If you’re simply looking for the cheapest trip you can afford from the UK, regardless of experience, this list will have you covered. Food, accommodation and flights/transport al factor into this ultra-budget category, with, of course, a certain abundance of ‘things to do’ to make it an unforgettable trip.

• Marrakech: keep a look out, because at certain times of the year, flights can be found for DIRT cheap (£30-35 return from most major UK airports). If you can snag these flights, the accommodation, activities, food & car rentals are cheaper than nearly anywhere in Europe.
• Budapest
• Krakow
• Porto
• etc

A lot of people get to mid autumn onwards, and are a bit fed up with the weather. Spring feels like it’s an age away, the days are short and the weather’s cold. There are a good few places just 2 hours away that can transport you straight into a warm Spring’s day, however, or high summer if you’re willing to travel further!

• Barcelona: Yeah, the sea stays warmer than anywhere in the UK in the winter, but unless you genuinely enjoy swimming as soon as the sun comes out in April, I’d hold off and just walk the histopric streets, hike up the hills, enjoy the culture and much more in a pleasent, mild and sunny climate.
• Marrakech (again): Look, I haven’t got the money to go to enough places, otherwise I’d try and make every section unique. There is merit; while you’re checking in to your £20 Riad in the city centre, you may feel tempted to cool off from the 25(degree) December sun in the pools almost every Riad comes with!
• Palma
• Tenerife (future)

While you could stretch to another continent for a weekend (which I’ve done), most people probably wouldn’t want anything more than 3 hours away, or a drastic timezone change. This category will focus on cheap, unique, fun and ‘different’ feeling trips you can do in a weekend, without loosing sleep before work or Uni!

• Barcelona
• Budapest
• Amsterdam
• etc

Not that I’ve done it (yet), but the idea of flying out somewhere to party – for a one-off night out, or a big week-long du with mates – is particularly appealing for many. Not only is it a load of fun, but you can still experience culture or do activities/enjoy weather while partying! Not only that, but if you pick right, the partying will beat the UK tenfold, and may even be cheaper overall.

• Palma: This little island doesn’t get the same credit as it’s more infamous neighbor Ibiza, and can have a reputation of being a place for.. older people to go and relax. However, I’m here to challenge the misconception.
• Prague
• Budapest
• etc

If you love your food like me, and want to try as much new food as possible (preferably on a budget because trying new food in places like London and Vienna is just crazy!), then why not try one of these places? The food scenes are diverse, flavoursome and genuinely exciting, along with heaps of history and sites to explore & soak in.

• ITALY ellaborate
• Croatia?
• Porto
• Refer to ‘what I’ve ate’ blog

There’s some real underrated spots all over the world, if you’re looking at seeing Lake Como but think it’s too pricey, why not try Lake Bled, or Tenno if you’d like to stay within Alpine Italy, Bratislava over Prague if you fancy a cheaper central European getaway, or Albania over Croatia if you want a genuinely cheap, Balkan Riviera experience.

• Trieste makes my list, as it’s such a fascinating crossroads. Despite being in Italy, it doesn’t get the same fanfare as Turin or Venice, which I get as it may feel less ‘Italian’ but that’s what makes it so fascinating to me. It’s a true blend of Roman Italian, Istrian, Austrian and Serbian, situated in Italy,next to the Po Valley, at the top of the Dalmatian coast, behind the Karst Plateau, an hour from the Julian Alps. The geography is as interesting as the history!
• Next is Zagreb. People don’t expect an ex-Hapsburg city when they think of Croatia, they mainly envision the massive Dalmatian Coast. That being said, if you’re looking for a slightly forgotten, unique and fascinating inland city, Zagreb could be an interesting wildcard.
• Future discoveries

Firstly, a general warning. If you’re solo travelling first time, maybe you’re inexperienced in travel, or have been abroad countless times but are just a bit nervous, pick somewhere more mundane! Maybe a country you’ve been to before, or even a city, as solo travelling, you approach places from a whole new angle. If you’re coming in fresh, maybe even consider the UK, if not, think chilled, safe reputation, but still exciting, and new!

People search:

• Palma: While I think Barcelona is the more ‘exciting’ trip, maybe if you feel more confident you should try it, but for a first-timer, Palma hostels offer a relaxed environment to mingle, make friends, go to the beach with others, find local restaurants as loads of locals speak English, and go on a night out in one of the many clubs!
• I’d also be tempted by Budapest or Vienna for a first trip. Vienna is incredibly safe, and incredibly grand. It tops the leagues with it’s safety, but still has countless bars and loads of sightseeing to offer, while Budapest is a bit more loose, more ‘Eastern Europe’, but still incredibly safe.
• first solo trip ideas

This is a bit more of a broad, ‘vibes’ selection for Students. There’s no set criteria for what makes a place a great ‘Student destination’, more so what I think, as a student, gets you the best bang-for-your-buck all-round experience, a mix of nature, adrenaline, city life, culture, food, clubbing and prices!

• Bodrum is a coastal town, along the Adriatic Sea in South Western Turkiye. It has mountains, lagoons, watersports, hiking, countless cheap restaurants, bars and clubs, along multiple beachside strips, as well as Roman ruins, a Medieval castle, and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. On top of that, Rhodes is a day trip-able Greek island a short ferry hop away, with a large old town and world-class Ancient Greek ruins
• Vienna is one of the safest cities in Europe, and it shows. Maybe the most influential city in the world of culture & power in the 17th & 18th century, It features an absurd amount of grand Habsburg architecture. The public transport is top-notch, The art is exquisite, but equally, the city knows how to party.