Above, as you can see is a beautiful picture I attached after returning back to Italy this weekend. Sometimes more than traveling on weekends is required. I have personally gone through moments where I have to decide if I will dedicate a weekend to go to a different city in Italy or spend it in a nearby country. Whenever I have consulted friends about this, I receive the same advice of, “Just go to the place that would be rare for you to return to again.” In the foreseeable future, I will likely return to Italy and see Tuscany or the Amalfi, but who is to say I will ever get the chance to go to Croatia or Switzerland?
Because I’m studying abroad in Italy, I have access to a lot of breathtaking locations in addition to travel discounts that I want to take advantage of while I am here. This is why I have decided on a plan that works for me and is easily customizable if it seems like it could work for you. The plan is to travel to Italian locations during the week and dedicate weekends to other countries. While it may sound simple, it takes sacrificing routine and comfort. For me, I have classes from Monday to Thursday from ten thirty until two thirty; thankfully, I am near the train station both from school and my home residence. You can typically find more affordable trains when you purchase a day before or the day of a trip, unlike with flights, where you can’t let deals pass you by.
Now, of course, the downside is that Italy is a very large country and it takes hours by train to get anywhere. Because I’m aiming for day trips, I am limited to certain regions, but at the end of the day, I choose to view the country by any means and then regret not seeing enough of it at the end. I hope this advice of not sacrificing a place for the next one on a weekly basis helps you all aim to make the most out of your study abroad experience.
Ciao!
DU Abroad 