Certain cities attract more students than others – be it for their high-ranking universities, affordable cultural offerings, delicious food, exciting nightlife or stunning nature. Discover some of the best student cities around the world: from the obvious to the less so, and all the great activities, histories and parties you can find there.
Lisbon, Portugal
Try it out: kitesurfing at Praia do Guincho
Lisbon has an exciting nightlife, is one of the sunniest cities in Europe and scores high on affordability. Throw a couple of top ranked universities into the mix and you have a popular student city.
The most popular area among students is Bairro Alto. From Thursday to Saturday, crowds of cheerful students fill up the tiny bars and spill into the narrow streets. The young and enthusiastic staffers of Goodnight Hostel Lisbon organise daily pub crawls through Bairro Alto. No reason to miss out on the party!
With beaches nearby, students engage in a wide variety of outdoor activities. Surfing is extremely popular in Portugal, not least among students happy to escape the stuffy classrooms. Take a surfing lesson at Praia de Carcavelos (if you have student ID from a Portuguese university, you get a discount). Feeling more adventurous? At Praia do Guincho, a mere 40-minute car ride from Lisbon, you can spend a day of kitesurfing.
Or, for the ultimate adrenaline pump, head to Arrábida for some coasteering, an aquatic adventure that includes rock-hopping, cliff-jumping, rappelling and swimming.
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Vienna, Austria
A night of exquisite music at Musikverein in Vienna
A diverse student mix, cultural riches and low tuition fees attract thousands of students to one of Europe’s most historically rich capitals.
Vienna has a long history as an international leader on the art scene and access to cultural offerings isn’t only granted to the well-off. Flash your student card at The Leopold Museum, and for €9 you’ll get to see works by famous Austrian artists such as Klimt and Schiele. If modern art is your kind of bag, student entrance at the Museum of Modern Art is only €7.50.
No visit to Vienna is complete without a night of music, be it opera, chamber or orchestra. Vienna’s students take advantage of the wide variety of live classical music, and though normally a lavish affair, they get their hands on extremely cheap tickets. Most places offer standing-room only tickets starting at just €3. You don’t need to show a student ID, but you have to queue up well in advance to snag these bargains.
Boston, MA, United States of America
Gooooo Sox!
Boston is unofficially the student capital of USA. Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology call Boston home, but so do five other internationally ranked universities. The universities here have many clubs and associations, and there’s no shortage of extracurricular activities to fill out your schedule with. While admission for external students can be tricky, there are several places where you can interact with the local students. Go to student-run Queen’s Head Pub for a night of trivia and karaoke with Harvard’s students, enjoy a night of free music with Berklee’s undergrads, or grab a pizza slice with MIT’s greatest minds at Pinnochio’s Pizza and Subs.
Home to several major league sports teams, like the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, everyone has a team to cheer on here. On game days, head to the Fenway area, home to the Boston Red Sox, and mingle with the students in one of the many sports bars. Better yet, get yourself a ticket to one of the games – the ‘Sox Savers’ tickets go all the way down to $10 if you’re not picky with seating and specific games. Plan in advance since everybody is eligible for these tickets.
Warsaw, Poland
Warsaw’s Old Town: an area meticulously rebuilt after World War II
Thanks to the impressive economic growth throughout the last decades, Warsaw has managed to position itself as a global research and development centre; and with several high-ranking universities, it’s a student magnet.
Students get extremely privileged access to the city’s museums, art galleries, concerts and theatres. Various museums map the past of the city and with great student admission prices, learning about Polish history is a must. The Museum of the History of Polish Jews documents 1000 years of Jewish history in Poland and the Warsaw Rising Museum tells the history of the city’s uprising against the Nazi occupation.
In-between museum hopping, make sure to mingle with the local students. Kawiarnia Kafka, near The University of Warsaw, is where students get their caffeine fix. Eating out on a student budget is an easy feat here. The city’s so-called milk-bars, cheap cafeterias serving only traditional Polish food, are beloved by the student population. Try the newly revamped Bar Prasowy. Finally head to Pawilony, a hidden area plastered with over 20 small bars serving affordable drinks. Get a beer and engage in a conversation.
Lyon, France
Satisfy your inner foodie with a visit to Les Halles de Lyon-Paul Bocuse
France’s third largest city, Lyon, is the perfect alternative to Paris. Though smaller, it’s home to five internationally distinguished universities, including France’s fifth best university (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon). Not to mention that it’s more affordable and there’s much better food. Students have taken notice and today more than 120,000 students flock here annually.
One thing any student quickly realises here is the importance of food. Lyon is the base of pioneer chef Paul Bocuse, who has elevated the city’s identity as a food capital of the world. At food market Les Halles de Lyon-Paul Bocuse you can sample some of the ingredients the iconic chef regularly uses in his cooking. Dotted with what seems like an endless amount of restaurants, you’ll need to enjoy a meal at a bouchon (traditional Lyonnais eatery). Try the quenelle at Chez Mounier, a dish consisting of poached fish served in cream sauce.
What’s better than one river? Two! Lyon’s two rivers, the Rhône and the Soane, attract many students to their banks, be it for a relaxing drink, a barbecue or an outdoor party. Once the sun sets, continue the party at one of the many péniches, or boat bars, lined along the riverbanks. Le Sirius stays open late and hosts many live gigs.
