The cure for ‘Blue Monday’ is a university break, says expert

Need a Blue Monday pick-me-up? Book an April getaway to Spain and stay for a bargain price at the Colegio Mayor Galileo Galilei campus, Valencia.

 

20 January is ‘Blue Monday’, allegedly the gloomiest day of the year, so now is the time to plan a spring bargain break. Booking a university room for this April in a beautiful UK city, or even Spain, gives us something imminent to look forward to, says a leading travel expert.

CAMBRIDGE, UK, 2025-Jan-16 — /Travel PR News/ — 20 January is ‘Blue Monday’, supposedly the most depressing day of the year. Academics reportedly calculated this based on factors such as back-to-work blues, bad weather, post-Christmas debts and all those broken New Year Resolutions. While there’s some doubt about the science behind this calculation, we’re certainly all in need of something to look forward to and a leading holiday expert may have the perfect solution.

Lily Smith, a leading tourism expert from UniversityRooms.com, says: ‘The calculation of which day of the year is the most depressing may have stirred up controversy but we all need something to boost our spirits at this time of the year. Following the expense of Christmas, it’s even better if we can find a bargain. While summer feels a long way off, April will be upon us before we know it and it is an excellent time for a break, either in the UK or somewhere a little warmer, such as Spain.

‘The UK is actually a great place for a staycation in April. While dreary January only musters eight hours of daylight, by April we are getting 13 hours. And while the UK only averages 1.8 hours of sunshine a day in January, that figure goes up to 7.8 hours a day in April (based on 2020 figures).

‘If you’re thinking of budget holiday accommodation, many UK universities offer inexpensive and uniquely atmospheric locations. To give just one example, this March and April the award-winning St Catharine’s College in Cambridge has dates available. It recently won Cambridge’s coveted Overnight Accommodation Best Overall Customer Experience Award. That’s not surprising. Over the past few years, the college has invested over £30 million into enhancing its facilities, prioritising accessibility and sustainability, making it a fantastic choice for visitors to Cambridge.

‘Located in the very heart of the historic city, St Catharine’s is the perfect place to stay for a true Cambridge student experience. Rooms are available in March and April from £110 a night, including bed and breakfast. That sounds something to look forward to in the depths of January.

‘Cambridge is undoubtedly a beautiful city but, if you fancy somewhere a little warmer as a cure for Blue Monday, then Spain could be the answer. It offers bargain-priced accommodation in a number of universities in April, from Bilbao in northern Spain to Valencia on the Med. Accuweather is currently predicting highs of 19 degrees for Bilbao this April and a balmy 22 degrees in Valencia.

‘Bilbao is considered the capital of the Basque Country and is world-famous as the home of the remarkable Guggenheim Museum, a collection of modern and contemporary art housed in a stunning 1990s structure hailed by many architects as “the greatest building of our time”. If you fancy an inexpensive stay, Residencia Micampus Bilbao has accommodation for students, workers and tourists. It offers two types of rooms: singles with a kitchen and private bathroom, and flats with two single rooms and a private bathroom connected by a kitchen. Both types have access to a shared gym and terrace. Rooms are available for a bargain £49.69 a night.

‘If you’d prefer to head for the Med, the vibrant city of Valencia is located on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula. This popular tourist destination, which dates back to Roman times, features some famous medieval buildings. It also boasts bars, clubs and beaches and is a great place for foodies, being the home of the paella.

‘For a bargain-priced stay, look no further than the Residencia Universitaria Burjassot. It’s located next to the science campus of the University of Valencia in Burjassot, just 10 minutes by car from the centre of Valencia. Rooms are available this April for a blues-busting £47.08 a night, with a private bathroom and Wi-Fi.

‘For a little more, you can stay at the Colegio Mayor Galileo Galilei, a student residence located at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. This campus is considered to be one of the best in Spain. Most rooms have balconies and air conditioning and all have ensuite facilities and internet connection. Rooms are available from £70.88 a night.

‘Of course, universities don’t only offer accommodation in spring. In fact, the best time to book them is for the height of summer, when most students return home. Whether you fancy Cambridge, London or scores of major towns and cities across the UK, there will be universities offering accommodation during the summer holidays, and that’s also the case in Spain.

‘However, for those in a hurry to defeat the Blue Monday gloom with a getaway break in April, there’s more information about St Catharine’s award-winning accommodation at https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/travel-inspiration/st-catharines-wins-award-for-best-overnight-accommodation-experience. You can also find out more about staying at a Spanish university campus at https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/countries/ES