Lithuania

Lithuania was once one of the largest countries in Europe. In the 15th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, covering modern-day Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Poland and Russia. The country was also the last in Europe to adopt Christianity, holding out until 1386. That history of stubborn independence has never really gone away - Lithuanians were the first Soviet republic to declare independence in 1990, and they formed a human chain of 2 million people across the Baltic states to make their point.

Today, Lithuania is the southernmost and largest of the three Baltic states. Vilnius has one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Europe, entirely UNESCO-listed, and the Baroque architecture is stunning. But what really defines Lithuanian culture is basketball. It's not just a sport here, it's practically a religion - the national team has won three European championships, and the phrase "basketball is the second religion" is only slightly an exaggeration. Outside the cities, there are sand dunes on the Curonian Spit that look like they belong in the Sahara, thousands of lakes, and dense forests that still feel properly wild.