffles, both white and black, and wine is growing at breakneck speed," says Telegraph Travel's Hugh Morris. "Any restaurant worth its salt in any of the peninsula's inland hill-top towns is likely to offer meals that involve all three, more than likely with ingredients sourced within a stone's throw of your table. Homemade pasta (pljukanci or fuži) with a simple cream sauce and a sprinkling of truffles and cuts of the wild asparagus that grows in the region is a must." Last year, Monte, a restaurant in Rovinj, was awarded the country's first Michelin star.

19. You can even spot dolphins

Keep your eyes peeled off the west coast of Istria and you might just see a pod of dolphins.

20. It’s got a fascinating (if sobering) recent history

Hugh Morris adds: "Croatia has a remarkable modern history, starkly evidenced by some of the shrapnel damage still visible on some of the centuries-old buildings, churches and walls of Dubrovnik, beseiged by the Yugoslav army for eight months in 1991. A memorial room just inside the city walls to those who gave their lives in defence of their home is a sobering reminder that country's hard-fought independence is only 27 years old."

21. Because Dubrovnik is one of the world's bucket list cities

The crowds can be unbearable in peak season, but what do you expect of a city that is so eternally enchanting? For the best experience, venture to the old town in the early evening to miss the worst of the crush, walk the city walls just before they close at 7pm, then treat yourself to the set menu at Proto, which dates back to 1886 and once welcomed Edwards VIII and Wallis Simpson. Afterwards, get lost in the backstreets en route to Buza, a ramshackle bar that overlooks the sea. For more on what to see and do in Dubrovnik, see Jane Foster's expert guide.

Stiniva Beach Credit: nagydodo - Fotolia/StockManager

Telegraph logo Travel Solutions The More Hotel, Dubrovnik Croatia Provided by Inspired Luxury Escapes

22. It's got a beach fit for a Bond villain

Almost completely obscured from the view of passing boats, Stiniva beach on the Croatian island of Vis has something of the James Bond villain lair about it - and was recently named among the best in Europe by a Brussels-based tourism organisation.

Vis, the next island beyond Hvar, has plenty more to recommend it, according to Adrian Bridge, who explored it by scooter in 2014. There are just two main roads of around nine and 15 miles in length. The longer is more scenic, he said, affording “wonderful vistas out towards the island of Bisevo and back to the extraordinarily picturesque red roofs of the port of Komiza”. Stops along the way include “Tito’s cave”, where for a while during the war, the leader of the Yugoslav partisan forces retreated to mastermind operations, and the vineyards of Plisko Polje.

23. And a monument that looks like the Millenium Falcon

That's the Monument to the Revolution in Podgarić, which commemorates the people of the Moslavina region during the Second World War.

24. It has one of the world's most beautiful palindromic places

The island of Krk - not to be confused with Krka, on the mainland - is home to some of the country's best beaches, such as Vela Plaza in Baska, ancient fortifications, and peaceful monasteries. Take that, Oruro and Serres.

A photo posted by Roo Relax Kvarner Karlobag (@roorelax_croatia) on Jan 24, 2016 at 1:15am PST

25. And you can snorkel among shipwrecks

A German Second World War ship can be spotted below the surface of the water in Zavratnica Bay, near the Croatian port of Jablanac. Grab your snorkel and have a gander.

26. Its shoulder season is ideal If you are not tied to school holidays, the best time to visit Croatia is during the “shoulder-season” months of May and June and September and October. Then you can expect pleasant sunny days ideal for swimming in the sea and sunbathing, with all the tourist facilities up and running but no crowds. It’s also the perfect time for outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain-biking, rafting and sea-kayaking.