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Weekend Trips: Where to Go

Studying abroad gives you an ample amount of time to visit other countries nearby your host country, letting you make the most out of your study abroad experience. Try to see as much as you can while you’re abroad because when else will you have the chance to spend 15 consecutive weeks in Europe? I can only write this article based off places I have personally visited and how my experience went but I’ll pass along tips and tricks that worked for me and that you can use too!

While visiting anywhere while abroad always try to stay as close to the city center as you can because that’s where all the attractions are and since you are going to only be there for a short time you want to get in as much as you can without wasting time on traveling to the attractions. When it comes to housing, airbnb.com, Hostel World, and Hosteling International are good if you’re looking for someplace inexpensive. Most importantly before going anywhere – do your research. Make sure where you are going is safe! Check what kind of currency they use – not everywhere uses euros! Map out what attractions you want to see and how much they’ll cost before you go – who knows you might even be able to get a better price or avoid a long line by booking in advance.

While in Paris, it was super cheap to visit Amsterdam by bus – tickets can be €20 or less if you schedule it early enough in advance. We stayed at a very nice place right outside the city center just a short walk from the tram into the city center. I would recommend going to the Anne Frank Museum and if you can make it into Amsterdam by Friday night, the Van Gogh Museum has a great night time tour/ mixer happening for a decent price – about €16. I also went to London while I was doing my 5 weeks in Paris. In London, I would recommend doing a traditional tea tasting, you can find really good deals on groupon.com. I found a tea tasting package that takes place on a boat with finger foods and pastries included and came with tickets to a boat cruise of London for less than €45. The boat cruise took us by the London Eye, Big Ben, and gave historical information on the big buildings along the water. I would recommend going to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and taking a stroll through Hyde Park.

While in Rome, my mother came to visit so I had a really good week of trips, that I didn’t have to pay for. We visited Pompeii on a package that took us on a guided tour and then a tour of the town Sorrento about 30 minutes away from Pompeii and it included lunch.  There are tons of packages that leave from Roma Termini (the main train station in Rome) and I would definitely recommend doing that.  I also went to Tuscany and a day trip to Pisa is worth the trip. You can even take one of those iconic photographs holding up the leaning tower!

While in Seville, I went on a trip to Morocco through a package with discoverexcursions.com. It was definitely my favorite trip from my whole study abroad experience, but it was also the most expensive. The trip was €200, which included transportation, a four-star hotel for 3 nights, all meals, a guided tour of the blue city of Chefchaouen, a camel ride on the Tangier Beach and a tour of the city of Tangier. The trip was worth every last dime! I know the Seville rotation will be ending this semester and students will be instead staying in Limerick, Ireland. I have never been to Limerick and unfortunately have no specific tips for where to go from there, but that’s the fun part. It’s a brand-new place with a whole new set of adventures to be discovered! Good luck on all your travels!

Social Media Ambassador: Rian Smith, Fall 2017.