The five seaside villages in Italy known as Cinque Terre have been memorizing visitors for centuries.
Each village is unique but they all share one thing: they are all so charming and easy on the eyes that it is hard to believe Cinque Terre is, in fact, a real place.
What’s not to love? Is it the stunning ocean views, cafes serving up ice cold white wine and dishes contains the Liguria region’s famous sauce, pesto? Or is it the series of interlinking hiking trails that make it easy to take it in the whole scene on foot? Too good.
The fact remains, however, that 1. Cinque Terre is located on the ritzy Italian Riviera and 2. Cinque Terre receives more visitors every year that the tiny villages can handle.
So how do backpackers fit into the equation? Is it even possible to find budget traveler accommodation in Cinque Terre?
To answer these questions, I bring you the ultimate bargain guide to the best hostels in Cinque Terre for 2021.
Cinque Terre might be a super popular and expensive backpacker destination, but there are some options.
I intend to shine the light on all of best hostels in Cinque Terre so that you can have an awesome backpacking experience here without spending a fortune in the process.
Whether you are looking for the best cheap hostel in Cinque Terre, the best hostel for solo travelers, or the best hostel with a private room, there is something on my list for every traveler.
By the end of this hostel guide you will have your accommodation needs sorted so you can get back to preparing your brain for Cinque Terre and all of its beautiful treasures.
Let’s get right to it…
The 10 Best Hostels in Cinque Terre
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Overall Best Hostel in Cinque Terre – 5 Terre Backpackers
- $$
- Free Breakfast
- Incredible Views
- Shuttle Service
Set in the town of Corvara just outside the Cinque Terre National Park, 5 Terre Backpackers is easily the overall best hostel in Cinque Terre. Simply put, it’s a magical place. Honestly. The host Francesco makes you feel welcome straight away and you’ll feel more like you’ve stepped into a family home than a Cinque Terre backpackers hostel! Needless to say, the food is amazing, the views out over the valley are breathtaking, and the mix of rustic and contemporary decor was perfecto. This best hostel in Cinque Terre 2021 offers shuttles to and from the National Park too – which helps A LOT.
5 Terre Backpackers is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Cinque Terre – Mar-Mar
- $$
- Free Breakfast
- Self Catering Facilities
- Location
Because it’s so cosy it’s actually really easy to meet people at this top hostel in Cinque Terre. A sprawling hostel can be too much sometimes and people spread out, but at Mar-Mar you won’t have that issue! Not only for that reason, but also because of its incredible central location in Riomaggiore – southernmost of the towns that comprise the Cinque Terre National Park – we reckon this is the best hostel for solo travellers in Cinque Terre. Add pastries and coffee for brekkie in the morning, plus a picture-perfect view over the town square from this hostel’s terrace, and this place is a gem.
Mar-Mar is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Best Cheap Hostel in Cinque Terre – Ostello Tramonti
- $
- Bar & Restaurant
- 24-Hour Security
- Shuttle Service
Ostello Tramonti is just outside the National Park, but also quite near to La Spezia – a town on the famous Golfo dei Poeti next to Portovenere. It’s our top pick for the best cheap hostel in Cinque Terre not only because it just happens to be the cheapest (that deffo helps), but also because it’s a nice lil’ place to stay: basic but clean and modern in a rustic old-world setting. The town it’s in – Biassa – is literally so charming you’ll be in love with it in no time. As a side-note: this budget hostel in Cinque Terre does not have the best WiFi, however.
Ostello Tramonti is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that still stands the test of time: the backpacker-approved Osprey Aether.
Want more deetz on why it’s so damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!
View on Osprey View on REIBest Hostel with a Private Room in Cinque Terre – Affittacamere Patrizia
- $$$
- Outdoor Terrace
- Hot Showers
- Luggage Storage
Oof, this place is expensive… but good. Very good in fact. Actually, the location is one of the best of any youth hostel in Cinque Terre – hands down. We’re talking right near the harbour in Riomaggiore and just 5 mins from the train station. So getting here is V easy indeed. However, as the best hostel with a private room in Cinque Terre, it’s got a selection of decent private rooms that are all nicely sized, bright and airy. The view from the cute terrace here is AMAZING. But yeah – it’s pretty expensive!
Affittacamere Patrizia is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
More Best Hostels in Cinque Terre
Hostel Ospitalia del Mare
- $$
- Free Breakfast
- No Curfew
- Outdoor Terrace
Wow! What a cool building. This top hostel in Cinque Terre is set in an Augustinian friary dating from the 12th century, which in terms of historic chic (is that a thing?) makes it the coolest hostel in Cinque Terre, too. Location-wise you’ll love this one since it’s right near the start of the northern end of the National Park itself in a town called Levanto – also 100 metres from the sea; 15 mins to the train station. The private rooms are quite expensive and it’s not 10/10 in terms of cleanliness, but it’s spacious as hell. A decent base for exploring Cinque Terre.
