Studying abroad in Europe has many perks, one of the biggest being the ability to travel just about anywhere at the drop of a hat.

For the past ten days, I have been traveling across four countries, nine cities and the good ole’ continent of Europe. Although it’s been exhausting, to say the least, it has been incredibly rewarding as well.

My friends and I started our journey in Switzerland. We visited the beautiful lakes, saw the breathtaking Swiss Alps and, of course, tried their chocolate and cheese. We also got to experience bunk beds as our Airbnb featured them in a “street view” studio apartment.

Next, we headed to Budapest to explore the baths and culture. Since the U.S. dollar is worth so much there, we lived a life of luxury during our day and a half stay. Our luxurious Airbnb came with three full sized bedrooms, bathrooms with heated floors and beautiful grand windows. We also enjoyed a traditional Hungarian dinner which was accompanied by a string quartet.

After Budapest, we headed to stop three: Italy. There we had pizza, pasta and gelato (oh my). We got to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, explore Florence, see the Trevi Fountain and spend the day in Vatican City. Italy was beautiful and I don’t know if I can ever eat pizza again (at least pizza that good, that is).

Finally, our last stop was in Santorini. Both the night before arriving and the night after departing, we had to sleep in the airport and by sleep, I mean lounge around at ridiculous hours of the early morning in an airport. Thankfully, we conquered the obstacle both times and were able to see the sunrise twice in Greece, as well as cliff jump and take a boat tour.

Overall, I am so glad that I chose a study abroad location as central as London. It allows for me to see so many different places and experience so many different cultures – all while staying in my price range. Even though the traveling can be rough, the experience is always worth it.