Wanderlust – a strong desire to travel.
I can remember my first solo trip; getting to the airport, checking my baggage, and boarding the plane all on my own was a thrill. I was a sixteen-year-old heading to Europe for the entire summer, and I was bit by the travel bug.
I finally felt what everyone always talks about: travelling is the only way to get richer by spending your money – and you do spend your money. Traveling is not by any means an inexpensive pastime; nevertheless, it is a necessary one. The experience, wisdom, self-growth, and opportunities one accumulates along the way are priceless and cannot be taught in school. But how does travelling make you a richer individual?
One guarantee that any seasoned traveler will tell you is that hitches arise. No matter how fail-safe the plans, language barriers, delayed flights, double booked rooms, stolen passports/wallets, and the like are all normal parts of travelling. However, it is these setbacks that teach patience and resilience. Above all else, travelling offers new frames of reference and fresh perspectives. If there is one thing traveling will guarantee, it is an escape from the confines of your everyday life resulting in not only a humbler individual, but also a stronger, more adaptable one. Traveling will present challenges and opportunities that build your character and shape how you see the world, from building homes or schools in undeveloped countries, to fine dining cuisine, and art in Europe, travelling will ignite a passion in you that will last a life time.
So where could you go, collegiates? Here are 15 possible places to travel to in Europe with corresponding safe and affordable hostels.
1. Ibiza, Spain
Hostel: Hostal Giramundo Ibiza
2. Barcelona, Spain
Hostel: Cool Hostel
3. Florence, Italy
Hostel: Hostel 7 Santi
4. Venice, Italy
Hostel: San Geremia Rooms
5. Rome, Italy
Hostel: The Yellow
6. Santorini, Greece
Hostel: Anny Studios Perissa Beach
7. Bruges, Belgium
Hostel: Snuffel Backpacker Hostel
8. Nice, France
Hostel: Hostel Pastoral
9. Vienna, Austria
Hostel: Wombats City Hostel – at The Naschmarkt
10. Dublin, Ireland
Hostel: Generator Dublin
11. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Hostel: GuestHouse Maria
12. London, England
Hostel: The Walrus Waterloo
13. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Hostel: Flying Pig Uptown
14. Copenhagen, Denmark
Hostel: Sleep in Heaven
15. Naples, Italy
Hostel: Welcome Inn
As for costs, a bed or room in a hostel can cost anywhere from $5-$30 per night in some of the big Western Europe cities. The price will vary depending on the location of the hostel, the amenities it supplies, the size of your room, and the number of other occupants, along with other varying factors. Hostels are a great way to travel as a student on an affordable budget and also meet some crazy interesting people from all over the world. You will be surrounded by like-minded wander-lusters who are looking for good time and adventure, and boy will you have found it!
Safe travels, collegiates. xo