Hostel Ospitalia del Mare is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Ostello Corniglia
- $
- Cafe
- Outdoor Terrace
- Air Conditioning
Ostello Corniglia is located in the third of the five Cinque Terre villages (Corniglia – obvs) and is a great choice for a budget hostel in Cinque Terre – especially if you’re hiking from one end of the National Park to the other. It’s a decent place for a stop-off. What are we saying? It’s more than decent! MUCH MORE! The town of Corniglia itself is literally charming AF and as long as you don’t mind church bells and roosters in the morning and other nuances of Ligurian life, then you’ll love it here; for instance, there are many, many stairs to get to and from town. Many stairs. Many, many, many stairs.
Ostello Corniglia is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Ostello di Porto Venere
- $$
- No Curfew
- Common Room
- Hiking Trail Maps
As you may have guessed this Cinque Terre backpackers hostel is located in the town of Portovenere – part of the same UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by the Cinque Terre town. However not being in the ACTUAL National Park itself means that the town is actually quieter than the other Cinque Terre towns, meaning fewer tourists and a generally chill-er atmosphere. The staff are friendly and helpful, the rooms are spacious and clean, but it IS quiet and not about partying. There’s also a beach nearby, plus a supermarket that’s got some good takeaway food.
Ostello di Porto Venere is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Cinque Terre Holidays
- $$$
- Bicycle Hire
- Hot Showers
- Self Catering Facilities
Though lacking a common room, the upside is that each dorm has a small kitchen and en-suite bathroom. So that’s fine. Cinque Terre Holidays is very nicely located in the centre of Riomaggiore with plenty of things to do nearby, so it’s a decent place to start or finish your journey through the National Park. The decor of this youth hostel in Cinque Terre is a little dated, well, maybe we can just say ‘rustic’, but other than that the vibe is pretty friendly and meeting people here is pretty easy, too. However, it is a little pricey – relatively, of course. The sunset from the beach nearby is spectacular. (Note: they don’t allow over 24-year-olds to stay in dorms).
Cinque Terre Holidays is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Feeling like a hostel just isn’t for you? We understand. Luckily there are a load of hotels and guesthouses dotted around this popular slice of Ligurian coastline. Here’s a couple of the best hotels in Cinque Terre…
Best Mid-range Hotel in Cinque Terre – Villa Argentina
- $$$
- (Amazing) Free Breakfast
- Bar & Restaurant
- Location Location Location
For the price, this is actually a pretty reasonable place to stay in Cinque Terre. For the location too, in the town of Riomaggiore, this is a top pick (also 9 mins walking to the beach). But what really made us choose this as our best mid-range hotel in Cinque Terre is the… breakfast. Could you have guessed that? Well, we flippin’ love breakfasts and this one is just unreal – what a spread of meats and fruits and toast and all sorts of foodstuffs! It’s like a banquet EVERY. MORNING. Perfect fuel for the rest of your day. And it can also be served in your room, which just makes us cry tears of utter joy. The place itself looks V stylish too and the rooms are comfy. Win-win.
Best Budget Hotel in Cinque Terre – Clipper
- $
- Sea View
- Free Toiletries
- Air Conditioning
The enigmatically named Clipper is located a little bit far out from the Cinque Terre National Park, but the town in which it IS located – Deiva Marina – is a nice little place in itself. There’s a beach nearby, for example, plus a bar and restaurant on site. The rooms are charming – picture big windows with views right out onto the sea (it is LITERALLY across the road!) in what’s essentially a traditionally Italian building with modern touches. So it’s easily our top choice for the best budget hotel in Cinque Terre – and the price makes it even nicer.
Clipper is one of our favourites in Cinque Terre but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
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What to Pack for your Cinque Terre Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from us, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straight forward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art we have perfected over many years.
Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
Why you should travel to Cinque Terre
Well guys, you have made it to the final chapter of my best hostels in Cinque Terre for 2021 list.
As you might of gathered, Cinque Terre is SUPER popular and costs can add up quick if you’re not careful.
After reading this guide you should have everything you need to book a comfortable, low-priced hostel for yourself in Cinque Terre .
Backpacking Italy is truly a magical experience, and Cinque Terre is abig part of that. Between the amazing views, rich history, and amazing food, what is not to enjoy?
The goal in writing this hostel guide was to put all of the best hostels in Cinque Terre on the table so you can make the choice of where to book based on your own budget and interests.
All of the best hostels in Cinque Terre are now in your pocket. Where to book is now up to you…
Still not sure where you want to stay in Cinque Terre? Feeling torn between two awesome hostels?
Never fear!
When in doubt I recommend that you just book my top overall pick for the best hostel in Cinque Terre: 5 Terre Backpackers. Happy travelers and enjoy the pesto for me…
FAQ about Hostels in Cinque Terre
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Cinque Terre.
Travel Safety Tips for Cinque Terre
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More Epic Hostels in Italy and Europe
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Cinque Terre.
Planning an epic trip all across Italy or even Europe itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around Europe, check out:
Over to you
By now I hope our epic guide to the best hostels in Cinque Terre has helped you choose the perfect hostel for your adventure!
If you think we’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit us up in the comments!
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
