Recommended Stay Time

3 Nights and 4 days

Currency (Euros)

EUR	DOL
€1	$1,14

Transportation

To arrive to Rome it’s better to do it by plane,Ryanair have cheap options. I am doing an exchange in Clermont- Ferrand and I planned this trip to Italy with two friends, and we did it by bus. We went to Milan, Venice, Rome, Pisa and finally Florencia, approximately we payed for a bus from Venice to Rome for 22 euros, it was a good experience and for us wasn’t so exhausting. On the other hand, if you want to visit the city center and know all the history present in the city of Rome it’s better to buy a ticket for the metro, buses and tram , we stayed there for 3 days and we bought the ticket for 36 hours and it was like 13 euros, and I recommend you to buy it because in Rome they are so strict with the rules and probably they do controls in the buses.

Accomodation

Rome is a huge city, so if you want to stay in the “center” it would be expensive and everything in Rome it’s beautiful to see, so I suggest you to stay in a good place and you can take the public transport whenever you want. We stayed in an amazing hostel called “ YELLOW”, it wasn’t very cheap ( 24 euros the night)  but the experience, and the service was incredible, we stayed in a room of 4. Furthermore, they have their own bar and disco in front of the hostel, so if you want to party it’s easy and close. All the tourism we had to do it by tram or metro, because was far of everything.

Here you can find the link of the hostel page so you can make your reservation immediately and live an unforgettable experience: https://www.the-yellow.com/index.es.html?lang=es

Activities

If you are planning to visit Rome, you should like the history, and it’s amazing because all the city is full of this and you will be so happy and at the same time intrigued of all the events that happened there. Also the best dates to visit rome is at the end of the month, because on the last Sunday of the month there are free tickets for museums and also for the Vatican.

Vatican: the Vatican is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome. The Vatican City is an ecclesiastica or sacerdotal–monarchical state ruled by the pope who is, religiously speaking, the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church. We were fortunate to attend the mass given by the pope, I almost cried when I saw him. You have to arrive early, because the lines are very long.

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Colosseum and Roman forum: It was awesome because if you are student, you only have to pay  8 euros and you can visit both of them

-Vatican museum: This is a museum full of history, characteristic painters and Roman sculptures, normally you have to pay to enter but we went the last Sunday of  the month of October. Here you can see the most famous Sistine chapel.

-Trevi Fountain:

1. Agripa Pantheon:

Food Tips

You know that if you go to Italy, you must eat Pasta and Pizza, the most traditional dishes there. Also you have to try the aperitif cocktail called:  Aperol Spritz, this contains prosecco, aperol and soda water. We were with an student budget so we didn’t visit many restaurants, we only went to a restaurant in the most popular place to eat: Trastereve, it’s a neighborhood where you will find several restaurants and bars to visit.

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Packing List

We visit Rome in October, and the weather wasn’t good, so if you are planning to go in this month you should take an umbrella and a good jacket. And of course a comfortable shoes, because you have to walk too much.

Recommended stay time

2 days and 1 night

Currency (Euro)

EUR	USD
1	1.12

Transport

Here you can find also public transport or you can walk around the city center that is not too big, but I recommend you to rent a car, to visit nearby beaches and is comfortable for you. If you need more information about the car rentals you can go to Alamo, Sixt, Alamo, Enterprise, etc and they will give you a price and then you analyze if you prefer rent it, or do it by public transport. Good luck!!

According to my experience, I stayed at my cousin place, and everything was so easy because he had a car and we did all by his car, and only we walked in the city center to show me it.

Accomodation

This depends in what you want to do, because you can stay near to the beach or near to the city center. My advice is that you book a hostel or hotel in the old city, because is perfect to know a little bit about the city and also you can go to the beaches. And the options to sleep near to the beach are at the north of the island, there you can find sandy beaches.

