This blog is purely for those interested in where I stayed in my two months backing Croatia, Italy, Spain and Portugal. I’ve tried to list what I thought were the pros and cons of each place but I’m sure I’ve missed some. Most of the placed I booked were above an 8.5 on Hostelworld/Booking.com, and had high ratings on TripAdvisor. Most importanly…at the time when I stayed, none of these places had bedbugs (thank goodness!)

Sorry for the lack of pics of all of the places I stayed! I was having a lot of fun sightseeing!

1. Split, Croatia

   Name: Hostel Split

   Price Range: Cheap (for high season)

   Location: 100 metres from port (VERY central)

   Pros:
   – Location
   – Air con
   – WiFi

   Cons:
   – Limited kitchen facilities

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2. Hvar, Croatia

   Name: Earthers Hostel

   Price Range: Expensive (although it was summer)

   Location: 10 minutes walk from centre of town

   Pros:
   – Air con
   – Quite friendly staff
   – Good common area/kitchen
   – Great terrace to watch sunset
   – Lots of events
   – Very social
   – Good breakfast

   Cons:
   – Wifi doesn’t reach rooms not in main building and isn’t great in the main building

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3. Dubrovnik, Croatia

   Name: Family Stanos

   Price Range: Cheap for Dubrovnik

   Location: Just outside the city walls (but there are lots of steps to it!)

   Pros:
   – Just outside city walls (location great)
   – Quiet
   – Only one pedestal fan per room

   Cons:
   – Not very social
   – Looks a little old

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4. Pula, Croatia

   N/A – Stayed in AirBnB that I didn’t book

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   Rovinj, Croatia

   Name: Roundabout Hostel

   Price Range: No other hostels here to compare it to

   Location: 15 minutes walk from the centre

   Pros:
   – GREAT wifi
   – Great kitchen and common area

   Cons:
   – They are the only hostel in Rovinj so you really don’t have any other options
   – They put 9 beds in an “8 bed room”

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5. Verona, Italy

   Name: Airbnb 

   Price Range: $50 AUD per night (approx)

   Location: VERY central

   Pros:
   – Good wifi
   – Aircon
   – Some kitchen facilities
   – “Breakfast” Included
   – Location

   Cons:
   – Room was quite dark

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   Riva del Garda, Italy

   I stayed with a friend so this isn’t applicable, sorry!

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   Bologna, Italy

   Name: Il Nosadillo

   Price Range: Average

   Location: 5-10 minutes walk from centre

   Pros:
   – No bunk beds
   – Lockers with locks included
   – Each bed had own power socket
   – Aircon
   – Wifi good
   – Common area
   – Breakfast included

   Cons:
   – Staff not very present except when guests are checking in

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8. La Spezia

   Name: Grand Hostel Manin

   Price Range: Average

   Location: Centre of La Spezia (La Spezia is a 7 minute train ride to Cinque Terre)

   Pros:
   – Very modern
   – Individual power sockets/USB ports in wall beside bed
   – Lockers
   – Great kitchen
   – Amazing, helpful staff

   Cons:
   – Just little things like no chairs in rooms, no shower curtains, no bins in rooms (but the hostel was brand new when I stayed so I’m sure these things will get sorted out)

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   Genova, Italy

   Name: Abbey Hostel

   Price Range: Cheap

   Location: Central

   Pros:
   – Air con
   – Friendly staff
   – Good common area/kitchen
   – Option to add dinner/breakfast
   – Lockers

   Cons:

   – Lots of dodgy people always hanging around outside.- Not a safe area at night

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10. Milan, Italy

    Name: Ostello Bello

    Price Range: Expensive (about 40 Euros/night – but Milan did seem expensive) but worth it

    Location: Central

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – Awesome stafff
    – Good common area/kitchen (with free food!)
    – Great terraces
    – Very social
    – Free breakfast
    – Free dinner!
    – Age limit

    Cons:
    – None

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11. Madrid, Spain

    Name: Mola Hostel

    Price Range: Reasonable (about 20 Euros/night)

    Location: VERY central (Near Puerta del Sol)

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – Quite friendly staff
    – Good common area
    – Good breakfast as optional extra
    – Events on offer
    – Very modern

    Cons
    – Wifi didn’t work when I was there (they responded on TripAdvisor to say that they have now fixed that issue though)
    – Quite noisy on street ouside – windows don’t block it

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12. Valencia, Spain

    Name: Home Backpackers Hostel Valencia (This is a party hostel)

    Price Range: Reasonable (was expensive when I was there due to La Tomatina)

    Location: Far from the beach but in the old town

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – Friendly staff
    – Great bar/kitchen/common area
    – Lots of activities and dinners (I did La Tomatina with a package from this hostel)
    – Social
    – Lockers

    Cons
    – Fans didn’t work properly. I think it’d be freezing in winter.
    – Noisy (it is a party hostel however the majority of noise came from bars on the street outside)
    – Shared bathrooms a bit old/gross

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    Javea, Spain

    I stayed with family, sorry!

