Hostels in Calabria 
Looking for the best hostels in Calabria? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Calabria with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Calabria hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Calabria and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Calabria
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Calabria, across 11 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Calabria hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Calabria. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Calabria
Calabria is a small region in the farthest south of Italy, in the toe of the boot. Surrounded by the Tyrhennian and Ionian Seas on three sides and by the Basilicata region in the north, it is separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina. In general, Calabria has a temperate climate, with hot and dry summers and mild winters. Its landscape is quite varied with sandy beaches, a rocky coastline, and three vast mountain ranges inland. These mountain ranges practically cut off the region from the rest of Italy and heavily influence the weather.
There are five main provinces in Calabria; they are Reggio di Calabria, Catanzaro - the regional capital-, Crotone, Cosenza, and Vibo Valentina. Travelling between the main cities is possible by the regional train network, but for many attractions, accommodations, and villages you will want a car.
Historically, Calabria struggled with tourism; the region is underdeveloped and remote, with few attractions to draw tourists. However, in recent years, crime has gone down, despite being the main region for Italy’s notorious Mafia. Expect to see tourism in Calabria rise as more people venture out of Naples to more far-flung areas of Italy. And, with so many beaches, Calabria is sure to be a popular vacation destination for both Italians and foreigners alike in coming years. Be sure to book your hostel well ahead of time in the high season or around any holidays.
When searching for hostels in Calabria, look for “ostello” or “la casa dello studente” as both will get you budget accommodation. There are very few European-style hostels in the region; consider a guesthouse - “la pensione” -or agriturismo for an authentic Italian experience.
After you have found the perfect hostel accommodation, explore Calabria’s beaten paths. The region was part of Magna Grecia in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, so there are some archaeological highlights like the Riace bronzes, now in the museum in Reggio Calabria.
Roman influence is evident in the many baths and theatres that have been uncovered, while Byzantium culture is prolific in the religious architecture. The 9th century Byzantine church in Stilo is a tentative UNESCO World Heritage site, and well worth a visit.
Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the region’s many hiking trails, hidden mountain villages, and beaches. Whatever you choose to do in Calabria, you will enjoy it!
Handwritten by local expert for Calabria hostels Jakob Lombardi
Travel Tips for Calabria - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Calabria. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Calabria. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Calabria
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Calabria?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Calabria here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Calabria safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.