GRANDEUR
ROMANIA
Retro Hostel, Transylvania, Romania
Transylvania’s gloomy literary associations belie the fact that it’s the perfect destination for a summer break with guaranteed sunshine and lively settlements nestling in the foothills of the Carpathians. Interrailing around western Europe is an increasingly expensive option for the skint student but Romanian Railways (cfr.ro) will carry you between the area’s historic cities for under £10 on creaking communist-era rolling stock. Fly to the university city of Cluj-Napoca on WizzAir (from £54 return from Luton) and you’ll find a centre filled with bars and clubs such as Insomnia (Strada Universitatii), a converted apartment attached to a small art gallery. It serves cheap beer to a bohemian crowd who will point you in the direction of the city’s other clubs. A bed at Cluj’s central Retro youth hostel (+40 264 45045, retro.ro) only costs £11 per night. From there, catch a train to Sighisoara, a fantastical walled town – and birthplace of national hero Vlad the Impaler – before completing the return circuit via Sibiu, a recent European capital of culture. Beautiful cities, interesting people and cheap drink – all without running the risk of bumping into a British stag party.
ECONOMICAL Y RETREATS
ou’ve met your word count, finished your presentation, and even washed the mountain of dishes that have been been building up for weeks (bet Lagerfeld doesn’t butter his toast with a spoon). Don’t let your lack lustre student account determine your Summer destination. Here are some of our (Fashion) student friendly destinations.. BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Szimpla, Budapest
While many students will associate summer in Budapest with the Sziget music festival, the Hungarian capital itself has more than enough on offer to be a destination in its own right. The city is famous for its ruin pubs with their arty, underground atmosphere in hidden courtyards. Szimpla (Kazinczy utca 1, szimpla.hu) is the most popular. The Corvinteto Club on top of the Sovietstyle Corvin department store (Blaha Lujzater 1-2, corvinteto.hu) is well-known for its reggae and dubstep nights and its rooftop bar. For daytime sightseeing, most highlights are conveniently located along Andrássy út, with the House of Terror (terrorhaza. hu), dedicated to 20th-century Hungary’s fascist and communist regimes. The tiny, central Budapest Bubble (Brody Sandor utca 2), housed in an old building, is more like a home than a hostel. You’re better off staying on the Pesta side for a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere that attracts masses of friendly international students.
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