I HAVE a confession to make. Before going to Serbia, I couldn’t have pointed it out on the map.

I had a vague idea that it’s one of those Balkan states that used to be Yugoslavia and were the site of bloody civil wars in the 1990s.

But I couldn’t tell you if it’s by the sea (it isn’t) or that it lies between Greece, Romania and Croatia.

It would seem that I’m not the only one. You’d be hard-pressed to find a guide book on Serbia in most shops. There certainly isn’t one anywhere in Heathrow Airport.

But the fact it’s an undiscovered tourist spot is a definite advantage. If you go now, you can enjoy it while it’s still unspoiled. Imagine what Prague was like before it was invaded by stag parties.

And if you venture outside the capital of Belgrade, you’ll discover stunning countryside, hospitable people and low prices.

Even better, it’s almost on our doorstep, reached by a plane journey of less than two-and-a-half hours.

There aren’t many places so close to home that have had recent experience of armed conflict but which are perfectly safe now.

When they mention the war here, they don’t mean the Second World War but the bitter ethnic conflicts with the Croats, Bosnians and Kosovo Albanians of the 1990s under Milosevic.

The Serbs worry that they’ve replaced the Germans in public consciousness as the warmongers of Europe, but it’s probably more the case that Britons are too confused about the complex political situation in the Balkans to point the finger.

NATO bombed Belgrade in 1999 and the evidence is still clear to see in the shells of buildings.

But the capital is generally a pleasant city of imposing architecture, impressive squares and wide streets, alongside a cobbled, atmospheric Bohemian quarter packed with bars, restaurants and galleries.

The night life in Belgrade really is buzzing – you’ll never be short of entertainment here.

Overlooking the city is the Kalemegdan Fortress, which has been conquered 77 times, destroyed and rebuilt in its 7,000-year history. Now the grounds include a museum, observatory and zoo.

In the centre is a pedestrianised area that couldn’t be more modern, with smart shops and the very trendy boutique Hotel Bah.

Through the middle of the capital runs the Danube, and a particularly good way of getting around is by bicycle.

You can hire a bike for the day for less than £5. There’s a flat, well-marked cycle route alongside the river, which you can actually follow all the way from Budapest to the Black Sea.

Everything is good value here. A pint of beer costs around 90p and you can eat and drink well for a fiver.

It’s worth travelling further afield, especially to the Iron Gates national park which contains the largest gorge in Europe.

If this was a country with a developed tourist industry, we’d all know about it and it would have millions of visitors a year.

But as it is, this stunning landscape is wonderfully peaceful. You can take a boat out through the towering limestone cliffs and hardly pass another vessel.