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14. Alicante, Spain

    Name: Hostel Olé

    Price Range: Reasonable (Less than 30 Euros/night but can’t remember exactly)

    Location: Central

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – Friendly staff
    – Good common area
    – Rooms nice and dark
    – Individual powerpoints and lights per bed
    – Good internet
    – Central
    – Some optional activities (like lunch and pub crawls) offered

    Cons:
    – Showers had glass doors which was a bit awkward…

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    Common room from above

    

    Common room

    

15. Granada, Spain

    Name: White Nest Hostel

    Price Range: Reasonable

    Location: SO CENTRAL!

    Pros:
    – LOCATION….Literally right beside The Alhambra
    – Staff got me a ticket to The Alhambra despite it being sold out
    – Good common area
    – Good kitchen
    – Events on offer
    – Very modern

    Cons
    – Rooms very dark
    – No aircon/fans…I think it would be very cold in winter.
    – Lack of power sockets in walls
    – Wifi didn’t work

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16. Málaga, Spain

    Name: Oasis Backpackers’ Hostel Malaga (This is a party hostel)

    Price Range: Reasonable

    Location: Central-ish. About 30 minutes walk to beach but is located right in the heart of the city.

    Pros:
    – Air con (but it came on at random times)
    – Fridge/freezer in room
    – Good common areas/terrace/bar
    – Central
    – Events on offer
    – Very modern

    Cons
    – Noisy from bar upstairs

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    Cordoba, Spain

    Name: Hostal Osio

    Price Range: Cheap (about 10 Euros per night)

    Location: Very central (Cordoba is tiny)

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – Quite friendly staff
    – Good kitchen
    – Ensuite

    Cons
    – Rooms were dark

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    Seville, Spain

    Name: Black Swan Hostel Sevilla

    Price Range: Reasonable

    Location: Central

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – Friendly staff
    – Good common area/great kitchen
    – Brand new in 2016
    – Events on offer
    – Very modern

    Cons
    – Some of it still unfinished (as of my stay)

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19. Lagos, Portugal

    Name: Boutique Taghostel

    Price Range: Reasonable

    Location: SO central. Right on the estuary.

    Pros:
    – Location
    – Great staff
    – Good common area/kitchen
    – Good breakfast
    – Hostel dog (!)
    – Rooms nice and bright

    Cons
    – Fans didn’t work well to cool the room. Think it would be freezing in winter.

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20. Lisbon, Portugal

    Name:Good Morning Hostel (THE BEST HOSTEL I’VE EVER STAYED AT)

    Price Range: Mid to high

    Location: Very central

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – Friendly staff
    – Good common area/great kitchen
    – THE BREAKFAST (which is included)….waffles with nutella, grilled cheese sandwiches, bacon and eggs!
    – Very social! Lots of events on offer every day…multiple tours (some free, some paid) to see Lisbon, Sintra and other places. Dinners offered at night (3 courses and sangria for 10 Euros) and pub crawls every night.
    – Each bunk had own power socket and light

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21. Porto, Portugal

    Name: Bluesock Hostel

    Price Range: Reasonable

    Location: Very central (50 metres from the river)

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – BEST STAFF AT ANY HOSTEL I HAVE EVER STAYED AT. They were all friendly and helpful (and also obsessed with great food, just like me!)
    – Good common area
    – The breakfast (optional extra) is great
    – Lots of events on offer like pub crawls, Port Wine, walking and tapas tours.
    – Each bunk had two power sockets, light and curtain

    Cons:
    – I don’t have anything to fault on this hostel other than the fact that it wasn’t compeletely finished when I stayed there.

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    Barcelona, Spain

    Name: Yeah Barcelona Hostel

    Price Range: Mid to high

    Location: Quite central (Barcelona is quite a big city)

    Pros:
    – Air con
    – Friendly staff
    – Great common area/great kitchen/bar
    – Computers in lobby
    – Each bed has little locker with light and power socket inside that you can lock to charge stuff overnight
    – Pool and terrace

So they’re all of the places I stayed. Feel free to comment and ask questions. I haven’t written everything about all of them (like whether they had ensuites or not because it’s not always a super big deal for me) but if you feel like I’ve missed anything out definitely comment. Hope this is helpful! I took a lot of recommendations from old and new friends way and I’m so glad that I did