Are you certain you want to visit the sights of Europe with Global Grad, or are you curious about the places you could visit during their European semester? Before confirming your place, it’s always best to do a little research! Students who join Global Grad will be given guides upon visiting each new location, but here’s a brief introduction to the three main study hub locations- Czech Republic, Hungary and Portugal- as well as the places you will see on your road trip.
Note: All climate data is from the capital city of the country.
MAIN STUDY HUB LOCATIONS
CZECH REPUBLIC
Capital City: Prague
Population: 10.7 million
Main ethnic groups: 64% Czech, 5% Moravian, 1.5% Slovak
Main language: Czech (spoken by 98.8% of the population)
Main religions: 45% undeclared, 34.5% irreligious, 11% Catholic
Climate (January semester): The coldest period of the year, averaging 1 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): Still fairly warm and dry, averaging around 14 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Prague
HUNGARY
Capital City: Budapest
Population: 9.7 million
Main ethnic groups: 98.3% Hungarian, 3.2% Romani, 1.8% German-Hungarian
Main language: Hungarian (spoken by 99% of the population)
Main religions: 39% Catholic, 18.2% irreligious, 13.8% Protestant
Climate (January semester): The driest period of the year, averaging 6 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): One of the rainier periods of the year, with temperatures of around 12 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Budapest
PORTUGAL
Capital City: Lisbon
Population: 10.2 million
Main ethnic groups: 95.3% Portuguese, 1.4% Brazilian, 1.2% other European
Main language: Portuguese (spoken by 95.6% of the population)
Main religions: 81% Catholic, 8.3% undeclared, 6.8% irreligious
Climate (January semester): A notable amount of rainfall, averaging 16/17 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): The rainiest part of the year, averaging 12 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Lisbon
ROAD TRIP LOCATIONS
THE NETHERLANDS
Capital City: Amsterdam
Population: 17.1 million
Main ethnic groups: 77.4% Dutch, 9.9% Other European, 2.3% Turkish
Main language: Dutch (spoken by 97.5% of the population)
Main religions: 51% irreligious, 24% Catholic, 15% Protestant
Climate (January semester): One of the rainiest parts of the year, averaging 3 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): Fairly rainy, averaging 15 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Amsterdam
GERMANY
Capital City: Berlin
Population: 83.5 million
Main ethnic groups: 76.4% German, 3.4% Turkish, 2.6% Polish
Main language: German (spoken by 94%of the population)
Main religions: 36% irreligious, 31.7% Protestant, 31.2% Catholic
Climate (January semester): Cold and slightly rainy, averaging -1 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): Hit and miss rain, averaging 15 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Berlin
AUSTRIA
Capital City: Vienna
Population: 9 million
Main ethnic groups: 81.1% Austrian, 6.3% ex-Yugoslav, 2.7% German
Main language: German (spoken by 96.9% of the population)
Main religions: 56.9% Catholic, 8.8% Orthodox, 3.3% Protestant
Climate (January semester): Potential light showers, averaging 1 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): Potential light showers, averaging 10 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Salzburg, Vienna
POLAND
Capital City: Warsaw
Population: 37.9 million
Main ethnic groups: 96.8% Polish, 1.1% Silesian, 0.2% Kashubian
Main language: Polish (spoken by 95.2% of the population)
Main religions: 87.8% Catholic, 2.4% irreligious, 1.3% other religions (notably Orthodox and Protestant)
Climate (January semester): Coldest part of the year, averaging -3 Celsius. However, unlikely to rain.
Climate (September semester): Potential light showers, averaging 14 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Krakow
CROATIA
Capital City: Zagreb
Population: 4.1 million
Main ethnic groups: 90.4% Croat, 4.4% Serb, 2% ex-Yugoslav
Main language: Croatian (spoken by 95% of the population)
Main religions: 86.3% Catholic, 4.4% Orthodox, 1.5% Islam
Climate (January semester): Unlikely but moderate rain, averaging 9 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): Rainiest part of the year, averaging 5 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Split
ITALY
Capital City: Rome
Population: 60.6 million
Main ethnic groups: 91.5% Italian, 1.6% Romanian, 0.8% Albanian
Main language: Italian (spoken by 97.4% of the population)
Main religions: 74% Catholic, 23% Irreligious, 2.5% Orthodox
Climate (January semester): Very unlikely rain, averaging 14 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): Italy’s rainy season, but dry compared to other countries, averaging 13 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Venice, Rome, Florence
FRANCE
Capital City: Paris
Population: 65.1 million
Main ethnic groups: 93% French, 2.2% Algerian/Moroccan, 1.9% Italian
Main language: French (spoken by 96.3% of the population)
Main religions: 42.3% Catholic, 40% irreligious, 6% Islam
Climate (January semester): Potential showers, averaging 11 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): Potential showers, averaging 7 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Nice
SPAIN
Capital City: Madrid
Population: 46.7 million
Main ethnic groups: 45% Spaniard, 28% Catalonian, 8.2% Galician
Main language: Spanish (spoken by 94% of the population)
Main religions: 67% Catholic, 22% irreligious, 2.5% Protestant
Climate (January semester): Rainy, although nothing substantial, averaging 11 Celsius.
Climate (September semester): Rainy, although nothing substantial, averaging 10 Celsius.
You will be staying in: Barcelona, Madrid
About the author
Jasmin Dawling is one of Global Grad’s January 2019 students and is completing a full-time Bachelor’s degree with the Open University in International Studies. While this is her first time formally blogging, she has had plenty of writing experience in the past, from novel writing since the age of six to working on the school newspaper. Apart from seeing the sights of South East Asia and working on her degree, Jasmin spends most of her time either procrastinating or writing down her novel ideas, be it on her travelling-inspired new ideas or the 7-part series she’s been toying with for almost ten years.
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