Solo travel hostel guide to europe

In my opinion, solo traveling is one of the best ways to travel! Sadly, many people miss out on the joys of traveling solo because of safety concerns or fear of being lonely on the road. Fortunately, there are plenty of tips you can follow to stay safe while solo traveling and many ways to meet friends in new countries! One of the most surefire ways to meet fellow travelers is by booking a hostel stay. If, like many people, you automatically recoil at the word “hostel,” I’m about to change your mind. Keep reading for my solo travel hostel guide to Europe!

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 criteria to consider before booking a hostel

Before booking your hostel, it’s important to consider the following criteria. Thankfully, there’s an all-in-one website that allows you to compare hostels all over the world and filter by options like amenities, room size and distance from city center. Ladies and gentlemen…meet Hostelworld.

what dorm sizes are available?

If you’re a first-time solo female traveler, or just prefer not to sleep in the same room as strangers of the opposite sex, you’re going to want to filter by your preferred dorm option. Most hostels will offer all-female dorms, all-male dorms and mixed-dorms. They will usually offer a variety of dorm sizes and prices generally increase as the number of beds decreases. Some hostels will also include private room and double room options for those slightly-bougie hostel travelers.

If dorm size is a deal-breaker for you, make sure to filter for the option you want before browsing the hostels in that location.

Is the hostel close to the main attractions in the city?

This rule applies to all types of accommodation, not just hostels. As a rule, I like to have an idea of what I’d like to see and do in that city before deciding on an accommodation. That way, I can factor in distance to all the attractions I’ll be visiting.

Hostelworld offers a filter that allows you to search by proximity to city center. I highly recommend you use this feature. It’s a bummer when you have to take two trains and a bus to get to the Heineken Experience because you booked a hostel 20 minutes outside of Amsterdam.

Do they have in-room lockers?

If possible, I always try to book a hostel with in-room lockers. Although, I’ve never once felt unsafe at a hostel (this is mostly because I do my research and read reviews), you’re still staying in a room with strangers and you’ll want to keep your belongings locked up tight.

What kind of activities do they offer?

What can I say…I love a pub crawl. It’s one of my favorite activities to do in Europe and a great way to meet other solo travelers. If you’re interested in booking one, check if your hostel offers an on-site crawl before booking. If not, you can usually find one through a third party operator like Viator or Get Your Guide.

If you’re looking for less of a party scene, many hostels offer non-drinking related activities like hiking trips with local guides, day-trips to popular sites outside of the city, free walking tours or game/theme nights!

I will note, if you decide to book a pub crawl or go out drinking as a solo traveler, please have your wits about you. Getting completely smashed in an unfamiliar country surrounded by strangers never ends well. Trust me. I worked for a study abroad student tour operator. I’ve seen everything.

What kind of amenities do they offer?

Does the hostel have a rooftop bar? A pool? Free breakfast? I’ve seen tons of cool amenities offered by hostels (although the rooftop bar is my personal favorite). Be sure to check out all the options in your area to make sure you’ve made the best choice.

what to pack for a hostel stay

There are certain essentials I always pack when I’m getting ready for a hostel stay. Unfortunately, since they are built for the budget-traveler, hostels are not as accommodating as a hotel or an Airbnb. Packing these items ahead-of-time will help you save money and be prepared for any situation. Fortunately, my solo travel hostel guide includes exactly what you’ll need for your next hostel stay!

If you’re reading this solo travel hostel guide in preparation for a semester abroad in Europe, check out my post “How to Pack for Study Abroad in Europe.”

Flip flops

In addition to being a useful addition to almost every trip, rubber flip flops are an essential hostel item. Trust me, you don’t want to go barefoot in a shared hostel shower. If you’re looking for something cuter than the $8 rack at Old Navy, I love this pattered pair by Lilly Pulitzer!

combination lock

Although a lot of hostels will provide lockers, most will charge you a fee to rent a lock or make you buy one outright. Sometimes the cost is reasonable, but most of the time it’s a huge markup and a waste of money. A combination lock takes up no room in your suitcase and packing one ahead-of-time will definitely make your hostel life easier.

