Backpacker Accommodation: 8 of The Balkans Best Hostels
Last Updated on February 23, 2023
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The Balkans is a region like no other in Europe. It’s a haven for backpackers being incredibly affordable, plenty of interesting history and rich cultures.
There are many countries within the Balkan peninsular including Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Greece.
I have personally been travelling through the Balkans for the last several years, and I now even live in Albania!
Because of that, I have had the chance to stay in some of the Balkans best hostels. Some, I would say, are the best hostels in Europe!
Hostelgeeks is your shortcut to the best hostels in the world; the 5 Star Hostels. They share unique hostel guides with the 3 coolest hostels in town for every destination in the world.
They do all the leg-work for you, saving you time, headaches and money for sleeping in fun and unique hostels around the world.
🧳 MUST-HAVE: Before you head out on your trip, make sure you have travel insurance. I recommend either SafetyWing or World Nomads.
Find their guide to the best hostels in Europe here. Below you’ll find the Balkans best hostels, some of which are the coolest hostels in Europe!
Here are 8 of the Balkans best hostels to stay in!
1. Old Town Hostel Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor is the most popular place to visit in Montenegro because it’s absolutely stunning. This small town is surrounded by mountains, sits right on a lake and there’s plenty of things to do in the area.
There are several hostels in Kotor, but the Old Town Hostel is easily the best option. This hostel is located right in the heart of the old town.
There are no other Kotor hostels – or any other place, really – like this hostel! It’s truly one of the Balkans best hostels!
The building itself is incredibly old and the hostel has really kept the original charm even though it has had renovations. This hostel includes an indoor pool, yes, a pool!
They also organise a variety of different tours, beach BBQs, bar crawl (which they call a numb crawl) and even medieval dinners, which was my favourite!
If you’re looking to have an incredibly fun time as a Montenegro backpacker, then this hostel is the one as it’s one of the best hostels in Montenegro!
I can highly recommend doing one of their tours. I did one with 360 Monte, which went to the north of the country. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
If you are doing some Montenegro backpacking and coming to Kotor, then there’s no other place to stay than Kotor Old Town Hostel.
But not only is this one of the best hostels in Kotor, it’s one of the entire Balkans best hostels, so it might make any other Montenegro hostels you stay at pale in comparison!
2. Trip’n Hostel Tirana, Albania
Albania has some incredible Balkan hostels but one of my favourites is Trip’n hostel located in the capital of Tirana.
The atmosphere of this hostel is one that will probably keep you in Tirana for longer than you expected.
This chilled hostel is located walking distance within all the best things to do in Tirana. There’s also a fantastic market not far from here which I love to visit when I come to Tirana.
But back to the hostel. This hostel features a great backyard, perfect for relaxing in the summer with one of the hostels homebrewed beers – yes, they also make their own beer!
You will find all sorts of goodies in this hostel that will make your time Balkan backpacking special.
The Trip’n hostel is run by an Albanian couple, Erjon and Eni who are absolutely lovely and are happy to give you all the best tips on where to go as well as take you to the best party spots in the city!
📚 P.S. Grab access to my Travelling Albania Guide to get a comprehensive insight into more places to visit in Albania (including secret spots that are not recommended in the usual guides!)
3. City Centre Hostel Pristina, Kosovo
Pristina City Centre Hostel is one of my all-time favourites in the Balkans and the world! First of all, Pristina is a great city to explore.
Kosovo is the newest country in Europe, and it also has a young population with over half being under 25 years old.
This means that the capital is a vibrant place to go with lots of great restaurants, bars, clubs and things to do all at an affordable price.
This Balkan backpacking accommodation is located right on the main boulevard of the city. From the balcony, you can people-watch whilst having a few beers.
They have a few different rooms, depending what you’re looking for. They also have opened apartments so if you want a hostel environment but your own bedroom then you can stay in one of them!
This is just one of the many reasons this is one of the best Kosovo hostels!
The staff and owner Bimi are the reasons why I really love this place though. Everyone is so friendly and happy to help you and take you where you want to go.
I spent endless nights playing board games and chilling out in this hostel. I was supposed to stay in this hostel for 2 nights and ended up staying more than 10 – that’s how much I loved this place!
Stay here if you want to experience not only one of the Balkans best hostels, but one of the coolest hostels in the world!