Activities

• Cathedral: This cathedral has a gothic Roman catholic style, and you can find it in the old part of the city. If you want to get in you have to check the schedules of the visits, because in winter they close early

• You can visit some plazas and walk around the caso antiguo , visit the boutiques and the little streets

• Paseo marítimo: You can walk or rent a bike and go this way and see the palm trees, fancy boats at the harbour
• Valldemossa: This village is located a 30 minutes from Palma by car, is beautiful because the village is all of stone, and is located in the medium of the mountains. It’s amazing, you arrived there and you feel peace and you relax yourself, you can go here and eat a chocolate with potato coca.

Food tips

All the sea food is gonna be cheaper in this place, because you are gonna be near to the beach, so if you like it, it’s gonna be amazing!!

Of course you have to try Paella this is a dish whose base is rice and they normally put sea food inside and some vegetables.

You have to eat the traditional bread (brown) , with tomatoes, cheese, charcuterie and a little bit of olive oil.

The best restaurant that is visit was Meson Ca’n Pedro, here you can find typical dishes of the city, the prices are a little bit high but it’s worth.

Packing

You have to plan your visit to Palma de Mallorca in summer, so for sure you have to take swimwear and sunscreen, and with this you will have an unforgettable experience here.

Andrea Gómez.

Recommended Stay Time

7-10 days in Maui, HI.

Currency

EUR	USD
1	1.12

Transportation

Based on my personal experience, I recommend renting a car in Maui. I visited Maui with my family, and for the 5 of us the best option was to rent a car for the 10 days we were visiting. Renting a car was a phenomenal decision as we really got to see a lot of Maui, thanks to our ability to drive anywhere. However, if you are travelling with only 2 or 3 people, renting a car could be too expensive. So instead, there is public transit systems in Maui which have many, many stops and is incredibly inexpensive.

Hotel

As usual, I recommend living in a non-touristy area, in an airbnb or hostels. I believe this is the best way to live in Maui as living among locals was one of the highlights of my trip here. We were able to meet some incredible neighbours, and stumbled upon beautiful farmer’s markets and received great recommendations and tips on how to properly visit Maui.

Activities

1. Haleakala National Park

This national park is the highest point on this island. Haleakala is the world’s biggest a dormant volcano, standing at about 10,000 feet above sea level. Traveling by foot or by bike costs $12 per person, for $25 a vehicle. This is why I recommended renting a car, as driving to and from this park is the best option. However asking any travel guide, or concierge will provide alternate means of transportation to the park.  

Haleakala is an absolutely breathtaking experience and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. A local told my family that the greatest way to see Haleakala is to catch the sunrise at the top of the volcano. This truly was one of the greatest views I’ve ever seen, as you have a clear few of the 30,000 acres of the national park, the ocean, and a breathtaking sunrise.

1. Traditional Luau (Old Lahaina Luau)

When in Hawaii, it is a great idea to learn about the history and culture. A great way to do this is by attending a traditional luau, like the one I attended was called the Old Lahaina Luau. Although some luaus can be slightly expensive (they usually include some drinks and a dinner), there are discounts with some travelling companies, or within hotels. Depending on the Luau, there is normally a traditional Hawaiian dancing performance, a traditional Hawaiian dinner, and other presentation.

1. Snorkeling tour

With or without a tour, you must head to the beach with some snorkels masks and goggles. Massive turtles and fish of every colour are filled in these waters and they love some fresh fruits. Pretty much every single beach will provide a great experience with these sea creatures. However, if you’re looking for a more intense experience snorkelling, you can take a boat tour to the coral reef and see the incredible colours of the coral reef, as well as hundreds and hundreds of fish and other sea creatures.

1. Banyan Tree Park

This activity is one of my favourite memories in Maui and it just so happens to be free. Located in Lahaina, you can take a walk through this huge market place which is under the canopy of a tree which is a nearly 1 acre long. In this market are beautiful one-of-a-kind shop, traditional food restaurants, and gift shops. This area is a must see when visiting maui.

