Words and photos by Olivia Declerq, ASA's Fall 2026 Journalism Grant recipient. Olivia is taking over our blog this semester. Check in weekly to follow the ups and downs of her study abroad experience as she navigates life in Aix-en-Provence, France, and beyond.
One of the best parts of study abroad in the fall is fall break! While it can feel isolating to be in class during Thanksgiving break, the October break from classes was the perfect reset from courses and homesickness.
During my fall break, a friend of mine and I decided to city hop across Eastern Europe, and while it was tiring to be on the move, it was an experience I will never forget– full of memories and photos I will cherish for years to come!
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
The first stop on our fall break voyage was Prague in the Czech Republic. This was probably my favorite city of the trip because the architecture is beautiful, the food is AMAZING, and there was so much to do. We spent a lot of time touring the cathedrals and libraries during the day, and the Klementinum astronomical library, where Einstein once worked, was a highlight of the trip. We only had two days in the city, but I think it was a perfect experience to love the city and give me a reason to come back one day!
Prague isn’t exactly the city to go to if you want to go clubbing or partying, but I think that’s one of the reasons I loved it so much. Instead, there’s a lot of understated concept bars that turn your evening into an experience. We went to two, and each had its own gimmick. At the Alchemist bar, the ambiance was just as beautiful as the drinks themselves, with potion-themed drinks and a beautiful menu. The second we found was called Anonymous Bar. From needing to find a black light to see the menu to the second, secret video game menu, I loved this spot. Fun drinks, cinematic ambiance, and deep conversation were the highlights of the Prague nightlife.
VIENNA, AUSTRIA
After Prague, we hopped on a bus to Vienna, Austria, where we stayed for another two days. Little did we know, the Sunday and Monday we were in Vienna were a national holiday! Austrian National Day, or Österreichischer Nationalfeiertag, is a military and national pride holiday where they highlight government buildings, host parades, and display military vehicles, weapons, and soldiers.
This threw a small wrench into our plans, but we ended up finding less busy experiences that I wouldn’t trade for anything! We wandered around the festivities before finding a short line for the Austrian National Library, and I’m so glad we did because it was probably one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve ever seen. Plus, we accidentally found ourselves seated at a Viennese Coffeehouse, which is labeled by the United Nations as a UNESCO World Heritage experience!
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA
After Austria, we took a very short bus ride to Bratislava, Slovakia, where we only stayed for the day. In just eight hours, we fell in LOVE with Slovakian food, and I will 1000% need to find recipes to recreate the dishes we tried at the Slovak Pub. While the city is small, we had a wonderful day wandering the castle grounds and shopping in the cute thrift stores of the city center.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
That evening, we took a train to Budapest, Hungary, where we spent the next three days. This was definitely a highlight destination of an already AMAZING fall break trip. Before leaving, my host mom said Budapest is one of her favorite destinations because of the thermal baths, the ruin bars, and the food. Needless to say, we did all of these and more and loved every second of it. Did we walk 42,000 steps one day? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Budapest is the opposite of Prague in the sense that it is perfect for people who want to have fun and party it up. There is light and activity around every corner, with street food markets as well as plenty to do during the day. We also toured the Hungarian Parliament, which was both beautiful and informative. As a political science student, it was really interesting to be on the inside of a foreign country’s government.
BRASOV & TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA
After Budapest, we took an overnight train to our last stop: Brasov, Romania. Surprisingly, the train ride was enjoyable and comfortable, making the 12.5 hours of travel feel relaxing– which was needed at this point in the journey.
The end of our fall break was Halloweekend, so we decided to spend the spooky season in Transylvania, where the legend of Dracula was born. Transylvania is exactly as you’d imagine: foggy, spooky, and old. We had fun hiking around the mountaintops before heading to Bran’s castle for the Halloween tour. At the bottom of the castle hill, we stopped for lunch and had some wonderfully delicious Romanian food!
Needless to say, the trip was both exhausting and rewarding. They say you should see the world while you’re young, and this couldn’t be closer to the truth! If you’re planning to hop around during your study abroad break, I 100% recommend it!
BUT FIRST, A COUPLE OF TIPS:
1. PACKING. First, we both traveled with a carry-on that was small and NOT a suitcase. Wheels and heavy luggage are not good for public transit, cobblestone roads, and hikes to the hostel. Pack what you need, but try to keep it mobile and off wheels.
2. ITINERARY. Second, make sure to build breaks into your schedule. Our long bus rides didn’t really feel like rest, so we made sure to take a night off every so often to recharge instead of going out every night. Traveling is exhausting, so make sure to take care of yourself!
3. RESEARCH. Third, be sure to research routes and currency. There were a couple of times when buying tickets for the bus or validating local transit passes was more complicated than in places like France, where you can just tap your credit card on board. Make sure to research the transit tickets and whether or not local currency is required– I didn’t know there were EU countries that don’t use the Euro!
4. BUDGET. Finally, make sure to discuss the budget and meal-splitting expectations with your travel partner ahead of time. Sometimes it can be easier to have one person pay for buses, meals, or activities rather than splitting the bill up front. My friend and I balanced who paid for what and kept track of it in a spreadsheet to make sure neither person felt like they were putting out more than the other. This decreases financial anxiety and helps keep communication open!
If you’re studying abroad, I hope your fall break was wonderful, and if you’re planning your future fall/spring break, good luck!
Thanks, Olivia!