What kind of activities are there to do during the week / on weekends when attending an Erasmus+ or Turing experience?
Eramsus+ or Turing internships are a great opportunity for gaining experience in specific fields, even though it is only for a limited amount of time. Apart from the skills that you’ll gain, it’s a good idea to get to know how the locals live and their traditions. When staying in a foreign country for a certain amount of time, lots of people ask themselves the following questions:
How Can I Spend My Time Effectively and What Attractions Are Must-Sees?
The main focus of an Erasmus+ or Turing trip is of course the experience that you’ll gain in your specific field of work in your foreign company of choice. As well as your workload during working hours, there is usually some spare time which you can use to enjoy some interesting spots, see the sights and explore the foreign culture.
Where Can I Get Recommendations For Activities from?
The most common way to get an overview about “must-sees” in the specific region you are visiting is to use your favourite web-browser and perform a search to find recommended spots. Another idea is to visit the local tourist office to get some advice. No matter where you receive your tips, online or offline, the best source of information is to talk to local residents and find out about secret spots that might not be too crowded when you visit.
If you’re nervous of talking to locals due to language barriers, you could chat to your Erasmus+ or Turing companies’ co-workers to ask for some recommendations about interesting activities that you should try.
What Is The Best Time To Visit Sights or To Take a Daytrip During an Erasmus+ or Turing Internship?
This is, of course, a very tricky question. When visiting sights or those special secret spots you have to consider the basics:
- How much time should you allow for the whole visit?
- What is the estimated travel time/waiting time at the entrance?
- How much time of the day will be left to experience popular local spots?
- What is the price of any specific activity?
- How do you get there and back home?
- What is the cost?
- What attractions do locals/colleagues suggest visiting?
- Will the attraction still be open when you want to visit?
- What are so called “must-sees”?
- How long will it take to prepare for each visit?
- Do you want to go alone or with a friend/colleague?
- Are there any specific trips that your host company is organising?
If you take into account all the above questions, you should be able to make an informed decision on where you could visit after a long working day, or at the weekend. Sometimes, especially at the beginning of your Erasmus+ or Turing journey, it’s a good idea to get in touch with your friends or co-workers to find out what they know or what they’ve already experienced.
As your weekends will usually allow you free time, use them to spend a daytrip to a spot in an urban area, to get to know the priceless spectacle of local nature or see a traditional village or town.
Be sure to get a good balance between your Erasmus+ or Turing internship and the local traditions as this will definitely help you with your own individual development for the future. Try to see as much of the country as possible and make sure to enjoy some great experiences during your Erasmus+or Turing stay.
Are you still in the planning phase of your Erasmus+ mobility, but you want to plan some of your activities for your Erasmus+ stay early? This article gives you a good overview: Typical Sample Schedule of an Erasmus+ Mobility so that you get an impression of what awaits you.
You can also check our guide for Erasmus+ funding applicants for information regarding the application process as well as our Handbook for Erasmus+ Project Management & Execution.
Enjoy 😊
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