Student & Backpacker Travel Guides | CoraTravels

Student & Backpacker

19 destinations to live like a local.

Student & Backpacker destinations

19 locally curated experiences.

Aachen, Germany Germany

Aachen, Western Europe

Aachen: Border Triangle & Imperial Soul

Triple Border Culture: Stand at the Drielandenpunt where Germany, Belgium, and Netherlands meet - locals casually shop across three countries depending on prices. Öcher Platt Confusion: Local diale…

Aveiro, Portugal Portugal

Aveiro, Western Europe

Aveiro: Canals, Ovos Moles & Atlantic Charm

Ovos Moles Obsession: Locals don't just eat this egg yolk and sugar delicacy - they debate which century-old confeitaria makes the most authentic version, and get genuinely offended if you compare …

Caye Caulker, Belize Belize

Caye Caulker, North America

Caye Caulker: Go Slow on Belize's Barefoot Caribbean Island

No Cars, No Roads, No Problem: There are zero cars on Caye Caulker. The island runs on golf carts, bicycles, and bare feet. Three sandy lanes—Front Street, Middle Street, Back Street—are all you ge…

Cochabamba, Bolivia Bolivia

Cochabamba, South America

Cochabamba: Eternal Spring Heart

The City of Eternal Spring: Cochabamba earns this nickname honestly - locals experience 25°C (77°F) year-round, but the altitude at 2,560 meters means you'll layer clothing like an onion. La Llajta…

Córdoba, Argentina Argentina

Córdoba, South America

Córdoba: Fernet, Cuarteto & Student Soul

Fernet Religion: Córdoba consumes 75% of the world's fernet - locals drink it mixed with Coca-Cola (called "Fernando") in tall glasses with more fernet than cola, while the rest of Argentina waters…

Daejeon, South Korea South Korea

Daejeon, East Asia

Daejeon: Silicon Valley Hot Springs

Age-Based Hierarchy Obsession: Koreans will ask your age within five minutes of meeting you - not rude, just determining which honorific language to use. Locals born same year become instant friend…

Grenoble, France France

Grenoble, Western Europe

Grenoble: Alps Capital of Innovation & Walnuts

The Bubbles Are Not a Joke: Locals call the cable car "Les Bulles" (The Bubbles) because of their egg-shaped design - these 1976 pods are the first urban cable cars in the world and locals use them…

Groningen, Netherlands Netherlands

Groningen, Western Europe

Groningen: Bikes, Students & Northern Soul

More Bikes Than People: Groningen has 300,000 bicycles for 190,000 residents - locals average 3.1 bikes per household. The city center is divided into four quadrants where cars cannot travel direct…

Karlsruhe, Germany Germany

Karlsruhe, Western Europe

Karlsruhe: Fächer Blueprint & Innovation

The Fan-Shaped City Layout: Karlsruhe's 32 streets radiate outward from the Palace tower like a hand-held fan (Fächer in German) - locals use this geometry for navigation, saying things like "two s…

Leiden, Netherlands Netherlands

Leiden, Western Europe

Leiden: City of Keys & Discoveries

Leidens Ontzet Obsession: Every October 3rd, the entire city shuts down to celebrate their 1574 liberation from Spanish siege - locals queue at 6 AM outside city hall for free herring and white bre…

Lublin, Poland Poland

Lublin, Central Europe

Lublin: Crossroads of the Kingdom, Multicultural Soul

Student City Atmosphere: With over 70,000 students from 9 universities including UMCS, locals are used to young energy and international faces - student discounts everywhere. Cebularz Culture: This…

Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom United Kingdom

Newcastle Upon Tyne, Western Europe

Newcastle Upon Tyne: Geordie Soul & Tyne Bridges

The 'Toon' Identity: Locals call Newcastle 'The Toon' (Geordie pronunciation of 'town') and take fierce pride in their distinct identity - they're Geordies, not just Northerners, and definitely not…

Nottingham, United Kingdom United Kingdom

Nottingham, Western Europe

Nottingham: Rebels, Lace, and Legends

"Ay Up Me Duck" Confusion: Don't be surprised when shopkeepers, bus drivers, and random strangers call you "duck" or "me duck" - it's not about waterfowl, it's Nottingham's universal term of endear…

Providence, United States United States

Providence, North America

Providence: Creative Capital with New England Charm

Coffee Milk Obsession: Rhode Islanders don't drink chocolate milk - they drink coffee milk. Made by mixing sweet coffee syrup (Autocrat is the gold standard) with cold milk, this is the official st…

Tampere, Finland Finland

Tampere, Western Europe

Tampere: Sauna Capital & Industrial Soul

Sauna Capital Reality: Tampere has over 50 public saunas for a city of 250,000 - locals take sauna culture more seriously here than anywhere else in Finland, which is saying something. Expect stran…

Timișoara, Romania Romania

Timișoara, Central Europe

Timișoara: Little Vienna, Revolution City

First in Everything: Timișoara locals are incredibly proud of being the first city in mainland Europe to have electric street lighting in 1884 - mention this and watch their faces light up (pun int…

Utrecht, Netherlands Netherlands

Utrecht, Western Europe

Utrecht: Canals, Students, and Medieval Heart

The U-Salute: Utrechters respond 'UUUUU' as a greeting at events and concerts, making a U-gesture with their hands—tourists think it's cheering, locals know it's city pride. Wharf Cellar Confusion:…

Wrocław, Poland Poland

Wrocław, Central Europe

Wrocław: Dwarfs and Discoveries

Dwarf Obsession: Over 600 bronze dwarf statues scattered throughout the city—started as political satire against communism and now beloved symbols locals protect fiercely. The previous official tou…

Wuhan, China China

Wuhan, East Asia

Wuhan: Three Rivers, Hot Dry Noodles & Hero City Soul

Guòzǎo Culture (过早): Breakfast isn't just a meal in Wuhan - it's a sacred ritual called "guòzǎo" (literally "passing the morning"). Locals eat breakfast out daily at street stalls, often standing w…