Planning a holiday as a student is like balancing a stack of Oxford English Dictionaries on your head whilst hopping on one foot and reciting the Internationale. Your budget is already stretched and there’s little you can do to make your money go further when it comes to travelling to another country. However, if you plan where you want t go carefully from the ground up, you’ll be amazed on the places you can go that won’t be too hard on your bank account. Get ready for us to take you through our top five cities in Europe that you can visit whilst staying on a budget.
Destination 1: Krakow, Poland
Krakow boasts some of the tastiest food for the best prices in all of Europe. Pirogi and schnitzel are must-tries, whilst there’s plenty of local beers and pale ales to keep your nights well lubricated too (having a stein outdoors in warm summer evenings is a great experience). Whether you want to visit a city steeped in history or experience a vibrant modern culture, Krakow has it all. Just don’t forget to take plenty of photos of the vintage, quasi-medieval architecture there so you can show off to everyone back home.
Destination 2: Budapest, Hungary
Split by the mighty Danube River, Budapest is the best place in the continent for boat parties and late-night bar crawls that aren’t going to leave your wallet gasping for breath. Even better, cheap food and accommodation make this a great place to unwind and de-stress at any point in your travels, as wandering through the city streets with no destination proves to be half the fun.
Destination 3: Prague, Czech Republic
In Prague you’re going to find world-class art and culture right alongside parties, dive bars and whatever else you could hope to find when travelling for the first time unsupervised. It makes a great midway point for inter-railing journeys and can be a good place to recharge after several nights of running around making a fool of yourself. Just don’t be surprised if you don’t want to leave when your time is up.
Destination 4: Istanbul, Turkey
Situated on the doorstep to Asia, Istanbul is the last bit of Europe you’ll ever see if you choose to carry on East. A fantastic fusion of the two continents, this city has been stuck in time for who knows how long, and the beauty of its architecture is only surpassed by the beauty of its price-range. There’s so much to see and do at low prices it’s almost criminal this city isn’t considered more often when planning trips around Europe. The far-off location may be somewhat off-putting but trust us, the destination absolutely makes up for a journey of any length.
Destination 5: Valencia, Spain
Spain, home of sun, beaches, paella, and super-cheap city breaks in the form of a trip to Valencia on the southeast coast. Here you’ll find legendary Spanish hospitality, cuisine and nightlife waiting for you, specially catered to give you the most enjoyment for the least currency. Ditch the more touristy hot-spots of Barcelona and Madrid, and you’d be amazed how much further your money’s going to go when you’re abroad. Just don’t forget your sunscreen, you’re going to need it out there if you want to bronze and not burn.
We hope this rundown of our favourite cheap cities in Europe gives you the ideas you need to plan your next continental holiday. Be sure to check out our other blogs coming soon for more holiday and travel hints.