Food

1. Aloha Mixed Plate

This restaurant was my family and I’s personal favourite – as we ate here several different times throughout our stay here in Maui. A mixed plate is a typical meal for Hawaiians, it is normally a few scoops of rice, two different meats of choice, macaroni salad, and green leaf salad. These meals are made perfectly with traditional Hawaiian flavouring and spices, and there relatively inexpensive – one full mixed plate is about $12USD. Additionally, this restaurant is beautifully placed directly beside to the ocean, giving an amazing view of the sunset over the water.

2. Da Kitchen

Located on the other side of the island from Aloha Mixed Plate, is Da Kitchen. Similar in style, it’s traditional hawaiian food will blow you away. With a great portion of food, for a phenomenally good price – you must check out Da Kitchen.

3. Coconut Fish Cafe

If you are looking for a more relaxed restaurant, I definitely recommend visiting this beautiful cafe. It’s speciality is its fish and chips menu, which is always a great idea. Another great recommendation is the fish tacos. With either of these dishes you get a choice of a few different homemade sauces which are all equally incredible.

Packing Tips

For a week in Hawaii, I recommend packing a few different types of outfits. Definitely bring lounge-wear for travelling to different beaches and laying in the sun. It would also be smart to pack 1-2 fancier outfits for nights out in the town, and fancier dinners. Also bring a few different bathing suits as many of the days you will probably be at the beach. Finally – SUNSCREEN! I personally got a horrible burn here on my first first day due to not applying enough sunscreen. Apply and reapply as the sun rays are extremely harsh in Hawaii. And last but not least, don’t forget your lei.

Written by: Mackenzie Bryan

This would be one of the perfect weekend getaway. What we did was go to Nice and from there go to Cannes and Monaco for the day.

Recommended stay time

2 nights and 3 days. Plan it to arrive early and leave late, so that you have 3 entire days (one in each city).

Currency (Euro)

EUR	USD
1	1.12

Transport

In each city you can do everything walking if you are a walking person. To move from Nice to Cannes and Monaco you can take the buses #210 and  #100, respectively. Each way is approximately between 20 and 40 minutes.

Accomodation

Like we told you at the beginning sleeping in Nice and going to Cannes and Monaco for the day is a very good option in order to save money.  We stayed at a Hostel, that had a really good location, but it was not really pretty. However, for the price we paid it was worth it. It was Hostel Lyonnais.

Activities

It depends on the interests of the person, but for us the plan was more about to get to see the cities and enjoy the beaches. We went there ending september, so it was not really warm but still we got to get into the water.  Our first day was in Nice so first we walked through the center of the city and after went to the beach.

Our second day was in Cannes, that in our opinion has the most beautiful beaches. This city is well known for its film festival so you better give a look to the Festival Palace, which we did only from the outside. We went to a have a panoramic view of the city by the church of our lady of Esperance and after to the public beach.

Our third, and last day, was in Monaco. This city has more stuff to see, so we walked a lot but if you prefer there are buses and they’re easy to take. First we went to the Place du Casino of Monte-Carlo. We walked to the Botanical garden stoping were we liked the view. We went walking, boarding the beach, to the royal palace and watched the change of the guard squat. After that we went back to the Place du Casino, but this time enter to see the casino.

Food tips

For this trip went really in a low budget so we bought bread, cheese and jams to make sandwiches all day long.

Packing

We would definitely recommend to go during the summer. Either at the beginning or the end of it so that it’s not too hot. Based on that, pack fresh clothes, swimwear and comfy shoes.

Discount Code: Avantur15

Recommended Stay Time

The recommended stay time is for around a week.

Edinburgh: 2 nights and 3 days

Glasgow: 1 night and 1 day

Aberdeen: 2 nights and 2 days

Edinburgh: 1 night

Currency (GDP)

The currency in Scotland is GDP (Great Britain Pounds / Sterling Pound).

Transport

I think the best way to get around and make it affordable is to rent a car, specially if you are travelling with more than one person. Cars are around 50£ a day, but you could always go for a cheaper car option and maybe manage to find something for under that price. You must note though, that in the United Kingdom they drive on the left side of the road, as opposed to most countries, which drive on the right, so you must be careful when renting a car.

