It’s not hot; there are no half-naked Americans getting drunk on the beach, and it will most likely rain at least one day while there. Yet London is a different, cheap alternative for a spring break vacation.

London can be a fairly expensive city to visit if students don’t prepare properly, but through STA Travel, a weeklong stay in the center of London is cheaper than a trip to Mexico or the Caribbean.

According to www.statravel.com, round trip airfare from Boston to London starts as low as $373, and students can find great rates at local hostels for six nights/seven days ranging from $120-$150 total.

The idea of a hostel may sound frightening to some students, but STA recommends them as cheap alternatives to hotels. In their packages they refer to hostels as “dorm accommodations,” which should sound very familiar to most Northeastern students.

“You can get more out of [a break to London],” said Michael Dattoli, STA employee. “You learn a lot about yourself from an international trip.”

London offers a blend of culture, history, entertainment and a thriving nightlife. Students visiting the city can enjoy seeing the famous Big Ben, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Buckingham Palace. They can also take advantage of the lowered drinking age (18) and enjoy London’s various pubs and clubs.

“Lots of people think of London as being prim and proper,” Dattoli said. “But it’s got a great night life.”

Other popular places to go include Stonehenge, the mysterious rock formation located just outside the city that has been drawing tourists for centuries.

Tours, like the Jack the Ripper Tour, which take sightseers to all the possible scenes of the infamous serial killer’s brutal crimes, provide creepy entertainment.

And then there is the Chunnel, which will take tourists under the English Channel to spend the day in Paris for $50-$90.

But “don’t get caught up in just the historical sights,” warns Alyson Brennan, a freshman international affairs major, who has been to London for vacation three times in the past four years.

“At night just go and walk around Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square and look at all the people,” she said.

London weather in March can be temperamental and cold, although not as cold as Boston in March.

Most London travel sites recommend tourists bring rain gear because spring showers tend to appear sporadically.

“London is cold and foggy,” said Steve Utermark, a freshman engineering major. “I’d rather go somewhere warm and tropical for spring break.”

However, one thing that makes a spring break in London different from a warmer location is the diversity of the people. London is a true melting pot, teeming with international students, Dattoli said.

Northeastern’s spring break falls before the big tourism boom in the city, which means travelers won’t be surrounded by hundreds of Americans like if they were to go to Cancun or Acapulco, Dattoli said.

“London people are awesome. To just go to a pub and listen to the people can be quite comical,” Brennan said.

If students decide to make London their spring break destination, the cheapest and easiest way to go is through a package deal. These tend to include airfare and a hotel or hostel stay, and range from $750-$900 (about $300-$500 cheaper than Acapulco and other popular location packages) on various travel Web sites.

STA offered a package deal for Northeastern students at a cost of $826. The deadline to sign up was Oct. 31, but Dattoli said prices are still comparable and students should be able to find similar packages if they book with STA soon.

In addition, The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is a valuable investment for students. It provides discounts all over the world, but in London in particular, it will save students money on select hotels, hostels, food and London attractions. STA also considers travel insurance a high priority for students. It’s included in most packages and required for some locations booked through the agency, but will allow a refund to students if they need to cancel their trip. It will also reimburse a student’s extra expenses if they get stranded because of weather or some other emergency, Dattoli said.