If you feel like there seems to be a worrying increase in the amount of your mates who can afford to jump ship and jet off to Europe for the weekend while you your mates who can afford to jump ship and jet off for a glamourous weekend away then welcome to the club.
But! You too can get involved. If you leave out the Champagne then it’s totally possible to do a European break for under £100 including flights and accommodation. If you’re hell bent on making the most of that Easter bank holiday, then, sadly, you’ll have to up your moolah by another £50 quid.
Lille
Cobbled and quaint, or brutalist and grim, depending on which station you arrive at, Lille has some of the most inventive beggars I’ve ever seen - kudos to the guy who’s replaced his dog with a chicken. The foodie options here are also pretty darn good: Lille’s regional dish is Flammekueche - think pizza dough slathered in a strong, smoky, white cheese. Grab a slice at Flam’s before burning off the carbs on a hike around the town’s magnificent 17th century five-point citadel. Take a peek at Rembrandt, Raphael, and Delacroix at the Palais des Beaux Arts before whiling away your evening at central Le Bar Illustration, home to chillout, soulful tunes and great beers. Grab a breakfast croissant each morning before browsing the city’s baroque churches.
Stay: Hostel Gastama, £16 a night, 8 bed mixed dorm £32
Get there: iD Bus, leave 23.30 London Victoria on 3/4:/15; Arrive 6.30am Lille. Return 00:30 on 6/4/15 and arrive London Victoria 5am. £53
Eat and drink: £30
Do: £20
Total: £135
Dublin
Visit the land of guinness and shamrocks with a £35 return flight to Dublin from Glasgow. You’re probably here for the guinness (if not, then why are you here?) so set aside a hefty £15 for entrance to the Guinness Storehouse, where you can learn about brewing - ideal for impressing your obnoxious, craft beer obsessed friends. Slurp a Tom Yam soup at Neon before heading to Trinity College to soak up some Joycian intellectualism (it’s a thing). Make a beeline for The Cobblestone pub to hear some Irish fiddling (of the musical variety) Next morning sup an espresso at the Bald Barista before donning your comfiest trainers for a long hike along the Liffey, from the regenerated Docklands down to Heuston station. Finish your day with a slice of Paulie’s Pizza and a glass of wine in the centre of town.
Stay: My Place, Dublin £9 a night = £27 for three nights.
Get there: Ryanair flights (£35 return Ryanair from Glasgow)
Eat and drink: £50 (beer money is essential)
Do: £25 ( an extra fiver for the inevitable church collection)
Total: £137
Eindhoven
Eindhoven’s the party and architectural capital of the Netherlands (at least, this is how it’s being reinvented). The Van Abbemuseum is one of Europe’s best for modern art - expect a dose of Mondrian’s squares and bright Chagall’s. If you fancy something more post-modern head to the MU artspace which plays host to visual culture and shaky 'arty' films played on a loop. As befits a regenerating city, the nightlife here is bang on the money - try The Rambler for a night of alternative rock, Centraal for live acoustic, or Santiago de Cuba for swing and the city’s best cocktails. Dine at Eetcafe Bommel for soup and a main (13 Euro) or Soho for a (5 Euro) stir-fry.
Stay: Airbnb £42 double room 10 minutes from the station.
Get there: £68 return Ryanair from London Stansted 4/4/15 - 6/4/15
Eat: £20
Going out: £ 15
Do: 5
Total: £150
Bratislava
Bratislava is a budget traveller’s dream. Ambling around and taking pictures of the old town is a fine pursuit for half a day, as is collapsing into a bar and drinking your fair share of one euro pints. The number of cutesy independent shops in the old town makes Bratislava browsing central, great for poking around until the the last flurry of spring snow forces you inside. The castle has free entry and shows and festivals in its grounds: perfect for stall to stall sausage grazing. If you get peckish then Govinda’s is dirt cheap, Indian, vegetarian, and healthy to boot. After stuffing your face check out the Zámocký Pivovar microbrewery to sample homemade brews to fortify you before you start your brusque walk up the Danube to the city’s Old Bridge.
Stay: Patio hostel £8 a night.
Get there: London Stansted to Bratislava, Ryanair £98 rtn 4/4/15 - 6/4/15
Eat and drink: £30
Do: Free!
Total: £146
Amsterdam
Easter weekend accommodation here is fiercely expensive for a budget traveller. The cheapest dorm bed in a hostel costs around £30 a night. No worries - the city’s public transport system is well-oiled. Stay over the river in Amsterdam Noord using Airbnb- not as bucolic but you’ll get a free ferry ride and calf workout thrown into the mix if you cycle there. Rent bikes for £6 a day and browse the Bloemenmarkt(flower market). Get your loved one to buy you some tulips and then dine on Turkish pizza for a euro at any of the joints around the station. Even after partying at exclusive De Kring Arts Society (£10) you’ll still have enough cash left for Europe’s best burger at Burgermeister. Hungover? Use your Amsterdam Noord base to your advantage and go on a five mile hike around windmill country.
Get there: Eurolines £67 leaving 19:00 friday 3rd April arriving 6am Saturday 4th April Leave Sunday 19.30 and arrive back Monday morning at 6am.
Stay: Airbnb, one night £30 and the other two nights are spent on the bus.
Eat: £20
Do: £20
Total: £143
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.