You Don’t Need To Be Rich To Go On A City Break!

When a new year begins it is common to encounter New Years Revolutions lists online. Things that people promise to improve about themselves, or things to do in the New year. The more common once are: losing weight, being healthier, finding a boyfriend, and so on. This year I noticed that many students have said they wish to travel more in 2016.

Being a student and a believer that travelling is one of the most exiting experiences and the best way to learn, I totally support this New Year Resolution. So, I would like to give a few tips to all the students out there, that just like me, do not find money growing on trees, and so travelling doesn’t always seem like the wisest of ways to spend your savings.

1. Look for the deals

February is an amazing month to travel. If you manage to book your flights in January when the sales are still on, you will be able to find cheap flights with low cost air companies, such as: Rayanair and Easy-Jet. If you are travelling to Scandinavian countries keep in mind Norwegian air. So subscribe to their websites and get constant updates on deals. I know, sometimes I get bored of all the emails as well, but this way, you ensure that you’re not missing anything.

2. Don’t be too picky

Flight Deals work exactly like sales, which means you might not find exactly what you have in mind in an offer. At the beginning I used to not consider deals that were based on places I thought I wasn’t really keen on visiting. However, I have learn’t that if you really like travelling, each place has something to offer – history, amazing places to discover and fun nights out. So unless you have already been, or you really hate the thought of it, just pack your bag and embrace the experience. I believe that the more spontaneous you are the more fun you have.

3. Be clever with your money!

When you find cheap flights, the next thing you need to do is find accommodation. If your destination is a capital city, forget about hotels. Most of the time they will turn out to be too expensive and you will end up paying more than you had planned to. Hostels? Yes, if it is a small group of people (like 2/3). However, prepare yourself, because you might be paying for something that is unfortunately not always clean. You will also be sharing your room with lots of other people and apart from breakfast, you will need to go out for food, which depending on the place you go to, can be quite expensive. My suggestion is to get a small apartment. There are websites like Airbnb, where flat owners rent their apartment for just a few days to travellers. It might seem like you are paying a bit more than an a hostel, but you will save lots of money on food because you can cook and eat in the flat without having to go out every night.

4. Walk around, Follow the locals and have fun!

Once everything is booked, doing some research on the place you are going to might be a great idea. – particularly if you only have a few days to spend in this location. Make sure you are ready and make a list of places and attractions that are a must see for you. It is only after you have been to those that you can enjoy the rest of your trip without feeling guilty. Before you get stuck into museums, make sure you spend a bit of time walking around the city – I find it the best way to learn about a place and the people that live in it.By now, you have probably saved a bit of money, so treat yourself to at least one lunch/dinner out, and please remember you can find burger king back home as well. Try the local specialties, if you hate them, at least you can say you have tried it. And then you can go crazy on magnets and postcards from the souvenir shop.Finally, even if you are knackered after a whole day of sightseeing, make sure you go out at night, even just to the local pub for one drink. You will have time to rest when you get home, but make sure your 3-4 days are packed with stuff to do, otherwise you will regret being lazy on holiday when you get back.

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