It’s that time of year: It’s cold, it’s windy, and frankly pretty damn miserable. But, have no fear, for there is hope (and warmth) on the horizon; the Easter holiday is just a month away. Instead of spending the entire time on Facebook, hung over or trying not to think about how much work you aren’t doing, you could instead spend 3 weeks having the time of your life, becoming a cultured and relatively interesting person. How can I do this? You might ask. The answer: Go travelling. I’m not talking about taking a mini ‘gap yah’, spending a month in South America trekking the Inca trail or building an orphanage for baby orang-utans in Borneo. I’m talking about going somewhere underrated that you don’t have to spend 6 months fundraising to afford to go to, and you don’t even have to leave the continent. 
Yes, I’m talking about Europe. And I don’t mean that Europe. Whether you’re looking for some international partying, a little bit of culture, can’t quite let go of winter and fancy a last minute ski sesh or are just fed up of having to convince people that you’re actually not an albino, here’s where I come in with my list of the top 3 places to visit.
First on the list is Poland. Yes, Poland. True, parts of it’s capital city look like you’ve been transported back 50 years to a communist era prison block/Derwent College, but if you take a trip further south to the city of Krakow, you’ll find yourself in one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen. The Old Town is the perfect place to start your tour of the city, and is bursting to the brim with history and character. Here you’ll find the Rynek Główny, or the Main Square, which is the largest medieval town square of any European city, and is always buzzing with people, parties, and pigeons. Auschwitz is also only an hour away from Krakow, and is a harrowing experience you shouldn’t miss out on.
For those of you who are looking for somewhere more far flung than your local Wetherspoons to have a pint, then the next place on the list is perfect for you: Prague, Czech Republic. This place really has it all; it’s an amazing city with loads to do during the day, and some of the most breathtaking views you’ll ever see. I would definitely recommend taking part in a pub crawl (you get a free t-shirt…) and exploring what the night life has to offer with a group of people who know where they’re going. You’ll most likely end up in Karlovy Lázne, which is the largest club in Europe. Most importantly, it has five floors, each playing different types of music suiting any music taste. The downside is that the only way to get between the floors is to take the stairs. Think Ziggys x 5 mixed with ‘eau de car park’. But, if you’ve drunk enough Czech beer, which you probably will have done, you’re in for a great night.
For those of you who aren’t quite ready for summer and fancy getting in a final ski somewhere a bit different, then the last place on this list is perfect for you; Slovenia. Located to the east of Italy, at the bottom of the Alps and touching the Mediterranean, Slovenia has a striking and unique, mountainous landscape. Although you can still ski here at the higher altitudes in April, to be on the safe side, I’d advise going at the end of March to make sure you do get a chance to actually ski.
There are 15 resorts to choose from, and with return flights from around £100 for the end of March, you’d be mad not to go and admire the scenery before it becomes saturated with tourists. The place is an undiscovered gem for students, but this doesn’t mean it’s out of our reach in terms of price. A visit to the capital city, Ljubljana, is also an absolute must…
If you have both the time and the money then why not visit all three, with a few other stops along the way. The best way to get around is definitely by train; it’s fast, it’s cheap, and it’s fun. So, if you fancy an Easter adventure, Interrailing is the way forward. Other places I’d recommend if you plan on becoming a seasoned European traveller are Amsterdam, Berlin and Zagreb, which tie in perfectly with your journey around your newly discovered favourite continent.