Breathtaking beaches, Roman ruins, looming volcanoes, and pristine resistance architecture; it’s not every day you get the chance to explore everything from museums and castles to beaches and night clubs in one place. So welcome to Catania in Sicily!
Arguably the most beautiful region in all of Italy, Catania has everything that you could ever want out of your European holiday.
With its rich history, mouthwatering food, hikes leading you into the idyllic countryside, and piazzas showcasing typical Sycillian life, you will be both going local and living a life of luxury throughout your adventure in Catania!
It won’t take too much to convince you to get on the first plane or boat to the south of Italy to check out Catania for yourself, but one thing that may have you stumped is where to stay. As a backpacker, you’ll have to look at the price, atmosphere, and location of your hostel.
With so many great places to choose from in Catania, you could easily spend hours browsing through the various dorm rooms throughout the city.
Let us save you some time and get you back to what beaches to hit up first. We gathered all the best hostels in Catania into one place so you can book with the confidence that you’ll be staying in only the top places in Sicily!
No matter if you want to hit the museums or hit the beach, Catania is a destination that is sure to knock your socks off!
Quick Answer: The Best Hostels in Catania
- Best Overall Hostel in Catania – The Yard Hostel
- Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Catania – UrbanPop
- Best Cheap Hostel in Catania – City-in Hostel
- Best Party Hostel in Catania – Ostello degli Elefanti
- Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Catania – Casa Verdi – House of Travelers
The Broke Backpacker is supported by you. Clicking through our links may earn us a small affiliate commission, and that's what allows us to keep producing free content 🙂 Learn more.
The Best Hostels in Catania
If you’re visiting Italy and want to avoid the crowds then Catania is a good shout. We know you can’t wait to hike up to the top of the historic Castello Ursino and take a dip into the Mediterranean. But first, you’ll need to find that perfect place to base yourself out of in Catania. With each stay a little different from the next, be sure to keep your eyes open for the hostel that best fits how you like to travel!
The Yard Hostel – Best Overall Hostel in Catania
The Yard Hostel in Catania tops the list of the best places to stay in all of Sicily. This youthful and trendy hostel is decorated colorfully and is full of room to spread out and hang out with the other guests. Putting you right in the heart of the city, you can easily reach all the best bars, sites, and shops right from your door! But what really separates The Yard Hostel from the rest is all the extra perks.
Not only do you have creative spaces where you can hang out, but this backpacker’s hostel also has an outdoor terrace, a shared kitchen, and a games room. Looking to grab a bite to eat or drink? The Yard Hostel even has an onsite bar and restaurant.
UrbanPop – Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Catania
Have you been on the road for a while and are looking for a backpacker’s hostel where you can just kick back and meet other backpackers? There’s no better place in all of Catania for solo travelers to socialize with other guests than Urban Pop!
With all the relaxing atmosphere of a youth hostel and the charm of a bed and breakfast, Urban Pop gives you the best of both worlds. What will really have you sold on this backpacker’s hostel is the location, right by all the best sites in Catania.
With a shared kitchen and free breakfast every morning, you’ll be leaping out of bed each morning to get a hot meal before starting your day!
City-in Hostel – Best Cheap Hostel in Catania
For any backpacker, Europe is not a cheap region to be traveling through. You can easily spend an arm and a leg every day of your journey, especially with the tourist hubs found around Italy. Why not save a bit of extra cash in Catania by staying at City-in Hostel. Hooking you up with cheap rooms is just the beginning; this youth hostel will give you a bed and breakfast style experience while housing you in a laidback backpacker’s atmosphere.
You’ll find tons of restaurants and bars by the hostel, but if you want to stay close to home and save even more money, you’ll have access to a shared kitchen and even a cafe at the City-in Hostel B&B!
We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.
Want more deetz on why these packs are so damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!
View on Osprey View on REIOstello degli Elefanti – Best Party Hostel in Catania
At Ostello degli Elefanti, you’ll be sipping on wine and drinking beers in style. Situated in music and art rooms with a history stretching back to the 1600s, you can party in a slice of local history! Not only is the hostel a part of Catania’s heritage, but you’ll also find some of the best sites located right nearby. With a rooftop terrace offering breathtaking views of the city and a laid back atmosphere perfect for relaxing and chatting with other guests, there’s no better hostel to take in the beauty of Catania while socializing.
Top things off with a bar and free breakfast served every morning, and you’ll never want to check out of Ostello degli Elefanti!
Casa Verdi – House of Travelers – Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Catania
Have you been on the road traveling so much you haven’t found time to open up that laptop and get back to work? If you’re a digital nomad, Casa Verdi, also known as the House of Travelers, stands as the ultimate choice for lodging in Catania. At this backpacker’s hostel, not only will you score cheap beds perfect for the average budget traveler, but you’ll also have tons of room to spread out in and get to work.