Microfiber towel

Some hostels offer free towels with your booking, but many will tack it on as an extra charge. Save yourself some money by investing in an easy-to-pack Microfiber Towel! I can’t tell you how much money mine has saved me while hostel-hopping around Europe.

ear plugs / eye mask

I’m blessed with the gift of heavy sleeping, so I don’t often have this problem in hostels. For those light sleepers out there, make sure to pack ear plugs or an eye mask (or both). It’s annoying when people come back late and wake you up, but it’s unavoidable in a hostel setting. All you can do is be prepared!

Solo travel hostel guide to europe

marco polo hostel – st. julian’s, malta

Marco Polo Hostel in St. Julian’s is hands-down one of my favorite hostels I’ve ever stayed in. We went on a weekend trip to Malta during my semester abroad for a good friend’s 21st birthday and had the time of our lives! If you’re looking for a party…you’ll find it in St. Julian’s.

The hostel had a rooftop bar which was made even better by the fact that the entire British/Maltese rugby team happened to be there at the same time. Did I mention they were all in suits?

It was also walking distance to all the best bars and restaurants in St. Julian’s and had beautiful ocean views from the rooftop and our room’s balcony!

alessandro palace & bar – rome, italy

Since Rome is my favorite city in the world, I had to include it on this solo travel hostel guide to Europe! I’ve stayed at Alessandro Palace & Bar on two separate occasions and enjoyed myself immensely each time.

The hostel’s best feature, in my opinion, is the pub crawl. It’s called a “night out party” since pub crawls are technically illegal in Italy, but it’s exactly the same thing. A ticket gets you an hour of free drinks at the hostel bar, transportation and a guide to bring you to the best bars and clubs in Rome.

If you’re looking for an experience that’s a bit more relaxing, the hostel offers private rooms for $70/night (depending on the season) that can easily fit three people. They’re located in a separate building down the street so you’re guaranteed some R&R away from hostel partygoers. To book their private rooms, book directly on the Alessandro Palace website.

The only downside of Alessandro is that it’s a bit far from the city’s best attractions. However, you are steps away from the Termini train station with trains and buses going all around the city at all hours of the day.

If you’re planning a trip to Rome, make sure to check out my related posts “The Best Itinerary for Four Days in Rome” and “Delicious Places to Eat in Rome.”

lake como hostel la primula – lake como, italy

My first two hostel picks have been a bit “party-oriented.” Hostel La Primula in Lake Como is the total opposite. When I arrived for a solo long weekend in Lake Como, I was immediately struck by the charm and serenity of the place. The hostel had the feel of a quaint B&B and offered beautiful lake views from every room.

Hostel La Primula has an on-site restaurant and bar (with free breakfast), rental services like bikes and kayaks and a local “hiking guide” that takes small groups of hikers out daily! I especially loved the last one, since I tend to be wary about hiking solo.

Located only a short 10-minute walk from Menaggio, it’s also the most conveniently located hostel in Lake Como. For my personal itinerary to visiting Lake Como, head to this post.

jaeger’s hostel – munich, germany

Ah Germany. Home to three of my favorite things: beer in huge glasses, soft pretzels and special drinking outfits. If you’re encountering this post with hopes of visiting Munich for Oktoberfest…BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION NOW. As someone who ran Oktoberfest and Fruhlingsfest trips for three seasons, you can trust me when I say accommodations fill up FAST during festival times.

When it comes to hostels in Munich, Jaeger’s Hostel is my #1 pick and one of my favorites on this solo travel hostel guide. The rooms are clean, the location is perfect (only steps from the main Hauptbahnhof Central Station) and the hostel staff is very friendly and helpful. The hostel also offers breakfast, although it’s not included in the nightly rate, and a fun, on-site bar serving German beer!

