IF YOU are looking for your next hidden gem island to jet off to, then look no further.
Picture luscious green trees, pristine beaches and its currently 30C – well, you could experience this less than five hours from the UK.
Losinj is a small Croatian island that is connected to the mainland via a bridge from the neighbouring island of Cres.
The island is loved for its natural beauty, but historically, has also been loved for being a health resort.
By 1891, more than a million trees covered the island – a mix of Aleppo and Scot pines.
A year later, the island was declared a natural health resort thanks to the aromatic oils of the pine trees filling the air and producing a natural aerosol that when inhaled helped those with respiratory diseases.
Read more on travel inspo
Known as the ‘Island of Vitality’, Losinj today is still loved for its natural state but has also become popular for its pretty beaches with clear water.
Littered across the island are a number of picturesque towns and villages to visit.
The main hub is Mali Losinj, which is home to 19th century Captain’s Houses, as well as a natural harbour and a Museum of Croatian Apoxyomenos.
There’s also Sveti Jakov – a small fishing village home to around 70 people – with ancient olive groves as well as a sandy cove ideal for swimming.
One spot that is ideal for history lovers is Veli Losinj, where you’ll find the oldest settlement on the island.
This used to be the spot where Austro-Hungarian royalty used to stay, as a health retreat on the island, with palm trees, villas and its very own small fishing port.
Most of the island remains covered in trees making it the ideal hiking destination.
If you do head on a trek, beeline for Televin – a scenic viewpoint that overlooks the island and surrounding ocean.
According to one recent review, a round-trip trek to the viewpoint takes about five-and-a-half hours, though it isn’t too strenuous.
The viewpoint can also be reached via car, along a road.
There are a number of places to stay across the island including Vitality Hotel Punda, which costs from £75 per night.
The hotel sits near the coast and boasts its own gardens as well as three restaurants, five bars, a rocky swimming area, outdoor pools, an indoor pool and a spa.
It is also only three miles from Mali Losinj ferry terminal, where you can hop on a ferry to Zadar (which is the easiest point to access the island from).
One-way flights to Zadar cost from £19 per person, in August.
The journey to Losinj then usually takes about two hours.