As a student who's done quite a bit of budget travelling around Europe, I'd just add that the key to making any of these destinations truly affordable is nailing the flights first. Ryanair has been an absolute lifesaver for me — I've flown to Croatia and Portugal for under £20 each way if you book far enough in advance and travel mid-week. Just make sure you pack everything into a small cabin bag to avoid those sneaky checked luggage fees — the article is spot on about that! Once you sort the flights, the rest of the budget practically plans itself. Hostels + ryanair = the ultimate student travel combo.