If you are travelling from outside the UK, I recommend that you fly in and out from Edinburgh, as it is the biggest airport and with the most flights on a daily basis. Regardless, this is still a small airport. The route created is to start and finish in Edinburgh, for commodity purposes. The longest distance to do is from Glasgow to Aberdeen, with a total time of 3h47m.

Once you are in the cities, I recommend to move around walking or by bus, since the public transport is generally very good, and that way you can save up on gas.

Accommodation

Edinburgh is divided into the Old Town and the New Town. I would suggest that you stay in the New Town, as hostels and accommodations will be nicer. I pinpointed the street are were I stayed (George Street). My friends and I stayed in a lovely hotel, very cheap, but had the sense of a Bed & Breakfast, because people were very nice and welcoming. It was right off George Street in the next alley. I think this is the best place to stay because it is very safe, and at night time there is very good ambiance.

In Glasgow I personally did not like were we stayed. It was very old and dirty, and the reception people were not nice, and totally unhelpful. I therefore found this other hotel (Ibis) in the city center. I have stayed with this hotel chain before and have never had a problem. It is very affordable and a very good student-friendly environment. Either way, I recommend to just say one night in Glasgow, so if you want to spend a bit more on a nicer hotel, I think that is up to you.

In Aberdeen to be honest, anywhere you stay around Union Street is good, because it is a small city. Either way, I believe this suggested hotel is very good because you are still in the city center, but 5 minutes away walking from the ambiance, meaning you will not have any sound disturbance. I recommended a Hotel form the Radisson Chain called “Park Inn”. It is a very nice hotel, and very affordable. I did not pay for breakfast, because around time there are very good places to eat, which I think are better than hotel food.

Activities

Edinburgh: There are many things to do in Edinburgh, but the most important and beautiful (in my opinion) is the Edinburgh Castle. This is situated in the Old Town, but it is walking distance from anywhere. I did not go in as I found it a bit expensive, but it is situated in a hill and you have amazing views from all Edinburgh from there.

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Another thing to do in Edinburgh is, if you are a Harry Potter fan, to go to the cemetery were J.K. Rowling got inspired to write all the character names. There is a cafeteria which overlooks the cemetery and has inspired drinks from the movies and books. I went here with my friends and eventhough it was a bit expensive, I loved it.

Glasgow: In Glasgow there is not much to do as it is a small city, but apart from that it is also very industrialized. If you want to go shopping, then this is your city. Regardless, if you find yourself in Glasgow you MUST go to visit the Glasgow University. It is a beautiful old building which resembles the Hogwarts castle, and was actually one of the main inspirations for the emblematic movie building. A friend of mine studies there so he gave us a tour, but it is open to the public and people are very welcoming to visitors.

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Aberdeen: Aberdeen itself is not a big city, but it has amazingly beautiful parks, so if it is a sunny day I would recommend you go on a picnic to Duthie Park. If you’d rather eat in a restaurant, the park has one restaurant and a cafeteria within a greenhouse, which must be seen. Even if it rains, you can go inside the green house all year round. Another recommendation is to actually go to the beach, because there is an amusement park, and the beach itself is very pretty and you can walk on the rocky and, and take really nice pictures.

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Another final must see place is another town like 30 minutes away from Aberdeen, but accesible by car or train. It is called Stonehaven, and it has a beautiful castle after a long walk, or you can also get there by car if you do not feel like walking.

Food Tips

Fish and Chips: Buttered Cod very typical from the country, and then with chips. This dish tends to be served along with peas and vegetables as well. It is very common, and very fast to prepare, so you will find it at any time of the day, even if it is 3am.

Scottish Breakfast: Similar to the English Breakfast, except this dish is served with haggis and hash brows (which are essentially fried potatoes in a triangle shape). As you can see in the picture, the breakfast will also include mushrooms, tomatoes, an egg, and of course bacon and beans.