With a lounge and an outdoor terrace, you can take in the sunshine or lounge about on the sofa, depending on your mood! Although you have tons of places to eat at nearby, Casa Verdi also has its very own cafe where you can order a delicious meal!
Globetrotter Catania – Best Hostel for Couples in Catania
Catania is one of the most romantic places on the planet, so you definitely won’t want to be confined to a dorm room with your partner. Why not book yourself into this cozy bed and breakfast that fits the budget of any traveler? With private rooms for around the same price that you’d find at a hostel, Globetrotter Catania will have you relaxing with all the comforts of home.
Not only will you be sleeping on cloud nine at Globetrotter Catania, but this stay also has an outdoor terrace perfect for relaxing after a long day of sightseeing. Complete with a cafe serving up a delicious breakfast every morning, you’ll have everything you need to make this trip a holiday to remember!
Stash your cash safely with this money belt. It will keep your valuables safely concealed, no matter where you go.
It looks exactly like a normal belt except for a SECRET interior pocket perfectly designed to hide a wad of cash, a passport photocopy or anything else you may wish to hide. Never get caught with your pants down again! (Unless you want to…)
Hide Yo’ Money!More of the Best Hostels in Catania
Eco Hostel
Putting you just a few steps away from the famous fish market and Piazza Duomo, Eco Hostel will have you staying in the thick of the action of downtown Catania. But the location is just the beginning! This backpacker’s hostel ditches the dull old dorm rooms and gives you your very own pod! With twice the comfort and privacy of your average dorm bed, you get added privacy for the same price! When you’re not getting some shut-eye, Eco Hostel will make sure to start every day right with a free breakfast, and bring every perfect day in Catania to a close with a drink from their onsite bar!
What to Pack for your Catania Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from me, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straightforward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art I have perfected over many years.
Ear Plugs
Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.
Hanging Laundry Bag
Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.
Sea To Summit Micro Towel
Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.
Monopoly Deal
Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.
Grayl Geopress Water Bottle
Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!
Check out my definitive Hostel Packing list for even more top hostel packing tips!
Why you should travel to Catania
From the bars to the beaches, there are so many different ways to enjoy Catania. With days spent wandering the Roman Theatre and nights spent tearing up the dancefloor, you can be sure that no two days in Catania will ever be the same. And the fun will always begin from your backpacker’s hostel!
If you still haven’t decided which hostel to book yourself into, let us point you in the right direction. If you’re looking for that one stay that will tick all the boxes, why not check into The Yard Hostel, our pick for the best hostel in Catania!
FAQ about Hostels in Catania
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Catania.
How much does a hostel cost in Catania?
The price of dorms in Catania ranges just around $25-$40 per stay, while private rooms are around $40-$100.
What are the best hostels in Catania for couples?
Globetrotter Catania is the ideal hostel for couples. It’s strategically located at the city center near a lot of attractions and the overall hostel has a clean cozy ambiance.
What are the best hostels in Catania near the airport?
Most hostels are actually within 15 mins ride to the airport, however City-in Hostel is the best hostel closest to the airport.
Travel Safety Tips for Catania
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!
Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.
Over to you
Catania is not just a stopover on an extended trip across Italy. You’ll quickly come to realize that the second-largest city in Sicily packs quite a punch, and not even an entire week can do Catania justice! With hikes in the national park taking you to some of the most stunning views of Mount Etna, and boat rides that will have you taking in the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean, no place on the planet offers as much diverse beauty. With its Roman history and insane modern nightlife, you can be a bookworm by day and a party animal by night! No matter what kind of traveler you are, Catania has something for you.
The hostel you choose to call home will truly set the tone for your entire trip to Sicily. Will you be taking the party from your dorm room to the dance floor, or will you have quiet nights relaxing in the lounge chatting over a few beers? Depending on what backpacker’s hostel you check into, your trip will be vastly different.
Have you ever traveled to Catania? We would love to hear about your trip! Let us know in the comments below if there are any great backpacker’s hostels we may have missed!
- Check out our extensive guide to backpacking in Italy for a wealth of info!
- Not sure what to do once you arrive? We’ve got all the best places to visit in Italy covered.
- Skip the dorm and find a super cool Airbnb in Italy if you’re feeling fancy!
- Check out the best places to stay in Catania before you arrive.
- Remember to grab yourself an international sim card for Italy to avoid any issues.
- Prepare for your trip with our backpacking packing list.
- Get ready for your next destination with our ultimate Europe backpacking guide.
Buy Us a Coffee!
A couple of you lovely readers suggested we set up a tip jar for direct support as an alternative to booking through our links. So we created one!
You can now buy The Broke Backpacker a coffee. If you like and use our content to plan your trips, it’s a much appreciated way to show appreciation 🙂