For tips on planning your Munich trip, visit my Munich Travel Itinerary. And for a list of the best restaurants to eat Bavarian food around the city, click here.

the little havana party hostel – kraków, poland

Before I left Europe in 2019, I planned a solo long weekend trip to Kraków and fell head-over-heels in love with Poland. My hostel, The Little Havana Party Hostel, was part of what made my trip so enjoyable.

I arrived in Kraków very late on the first night and immediately met a friendly solo-traveler in my dorm room! We found some late night pierogis and it was wonderful to have someone to chat with upon arrival. Although he left the next morning, the hostel was the perfect setting to meet other solo travelers with a restaurant, bar and club built into the accommodation. If you stay here, I would highly recommend booking the pub crawl!

The Little Havana Party Hostel was also centrally located in the middle of Kraków and only steps away from the biggest attractions like St. Mary’s Basilica.

If you plan on visiting Kraków, head here for my best Poland travel tips!

abbey court hostel – dublin, ireland

Dublin is full of hostels. When we planned our trip to Dublin back in 2018, we were greeted with an overwhelming amount of choices on Hostelworld. After plenty of research and careful consideration, I’m confident we made the right choice by staying at Abbey Court!

In addition to its great location right across the river from Temple Bar, Abbey Court hostel offers in-room lockers, 24 hour reception with luggage storage and a game room with a pool table, foosball and board games. The rooms were clean and the front desk was very accommodating during our time in Dublin!

wombat’s the city hostel – budapest, hungary

Budapest remains one of my favorite trips I’ve taken as a solo traveler. Wombat’s the City Hostel checked all of my boxes and was the perfect home base for my long weekend in Budapest. At the very affordable price of $20/night, I stayed in a 4-bed all female dorm with towels, in-room lockers and an on-site bar with a free welcome drink!

The hostel was centrally located and the best attractions in Budapest were only a short walk or bus ride away. For tips on what to see and do in Budapest head to my travel blog here!

seven hostel – sorrento, amalfi coast, italy

If I’m being completely honest, the Amalfi Coast isn’t known for offering a wide range of hostel choices. It’s more of a bougie honeymoon destination than a backpackers paradise, if you catch my drift. From the options that are available, Seven Hostel in Sorrento is the way to go.

Although Seven Hostel is a good 40 minute walk from downtown Sorrento, the walk itself is beautiful and you’ll enjoy stunning views of the Italian coast. Once you reach Sorrento, you’ll have plenty of options to take a bus or a boat to Positano, Amalfi, Ravello and Capri.

The hostel itself is very clean, offers included breakfast and a 360 panoramic rooftop with incredible views! There’s also an on-site restaurant and bar which is helpful since there aren’t too many restaurants in the immediate proximity. One note about this hostel, the wifi is basically nonexistent. I would suggest getting an Italian SIM card if you visit Amalfi, since this seems to be a recurring theme in both hostels and hotels in the area.

If you find yourself on a late bus back to Sorrento, do yourself a favor and grab a taxi back to your hostel. Thankfully, I was not solo-traveling when my group (3 girls) decided to walk the 40 minutes back around 9:45 at night. On the last stretch to the hostel, we were followed by a (hopefully harmless but still upsetting) exhibitionist. Thankfully, the night guard at the hostel brought us inside and went out to find the guy after we explained what happened.

For more tips to visiting the Amalfi Coast on a budget, click here.

villa manos – santorini, greece

Villa Manos in Santorini remains one of my favorite hostels to this day! On a last hurrah trip after study abroad, my friend and I decided to spend four days in Santorini in the off-season (May). We scored a twin private room at Villa Manos for only $60/night with air conditioning, a swimming pool and an on-site restaurant and bar serving authentic Greek food.