Pulled Pork: The pulled pork is a very typical food amongst students, it is similar to a hamburger, but without the actual beef meet. It will normally be served with barbecue sauce and cabbage.

Sunday Roast: Sunday roasts are a must when in Scotland. This is more of a family-gathering food, but it can also be found in restaurants or pubs. It will mainly consist of turkey or chicken, with vegetables on the side, and most likely some sort of potato form (mashed, boiled or hash brow).

Packing List

The best packing advice for Scotland is to take something to cover you from the rain. I would say comfortable shoes to walk in the rain, maybe not necessarily rain boots, as this can be uncomfortable after a while. I would suggest you get a raincoat rather than an umbrella, that way you do not have to carry it around. Also, check the weather before going, specially for the temperatures as they can Sometimes go really cold, and other times with a light jacket you will be okay.

Written by Elena Lamana Aristegui

Recommended stay time

Four days and three nights

Recommended stay time

Four days and three nights

Currency (Euro)

EUR	DOL
€1	$1,14

Transport

I would recommend to walk as much as you can to see the city and it streets. Mostly touristic places are around the same areas. However, you’ll have longer ways. For that, Brussels public transportation will give a hand.

In order to go to Bruges the cheapest option is a Bus. We went for the day, arriving there at 9 am and leaving at 9 pm. We booked it with FlixBus and it costed us 10 euros both ways. The way to move in Bruges is walking.

Accomodation

As we recommend to mostly do everything walking, the best option is to stay near the historical places. If you like hostels, Jacques Brel Youth Hostel is a good choice.  

Activities

Like for most of the europeans big cities I would recommend you to take a free walking tour  that would give you the opportunity to see city in a fun and quick way and after that decide what you would like to see deeper. You’ll be walking by important places and monuments, while knowing people from other countries. Personally I think the must-do in Brussels are:

-Atomium

-Grand place

-Real galeries Saint Hubert

-Manneken piece

-Place Poelaert (enjoy the view)

-Delirium

We took a  free walking tour also in Bruges and it was a very interesting way to know about this beautiful medieval city. After that we bought some food and made a picnic near some windmills not close at all to the center. When the night was arriving we went to the Beer Museum and try 5 different kinds of beers.

Food tips

Belgium is well known for its chocolate, fries and beers,  so try them all. When it comes to the chocolates you’ll find plenty of options to choose from. Give yourself the chance to try a few. Neuhaus is a well known chocolate factory and has a factory with good prices in the outside of Brussels. For the fires, go to Fritland and try them with another Belgium fast food. Hack: go and order inside to avoid the long line. For the beers I would recommend you to go Delirium, which is the most famous bar. It has 3 different locals and you’ll find also different environments in each one.  Their beers are strong and very tasty. If you are a lot into beers you can go to the Beer Museum in Bruges or just go to its bar and try some of its beers.

For the gaufres I recommend you to buy one in the street and not in a store, because they’re the traditionals ones. They sell them in little food trucks. I tried 3 and for me the best one was from the truck of this picture near the royal palace.

Packing

It depends mostly in which season your going to be there. Despite that, in all the cases you’ll need comfy sneakers to walk around the cities!

Recommended Stay Time

3 Nights and 4 days

Currency in Euros

Transportation

The best transportation method within the city is the subway. You can get a 10-way ticket, which is very affordable and will allow you to get around town very easily. This being said, once in Bilbao, I think the best thing to do is to actually walk. It is a medium city, but you can easily walk it an a whole day.

To get to the towns on the coast, it is always best to take the subway, because it is the cheapest, but there are also some buses available.

Accomodation

The best place to stay is in Bilbao’s city center, or in the old town. There are a lot of affordable hostels around the city center, which are specialized in hosting young people. On the other hand, in Bilbao’s old town, there are many Airbnbs which are very cute and for good prices. Hostels are cheaper so if you are looking for a cheaper option then you should go to the hostels.