4. Bed Station Athens, Greece
The bed station is one of my recent discoveries in the old city of Athens, and I now think it’s the best hostel in Athens!
I love the location of this hostel, it’s only a 2-minute walk from Kerameikos metro station which goes to and from the airport, so no need to change trains!
As one of the best hostels Athens has to offer, this Balkan hostel is modern, clean and unique.
It has an industrial style interior design and one of the best reception/lounge areas ever! It’s in a residential area so It’s fairly quiet.
It’s also very close to the famous Acropolis. If you’re in Athens, then I highly recommend this hostel. It’s not only convenient to get to and from but it’s also highly rated.
For those backpacking Balkans, read a complete guide to the best hostels in Athens Greece here.
5. Franz Ferdinand Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
This hostel located right in the centre of Sarajevo is one of the best boutique style hostels in the Balkans. The staff are very helpful, the hostel is clean and it’s also a lot of fun.
Sarajevo is a great city to learn more about the horrific past that the country had to endure. If you stay here, it’s walking distance to lots of important attractions within the city.
They also have a fantastic breakfast. The hostel Is modern and also offer free daily tours to introduce you to Sarajevo!
If you’re backpacking the Balkans, you can’t miss Sarajevo. So you might as well treat yourself to a stay at one of the best Bosnia and Herzegovina hostels when you visit.
6. City Walls Hostel Dubrovnik, Croatia
This is one of the top-rated hostels in Dubrovnik and a great option if you’re visiting this famous city. The hostels are located in the old town so it’s a perfect base to explore the city.
City Walls Hostel was voted the 3rd best seasonal hostel in the world by Hostelworld, that’s when you know it’s a great hostel!
It’s certainly the best hostel in Dubrovnik and one of the best hostels in Croatia I stayed at – and there were many cool Croatia hostels I visited.
This brightly painted hostel also has a number of tours and activities they can help you join, including Game of Thrones tours!
You may even meet some fellow GOT fans at one of the best hostels in Dubrovnik and make some lifelong friends!
Or if you’re not into Game of Thrones then you can read my guide to Dubrovnik (for non-GOT fans) here.
💡PACKING TIP: Make sure you bring a good snorkel, water shoes and a fast-drying towel for all of the beach-going you’re about to do!
7. Art Hostel Tirana, Albania
The art hostel in Tirana is a relatively new hostel that’s located 1km from the centre in one of the best neighbourhoods.
This modern, bright clean hostel is another great pick if you’re visiting the lively capital of Albania. It’s one of the most unique hostels in Europe.
Nearby the hostel is Pazari i Ri which is a new market selling fresh food, souvenirs and other great things.
There are also lots of coffee shops (of course, it’s Albania!) and a popular American restaurant called Stephen Centre, in case you have had enough of Albanian food.
There are lots to see and do from the Art Hostel!
8. Nordic Hostel Skopje, North Macedonia
The Nordic hostel is a boutique modern accommodation option great for backpackers coming to North Macedonia.
This hostel prides itself on quality and practicality as all beds have their own socket and have a quality mattress.
The bed also includes free breakfast as well as tea and coffee.
This hostel is in a neighbourhood within Skopje which has lots of bars, cafes and the best nightlife in the city.
It’s within walking distance to the old bazaar and the main square too so a fabulous option for when you travel to Skopje!
🎫 TOP TIP: Looking for tickets to some of the best shows, activities and passes? I highly recommend booking via Viator for the best prices and deals!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Balkans is nice most of the year. The weather is warm to hot anytime from mid-March until mid-November. However, the summers can be extremely hot, as well as the peak season in the Balkans, so it can get very busy and sticky. March until June or Septeber until November are the best times to visit if you can.
Kosovo is actually one of the cheapest countries in the world. And luckily, you’ll find some of the cheapest and best hostels around the world here! Most of the Balkans are pretty affordable, with Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia also being extremely affordable.
There’s my top pick for the Balkans best hostels to visit during your backpacking adventure through this incredible region. Tell me below if you have plans to visit any of these great locations and Balkan hostels.
Other articles you will love:
- Backpacking Albania: The Best Hostels in Albania
- Balkans Travel: 60+ Places to Visit in the Balkans +Transport & More
- Balkan Travel: Best Things to do in Montenegro
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