Amsterdam
Well-serviced by budget airlines and just over an hour away by plane, Amsterdam is a great city to visit as a student. The famous red light district attracts huge numbers of tourists and if you do visit it, you’ll certainly be in for an eye-opening experience. Do bear in mind though that you absolutely should not hassle the girls and the photographs are strictly forbidden. Elsewhere in the city you can find wide parks, busy streets and bikes available for cheap hire, all of which make this a fun place to be in. Add to that poignant moments such as the Anne Frank museum and take into account also its reputation as a haven of liberal attitudes and this city comes highly recommended.

Barcelona
Flights from London to Barcelona take just over two hours and like Amsterdam, plenty of budget airlines take passengers out there. Wherever you go in Spain, you’ll find late night clubs offering free entry and cheap drinks – and Barcelona is no different. However, the famous Catalan city isn’t just about the nightlife. Sculpted by the brilliant Gaudi, Barcelona’s architecture curves and loops into an incredible skyline. Make sure that you visit the stunning Park Guell when you go there, and of course drop into the Nou Camp for a tour of Barcelona FC’s famous football ground (even better if there’s a match on, particularly a fierce battle against Real Madrid).

Paris
The Eurostar will take you from St Pancras International to the heart of Paris in a little over two hours. Once in the city of love and romance, you’ll know what to do – it has some of the world’s most recognisable sights and attractions, from the Arc de Triomphe, to the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre. Make sure too that you head to the Sacre Coure in Montmartre – once a wonderfully bohemian district, Montmartre has now been largely overrun by tourists but there is still some of the old magic left. Down in Pigalle, the red light district, you’ll find the famous Moulin Rouge. Our favourite spot in the whole city though has to be the wonderfully idiosyncratic Shakespeare & Company bookshop (www.shakespeareco.org) on the Rue de la Bûcherie, on the left bank of the Seine, opposite the Notre Dame.

Prague
A few years ago, Prague in the Czech Republic was relatively untouched by tourist hands. Nowadays, it’s one the most popular destinations for Europeans looking for a weekend break. This has certainly invigorated the nightlife which is now geared up for twentysomethings who are here to party. Some of the older charm remains however, with great value restaurants, cheap, quaint hotels and an enchanting old town that you cannot fail to love. Flights out to Prague are excellent value and take around two hours from London.

Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia and is similar in many respects to Prague. However, for the extra hour on the journey – it will take around three hours by plane – you get to experience everything that made Prague so popular in the first place before all the tourists moved in. A small but lively city, Tallinn is an excellent example of everything that makes Eastern Europe such a great place to visit. Of course, we have no doubt that soon this will be as commercialised as Prague – and whilst this isn’t a bad thing by any means, it does mean you lose a little of fuzzy warmth you can get from knowing you’re a trend-setter – so grab your passport and head over there as quickly as you can!