Featured image: Georgia Pearson

The summer break from university is approaching and conversations about travel plans can be heard across campus. But with the cost of living at a high, students and young people are looking for cheaper ways to travel this summer.

Travelling to multiple countries during one trip can be a budget-friendly way of enjoying more than one destination. Current trending multi-country trips include Paris and Amsterdam; Vienna, Budapest and Prague; Australia and New Zealand; Vietnam and Thailand and the USA and Canada. It’s a great option to see more of the world during one trip – and can be better for the bank if your travel bucket list is long like mine.

I put this theory to the test, recently travelling to Croatia and Slovenia during the same trip – I found both of these countries to be summer sensations. Here are some tips for multi-country trips based on my recent travels.

Choosing your combination of countries

Figure out the best way to travel between your chosen countries. For my recent trip I chose Croatia and Slovenia. As these two countries are landlocked next to each other, this meant travelling from one country to the next was going to be cheap and easy. As summer is the most expensive time to travel, booking in advance and using trains or buses to travel from country to country can really save those pennies. The alternative, which would be returning home after Croatia and planning another trip to Slovenia, would cost loads more and increase my carbon footprint. This decision was a no-brainer.

Finding a balance

To begin my trip I spent three luxurious days in Croatia on the beach swimming, paddleboarding, sunbathing, picnicking and resting. Between these restful and energising activities, I took a boat trip to three islands just off the coast of Split. This boat tour included lunch and drinks, and covered sights such as Trogir, Blue Lagoon and Ŝolta island and were beyond picturesque. On the last day in Croatia, I travelled into the centre of Split to explore the city’s landscapes and history before getting on an overnight coach to Ljubljana, Slovenia. It’s impressive that you can pack so much relaxing and sightseeing into just four days.

Cheap travel between destinations

Travelling from one country to another by a bus or train is usually a cheaper and eco-friendlier method of travelling than flying; making the planet and your bank account happy. My journey from Split to Ljubljana cost approximately £30, with a duration of just over eight hours. The best way to deal with such a long journey is to get a night bus and sleep through. While I didn’t feel like the freshest of daisies when I arrived in Slovenia, it was a great way to avoid paying for accommodation. Anyway, what’s a little tiredness when you’re on holiday?

Stay local

After tucking into a bit of breakfast, I set off for Lake Bled. I paid a few euros for a 45-minute bus journey directly to the lake. The mountainous scenery, excessive greenery and glorious sunlight, had me awake and alert again in no time. As soon as I got off the coach, I walked around the entirety of the lake, stopping for food and plenty of drinks on the way round. Lake Bled serves as a constant photo opportunity. I stayed in a local Slovenian house, with shops and restaurants only a heartbeat away. I visited Vintgar Gorge, hiked up mountains and walked to St Catherine’s church which provided a wonderful view of a nearby village. I ate authentic Slovenian food and enjoyed some Bled cake too (I recommend!). 

After spending four fantastic days in Slovenia, it was time to catch the bus to Ljubljana airport for my flight home. After just over a week of travelling in two European countries, I left with amazing memories and a camera roll seeping with adventures.