Activities

There are many activities to do while in Bilbao, but they are nicer to be done in the summer time, so I will recommend summer field trips, as well as visiting the actual town.

• San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

• Getxo

• Bilbao, New Town

• Bilbao, Old Town

• Mirador Artxanda

• Sopelana

Food Tips

• Pintxos → Northern tapas

• Seafood and Fish

• Bacalao is very typical. Specially made “a la vizcaina” which is the style from the community where BIlbao is.

Packing Tips

• Umbrella, as it may rain in any moment
• Swim wear (if you decide to go to the beach)
• Sunscreen for the summer, specially again, if going to the coast.
• Comfortable shoes for San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, and to walk around town.

Written by Elena Lamana Aristegui

Recommended Stay Time

5-7 Days

Currency

Euro

Transportation

I recommend walking the whole city. This might seem like a lot, but to truly see this beautiful city, it is best to wander around the streets and discovering new areas. Porto’s city centre is not very big, and it is completely manageable to walk to each activity. Every time i’ve been to Porto, my family and I have always chosen to walk.

However, if you are staying outside of Porto or in the city’s outskirts, taking a cab or using the metro system to the heart of Porto is definitely a good idea.

Hotel

Again, I believe the best way to really get to know a city is to immerse yourself in the least touristic manner. I personally don’t recommended big hotels in an tourist area, that are surrounded by other hotels. I believe Airbnb’s are the best way to visit a new city and to make the most of your time there. They are normally not in a very touristy location, and anywhere near the city centre of Porto you can find great little hotspots to explore and meander through. Also, Airbnb’s can be a great way to save money on living accommodations as well. Like many things in Portugal, the Airbnb’s can be quite cheap – when booked far enough in advance.

Activities

One of the main attractions in Porto is in its name – Port wine. Porto is where port wine began and is a very flourishing industry in Porto. Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced with distilled grape spirits exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal.

Thus, visiting the port wine cellars is a must-do. I have gone on a few different wine tasting tours and visited a couple wine cellars. My favourite and most reasonably priced tour is a tour that takes you through the city on a train, then on a river cruise on the Douro, and to a wine cellar- all for 22 euros. This tour is a great way to see all the major parts of the city if you do not have many days in Porto.

After the tour, you will find yourself in a beautiful plaza called “Cais de Ribeira”. This gorgeous area of Porto is riverside, and in a very busy area. Bars and restaurants line the riverside, with incredible fresh seafood for an incredibly low price.  Also is a a great view of Porto’s famous Luís I Bridge, which is another main attraction here in Porto.

The Luís I Bridge opened in 1886 and it was created by the german engineer Theophile Seyring who co founded the Eiffel Company. It is on this bridge where you’ll have a stunning view of the river, and the riverside plaza Cais de Ribeira.

Food Tips

1. Ode Porto Winehouse

For all you wine lovers, you must try Ode Porto Winehouse for great port wine and traditional Portuguese food. This restaurant prides itself on the fact that all ingredients are organic and locally grown. The atmosphere in this restaurant can be both dressy and casual, but a very happy environment with often live music.

2. Camafeu

Another delicious restaurant suited for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This unique restaurant serves traditional portuguese food, as well as other common european dishes.

3. Bacalhau

Named after one of the most common and traditional portuguese dishes, Bacalhau is a beautiful restaurant located right beside the Douro river, giving a very peaceful and calm atmosphere. Additionally, this restaurant is not too expensive, and the quality of food will never disappoint.  

Packing

As Portugal is normally a very warm country, I recommend packing spring/ summer clothes. At night, it can get a little chilly so a light jacket will always be useful. Bring bathing suits if you believe you will make it out to some of Portugal’s famous beaches. Comfortable walking shoes are a must-bring, as you will be walking around the city centre many times, and it is much easier for travel. If you are not used to the warmer climates I recommended sunscreen as well. For dining, some restaurants are fancier than others, so pack 1-2 dressier outfits.