Cool Weekend Trips for Students Spending a Summer in Spain

If you're headed over to Spain on a study abroad trip, chances are, you have meticulously planned your experience in whichever city you'll be traveling to. But did you know that during your time in Spain, you can take advantage of your study abroad freedom and student discount to take weekend excursions to other countries and cities? Here's an overview of some of the most popular weekend excursions.

Paris

From Barcelona and Madrid, take the Eurorail north for about 5-6 hours until you land in Paris. Paris is a fun spot for study abroad students spending their summer in Spain because Paris is a city filled with the arts and culture - much like Spain, but with much less food. Paris is also beautiful in the summertime, as all cafes are open on the terrace and people are lounging around in the parks. Study abroad students can walk the crooked streets on the Ile de France or they can climb high above the city to Scare Coeur. Many study abroad students enjoy taking an artifact from the world-famous Champs-Elysees home to Spain with them. But be careful - the world's widest street is also one of the world's more expensive shopping destinations.

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo closely borders Spain and is just east of the boarder on the Sea side. Study abroad students enjoy escaping Spain and running away to the world-famous Monte Carlo casinos. If you're lucky enough to be traveling in Spain at the time of the Monte Carlo races, you must check them out. Study abroad students beware: backpackers backpacks are not welcome in the hilly, one mile wide town and there is no place to store them. It's recommended that you stay in a nearby French town, such as Nice, and travel to Monte Carlo for a day trip. Summer in Monte Carlo is especially thrilling as study abroad students will have an opportunity to gaze at the million dollar yachts floating in the harbor.

Cinque Terra Cinque Terra rests along the coast in Italy's upper boot. The region is a popular destination for study abroad students from all over Europe as it's cheap to stay and a fun break from the traditional European cities. Study abroad students in Spain can take a train or a plan into Florence then travel by train to Cinque Terra. Especially in the summer, Cinque Terra brings out hikers from all over the region to brave the steep sea-side trails. Study abroad students: there are no hostels in Cinque Terra, so call ahead for hotel reservations, as accommodations can be tight in popular summer tourism months.

Interlaken

Spain study abroad students will need to catch a flight into Interlaken. Check out Ryanair for cheap deals on student tickets. The town, which rests between two lakes, has been a popular study abroad destination for students for decades. You will be staying at the foot of the Alps. Even in the summertime, the Alps host amazing hiking opportunities. Investigate Jungfrau mountain if you're up for a real challenge. Many spots in Interlaken also cater to study abroad students' desire to be dangerous and adventuresome. Head out for a sky-diving or cliff jumping trip for a chance to encounter a real adventure during your summer study abroad to Spain. Balmers is a great hostel, by the way.

Sources:

http://www.balmers.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Monaco/Monte_Carlo-455768/TravelGuide-Monte_Carlo.html
http://wikitravel.org/en/Paris
http://www.justspain.org/
http://wikitravel.org/en/Paris
http://www.justspain.org/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/paris