The hostel staff really created a family atmosphere and we ended up making friends with a couple of the workers. On the day we left, check out was at 11:00 AM, but our flight back to Athens wasn’t until that night. The hostel allowed us to store our stuff and shower in an even nicer room free of charge! Upon saying goodbye and leaving for the airport, their mother gifted us with a bottle of Greek wine.

I can not recommend Villa Manos highly enough for your Santorini stay! The only downside was the location, but if you plan to visit the Greek islands on a budget, being outside of the city center is unavoidable.

czech inn – prague, czech republic

I’ve stayed in my fair share of hostels in Prague and the Czech Inn is by far my favorite. The rooms are spotless, the hostel staff is friendly and available 24/7 and there’s an on-site cafe/bar for your morning coffee and a Czech beer or two! You can’t beat the price at less than $17/night for a dorm bed and you’re almost guaranteed to meet people in the welcoming atmosphere.

The Czech Inn doesn’t have the perfect location, but there’s a tram stop directly outside the hostel that will take you anywhere you want to go around Prague.

Are you not yet convinced that Prague should be on your bucket list? Click here for some Prague photo inspo! If you’re planning a trip to Prague, make sure to check out my ultimate Prague itinerary.

goli & bosi – split, croatia

Split, Croatia is a beautiful and historic city and a great spot for backpackers on a budget. If you plan to book a hostel stay in Split, Goli & Bosi is the place to stay. Located in the heart of Split, only steps away from Diocletian’s Palace, you’ll never have to go far to find tourist attractions, restaurants or bars.

The whole hostel is painted neon colors and includes air conditioning, free towels and an on-site restaurant!

For more information on traveling to Split, head to my post “The Best Split, Croatia Itinerary.”

balmers hostel – interlaken, switzerland

Balmers Hostel in Interlaken is definitely the cutest hostel on this solo travel hostel guide. It looks like a mix between a charming Swiss chalet and a gingerbread house! It’s centrally located in the heart of Interlaken, has a jacuzzi and its also the site of the only nightclub in Interlaken, Balmers Bar & Club.

Balmers is also only steps away from Outdoor Interlaken where you can rent ski, snowboard and hiking gear as well as book excursions like winter kayaking, night sledding, canyon swinging, bungee jumping, paragliding and more! For the best activities to experience in Interlaken, head to my Interlaken itinerary.

Bonus experience to have in europe as a solo traveler: stoke travel

I would be remiss to not mention Stoke Travel on my solo travel hostel guide to Europe. A Barcelona-based company operated almost entirely by party-loving Australians, a trip with Stoke Travel is something every solo traveler should experience at least once.

Stoke offers trips all around Europe, but specializes in wildly outrageous festival experiences. I worked closely with them over the Oktoberfest seasons, where they operated a campsite outside of Munich. Other trips they offer include La Tomatina, Running of the Bulls and St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin.

Most of their trips involve camping and you’ll usually receive both breakfast and dinner with the nightly cost. For $10 extra/day, you can receive unlimited beer and sangria at the Stoke Bar. That’s right, unlimited. You can imagine things get pretty rowdy, especially when you factor in the Stoke “Wheel of Misfortune” which includes options like chugging beer out of a shoe and doing a naked lap around the campsite.

I hope you enjoyed my solo travel hostel guide to Europe! Although they sometimes get a bad reputation, hostels are perfect for solo travelers looking to meet people and experience the best of every new city. Just make sure to be safe and do your research!

Written by Madison Krigbaum

Madison is a solo travel blogger and social media micro-influencer based in Roatán, Honduras. She fell in love with solo travel during her 2017 semester abroad in Rome, Italy. After graduation in 2018, she moved to Florence to pursue her love of travel even further. After the pandemic, she packed her bags and moved to the Caribbean where she’ll be living the island life until moving to Bali, Indonesia in March of 2022. Her favorite things include rooftop bars, handwritten menus and both starting and ending the day with a strong, Italian espresso.

Blog: madisonsfootsteps.com

Instagram: @madisonsfootsteps