As exams approach, you might feel like nowhere else in the world exists apart from Cambridge, but why not take your mind off your revision for a minute, and take a look at some student-friendly holidays that won’t break the bank!

Prague

Home to the Astronomical Clock, historical Gothic churches and Baroque architecture, Prague, or ‘The City of a Hundred Spires’, provides an inexpensive, yet culturally enriching holiday, ranked as the 5th most popular city destination in Europe last year.

Getting there: A return ticket from London to Prague in July can cost as little as £71 with Flybe.

Places to stay: The Old Prague hostel, right in the city centre, can be booked for only £19 per person, per night (that’s £133 for 7 nights, or £266 for two people). If you prefer a hotel, the 4 star Boutique Hotel Prague, can cost as little as £345 for a standard double or twin room for 7 nights through expedia.co.uk.

Places to eat: Prague offers fantastic local food at reasonable prices; popular choices include Nase Maso in the Old Town, or St. Martin in the Little Quarter for a selection of Czech, European and International foods. Main courses like duck, beef or pork cost under £10. The famous ‘sausage stands’ along Wenceslas square are also worth visiting for an inexpensive treat, similar to the German bratwurst.

Places to go:

• The beautiful and historic Old Town square
• Charles Bridge, dating from the 14th century
• Prague castle, £6 with a student card. It was founded in 880 by Prince Bořivoj, and is the largest castle in the world!
• The Prague Astronomical Clock, with a mechanical clock face that is over 600 years old
• The John Lennon wall, a wall covered in graffiti and lyrics from Beatles songs

The Peak District

The Peak District is one of the most attractive parts of England, combining great natural beauty with many historical landmarks and attractions, including houses such as Hardwick Hall, an impressive project begun by Countess Elizabeth Shrewsbury in 1590, and used as the setting for Malfoy Manor in the Harry Potter film series, as well as the town of Bakewell, the home of the Bakewell tart.

Getting there: If you go from Cambridge, it’s only two hours away by car, with an approximate petrol cost of £20-30. Alternatively, the National Express can take you to nearby Sheffield for £42 for a trip in July.

Places to stay: Hostels, such as the YHA Ilam Hall, are available for £15. Alternatively, you could camp at campsites such as North Lees for between £9-14 between four people.

Places to eat: There should be plenty of places to stop and eat along your chosen trail, including shops, pubs and cafés as you pass through villages.

Places to go: 

• Chatsworth House, a Stately Home that has been passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family. It was also used as Mr. Darcy’s house in the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring Kiera Knightley.
• Buxton Opera House, an Edwardian Opera house presenting around 450 performances per year. It is also home to the Buxton Festival, a music festival which is taking place in July.
• The Peak Wildlife Park
• The Monsal trail, following the former Midland Railway line for 8.5 miles
• The Pavilion Gardens, situated within 23 acres of gardens, which offers not only beautiful views but also a variety of events, hosting the Buxton Night Food & Drink Festival and a Summer Fête in July.

Athens

Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities, established over 3,500 years ago. It combines the perks of a modern cosmopolitan city with some of the world’s most famous ancient sites. 

Getting there: Return flights from Athens to London cost under £160 if you fly in September with EasyJet.

Places to stay: The Athens City Hotel is located in the heart of Athens, within walking distance of many of the city’s attractions. Costing around £182 per person for 5 nights, this hotel in Patission is an offer to consider, offering easy access to the city centre and archaeological sites via the Metro.

Places to eat: Try Sfika, a restaurant serving Mediterranean and Greek food for a more local option. Or for a more extravagant option, try ‘Dinner in the Sky’, a dining experience in which the table slowly rotates to give you views of the Acropolis, the sea and the city, for €120.

Places to go:

• The Acropolis
• The New Acropolis Museum, housing sculptures from the Parthenon, as well as providing a beautiful view of the ancient temple from their café. The building’s design allows visitors to view Ancient Roman and Early Christian settlements through a glass floor as they walk in.
• The Ancient Agora, centre of the ancient city
• The National Archaeological Museum houses over 11,000 exhibits including five permanent collections, and is the largest museum in Greece.
• A cruise of the Greek Islands is a fantastic experience. A one day cruise from athensonedaycruise.com takes you to three islands (Hydra, Poros and Aegina) for £85.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the cultural and commercial capital of the Netherlands, known for its elaborate canal system and cosmopolitan atmosphere.

Getting there: A return ticket can be as cheap as £50 with EasyJet! It’s location also provides a good place to begin an interrailing trip around Europe.

Places to stay: Amsterdam offers many hostels, such as the Meininger Amsterdam City West (with prices from £10.40 a night). Alternatively, The West Side Inn Amsterdam, at £58 a night, has easy access via tram to some of the city’s most popular attractions.

Places to eat: Visit De Silveren Spiegel for some authentic Dutch food, or Hap-Hmm for some cheaper, ‘homely’ food for £6-£9. The Netherlands are also famous for their Poffertjes (which are similar to small pancakes), which provide an inexpensive meal option, savoury or sweet.

Places to go:

• The Van Gogh Museum, where works by Van Gogh and his contemporaries are displayed. Tickets are about £15.
• The Anne Frank House (be sure to book early; the online tickets open two months in advance)
• An Amsterdam Canals Pizza Cruise
• Vondelpark (a public park), covering 470,000 square metres
• Less than an hour by train is The Hague seat of the Dutch Parliament, the Noordeinde Palace and the UN’s International Court of Justice. The Mauritshuis Art Museum is well worth a visit, housing many Dutch Golden Age Paintings. It is home to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and Carel Fabritius’ Goldfinch.

Oh the places you've been: Travel Photography

Bangkok

Thailand offers a holiday destination of great diversity, offering ancient temples and palaces, stunning beaches and resorts and a modern dynamic capital in Bangkok.

Getting there: Although the longer distance means higher fares, if you book ahead, you could buy a return flight from London to Bangkok for £406 with Qatar Airways through Travel Trolley.

Places to stay: Rooms in hostels in Bangkok are as cheap as £3 a night, and even four star hotels can be as low as £50 a night if you take advantage of deals.

Places to eat: Visit Bangkok’s Old Town or Silom to experience some of the street food the city has to offer at great prices. If you want something a little more upmarket, try The Living Room, a restaurant serving traditional food, which also has a live jazz band!

Places to go:

• The Grand Palace, built in 1782, and for 150 years home of the Thai king; tickets cost about £11.
• Khao San Road, the famous road filled with shops, restaurants, street food and bars.
• The Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit), which is 3m tall and weighs 5.5 tonnes!
• A floating market in the Amphawa district
• The Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho). It is the oldest temple in Bangkok, founded in the 17th century, and the famous Reclining Buddha is 46 metres long and 15 metres high, covered in gold leaf with mother-of-pearl inlaid feet!

So, don’t despair as you face hours of last minute cramming in the library. There are lots of amazing places to visit this summer, and with some planning, you can get yourself a great deal at the same time