I’ve stayed in more than a dozen hostels around Italy, from Naples to Trieste. These are the best hostels in Italy that I have stayed at and always recommend to others travelers.
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I love staying in hostels. They’re a great way to save money while traveling and meet other travelers from around the world. Hostels come in all shapes and sizes, from small ones that feel like a big house with only 1 or 2 people working at a time, to big modern hostels that are like cheap hotels with a bit of flair. I’m a fan of both kinds and everything in between.
Hostels can be hit or miss. I’ve been lucky to stay at mostly great ones, and they’re the ones I tell other travelers that I meet to also stay at. Obviously everyone has different preferences, so you can filter accordingly as you’re searching. I tend to prefer Hostelworld because they are more hostel-focused, but Booking.com has a discount program if you book frequently with them.
My Criteria
There is no perfect hostel, but my general criteria for what makes a good one is as follows:
- If it’s summertime, I want air conditioning (you can take the man out of the US, but you can’t take US out of the man)
- An inviting common area to hang out and meet other travelers
- Clean, functional bathrooms and kitchen
- Breakfast (even at extra cost if needed), where people eat in a common area. This makes it very easy to make new friends
- Hostels that host events (walking tours, bingo night, bar hopping). I don’t really like bingo or any board games for that matter, but it’s just a way to get people together.
- On site bar. No, I’m not an alcoholic. Bars mean socializing (and in Italy, they mean good coffee in the morning)
- No more than a 20-minute walk or train/bus ride from the city center for big cities like Rome or Naples, or 10-minute walk for smaller cities like Florence or Genova.
- Comfortable beds
- Storage lockers
- Free Wi-Fi
- If I’m traveling with someone, private room options
- Grocery stores nearby
My Go-To Hostel Brand in Italy
Ostello Bello, a chain of hostels in Italy, is my favorite. I have stayed at their Naples and Genoa locations, and therefore feel confident in the quality of the other locations (Rome, Milan, Florence, Como, Assisi).
Prices always fluctuate, so by the time you read this it may be peak season. But I’ve found that what you get for the money with Ostello Bello is amazing. They always have clean rooms, friendly staff, great indoor and outdoor community spaces, well-equipped kitchens, and social events.
Florence
Yellowsquare Florence (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
This was a big modern hostel similar to Ostello Bello, but with less of a cozy hostel feel. What I liked was how lovely the place was and how much the staff integrated with the people staying there. They offer good breakfast for extra cost, have a nice outdoor terrace, and even a small swimming pool on the roof.
Tourist House Liberty (book with Hostelworld)
While this is listed on Hostelworld, it feels a bit more like a minimalist hotel. I’ve stayed twice and am a big fan. There’s not much of a common area and there’s no kitchen. You can have a bigger room with a private bathroom, or a smaller room to yourself but with a shared bathroom. It’s just a low-cost, well-located, nice place to sleep. The owner, Laila, is very sweet, as is her dog.
Honorable Mention
See section above about my favorite hostel brand in Italy. I haven’t stayed at Ostello Bello Florence yet, but it’s on my list. A friend of mine, Carolina, stayed here and loved it (bonus – Carolina is featured in 7 Questions for Female Solo Travelers to Inform and Inspire You)
Rome
YellowSquare Rome (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
YellowSquare is one of my two favorite hostels in Rome. Both dorm and private rooms available, close to Termini station, and a great social atmosphere. Their property is spread to both sides of the street, including the hostel rooms, bar, and co-working space. At night the bar turns into a packed social hang where it’s all-to-easy to make friends, or stay in your own group.
Ostellobello Roma (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
As my favorite hostel brand in Italy, I’m confident that I’ll be happy in any Ostellobello. The Rome location is close to Termini station, and as expected with other OstelloBello locations, has all the amenities you need including a great social atmosphere.
The Beehive (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
This is a smaller hostel that feels a bit more like a big house. It has a great shared space and kitchen, friendly staff, and a nice, albeit small, outdoor sitting area. It’s located very close to Termini station, so right in the center of it.
Roma Scout Center (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
This is a great, clean, straightforward hostel with all the typical amenities, with a bit less of the social vibe. I wouldn’t stay here if it’s your first time to Rome, because it’s closer to Tiburtina Station rather than Termini, so it’s a bit far from most of the sights as well as Trastevere, where you should be going out at night in Rome.
If you’ve already been to Rome and just want a solid place to stay with good restaurant options and a more local neighborhood, Roma Scout center is a good choice.
Naples
Ostello Bello (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
Ostello Bello has several locations throughout Italy, and is definitely more of a modern hostel but still with some of the small hostel feel. This was the first one that I stayed at, and I was more than happy with it. Clean spaces, comfortable rooms, and a large common space with both indoor and outdoor areas. It’s also in a great location, positioned between the historic center of Naples and the Quartieri Spagnoli. This hostel is on the larger side.
After now staying at 2 Ostello Bello locations, I feel confident that they’re all great, and I’m looking forward to staying at the next.
Venice
Anda Venice (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
Anda is located in Mestre, which is off the main “island” of Venice. Unfortunately, there are very few hostel options in the Venice city center. However, I’ve stayed in Mestre twice now and the train station makes it so easy to get to Venice. The trains run frequently and until midnight.
Anda itself is great. It’s on the big side, so there’s lots of people. But it has most of what I like. A big communal space, an on-site bar, events, public transport nearby, and a great shared kitchen.
They don’t have an on-site barista, so you’re stuck making your own coffee or buying from the espresso vending machine. Also the bottom floor turns into a public club on some nights of the week, which is great if you like DJs and dancing and that sort of thing. Bring earplugs, as you will hear this if you’re on the lower floors (but you should bring earplugs to any hostel).
Trieste
ControVento Hostel (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
This hostel felt like the Beehive in Rome or Nosadillo in Bologna, more like a big house. The staff was very friendly, there’s a big shared lounge area, and it’s within walking distance to some great restaurants and the city center. Being on the smaller side, it was easy to make friends.
While staying here, I became fast friends with a cool guy from Argentina because we had a shared interest in gypsy jazz. We ended up having a jam session with a small audience in the kitchen (as to not interrupt the guys watching the World Cup in the lounge). What a great time.
Bologna
Il Nosadillo Hostel (book with Booking.com or Hostelworld)
This is my go-to hostel in Bologna. I’ve stayed here 2 or three times. It’s a smaller hostel and also feels like a big house. It has a great shared kitchen / common room, and a great free breakfast. The dorm rooms consist of both stand-alone beds as well as bunk beds, but no private rooms. It’s in a great location, being a short walk from the city center.
Genoa
Ostello Bello Genova (book on Hostelworld)
This was my second stay at an Ostello Bello, and it was a great choice. It’s in a central location, about 2 minutes from the main train station. It has multiple common areas and a rooftop terrace. The shared kitchen is big and well equipped. To make it even better, the kitchen was stocked with ingredients like dry pasta, beans, fruit, and vegetables. So in theory, one could not need to spend any money on food while here. The ingredients were a nice touch too, considering the nearest grocery store was at least a 15 minute walk.
Palermo
A Casa di Amici (book on Booking.com)
I had a blast in Palermo, and 80% of the experience was because of the people I was with. I went solo and immediately found myself in good company. Not just the other travelers, but the staff, as well as the owners of Casa di Amici were all so friendly, and there was such a familial vibe. The night I arrived, there was a birthday party for a staff member and going-away-party for a long-term guest, and it was the first time I had been at a hostel with such a strong social vibe but also a friendly, non-corporate feel. This hostel is unique because their whole staff is composed of employees, not volunteers, so it really does feel like a family.