Lund, Sweden
Locals gather for the annual Walpurgis Night bonfire © Rutger Blom
Lund is one of Sweden’s oldest cities and it’s home to University of Lund. Among the most prestigious higher education institutions in Northern Europe, it enrolls 41,000 students, corresponding to half of the city’s population. Wherever you are in Lund, chances are 50/50 that you’ll meet a student.
Cobblestone streets, old student traditions, a university dating back to the 1600s – Lund is the archetypal college town. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in charm and personality. The student year is marked by several traditions going back many years. There are the ‘spex’, student theatre ensembles that put together comedies or musicals based on historical events. The Lund University Male Voice Choir, founded in 1831, gives an annual concert on May 1st on the steps of the main university building that is broadcast on national television. Finally, students celebrate Walpurgis Night each year on April 30th. The celebration starts in the morning with champagne and strawberries in Stadsparken, followed by barbecues and drinks in the afternoon, all building up to the traditional bonfire in the evening.
Montréal, Canada
Join the party at Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
Being a student inevitably means a lot of down time and term breaks. Fortunately, Montreal students have it covered, with 90 awesome city festivals dotted throughout the calendar year.
The city’s perhaps most famous festival is the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, organised annually in July. A packed 10-day event, it’s the biggest jazz festival in the world: 650 concerts held on 10 free outdoor stages and in 10 indoor concert halls. If jazz is not really your tune, there are plenty of other festivals to pick and choose from: from pop (POP Montréal) to blues (FestiBlues) and electronic (MUTEK).
Film buffs will also feel at home here: the Montréal Film Festival brings films from both acclaimed and first-time filmmakers. Those looking for some laughs can attend Just for Laughs, the largest international comedy festival in the world. Among the more peculiar festivals are: the Croissant Festival, Jane’s Walks, Anarchist Bookfair and Festival Phénomena.
Heidelberg, Germany
Take a serene walk on Philosophenweg © Luftphilia
Home to Germany’s oldest university, dating back to 1386, Heidelberg’s managed to avoid the destruction that plagued many German cities during World War II. The city boasts some of the most well-preserved architecture in the country. Almost 40% of the population consists of students, coming here to attend one of the six universities.
Built around the Neckar River, Heidelberg has enchanted and inspired writers and philosophers over time with its castles, narrow alleys, rolling green hills and tranquil parks. Take a walk through the old part of town via Philosophenweg – the Philosophers’ Road – a two kilometre route up the hill. Once on top, take in the magnific view of the city and castle ruins.
In-between walking sessions, take a breather at one of Heidelberg’s many cafés. Try the famous ‘student kiss’ at Café Knösel, a chocolate confectionery penned here.
Find a flight to nearby Frankfurt
Melbourne, Australia
Spot the street art in Melbourne’s bohemian Fitzroy area
Forget all about Sydney! Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne, is where all the cool kids are. With a dynamic cultural scene, sunny weather and the beach just a stone throw’s away, this might be the kind of place you’ve always dreamed of studying in.
Affordable dining is taken to a whole new level: students love the BYO restaurants (Bring Your Own), where you’re allowed to bring your own beverage to accompany your meal. Try the Italian joint Tiamo, one of the great spots where you can bring your own bottle of wine.
Students like to hang around the bohemian Fitzroy area. Take your time browsing through recycled fashion at Hunter Gatherer, take some snaps of the street art on Rose Street, and wrap up the day with some ice-cold beers at Perseverance.
Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
Hiking through Scotland’s Angus Glens
Dundee, located on the east coast of Scotland, attracts students with its focus on community, an ultra-modern university campus and not least, a mild climate – it’s affectionately called Scotland’s sunniest city. Surrounded by hills, glens and sandy beaches, you’ve come to the right place if your idea of a holiday includes scenic hiking trails.
If you take the Angus coastline, you’ll get the chance to try out your hidden golf skills in historic golf town Carnoustie. They’ve been playing golf here since the early 16th century. Along the coast you’ll also pass through Arbroath, famed for its smoked haddock. Further up lies the Montrose Basin, an enclosed estuary that is home to over 50,000 migratory birds.
If you hike through the Angus Glens, you’ll witness changing landscapes: passing through the farmlands of Strathmore, you’ll meet moorlands and majestic Highland mountains, to reach a series of six glens, all quite different in character.
Read more: The whisky trail through Scotland
Madrid, Spain
Clubbing in a 19th century theatre at Joy Eslava
Among the liveliest cities in Spain, Madrid is a magnet for international students. And it’s not difficult to understand why.
The city comes alive after sundown, and the nights seem endless. Start with a late dinner at El Tigre, famous for its delicious and cheap tapas. Continue the Spanish party with some sangria at favourite student hangout Las Cuevas de Sesamo. Another popular student hot spot is Bar Campus, located in the proximity of Universidad Complutense. Students gather here to escape their books and engage in some serious karaoke. For those dying to bust a move on the dance floor, Madrid is home to numerous nightclubs: from the gigantic Ibiza-style Kapital to Joy Eslava, housed in a 19th century theatre.
