Lithuania’s capital might be little known to many people, but Vilnius is bursting with Baroque beauty, crumbling old lanes hiding edgy creativity, a bold and liberal atmosphere, and a complex history. There’s a whole lot going for this non-touristed Lithuanian city.
Erupting out of a pretty heavy Soviet era (there’s loads of museums about that), Vilnius is now complete with boutiques, cool bars, a lively nightlife plus a heck of a lot of charming streets to basically get lost down. A cool, fascinating place for any backpacker to explore.
But… where is Vilnius again? Seriously, are there even any hotels here let alone backpacker-friendly hostels for you to stay in on a budget?
YES! Loads of places! And we’ve made life super easy for you by sorting through all the best hostels in Vilnius so you can find the one that will suit you most.
Our handy list of the top Vilnius backpacker hostels awaits!
Quick answer: The Best Hostels in Vilnius
- Best Overall Hostel in Vilnius – Mikalo House
- Best Party Hostel in Vilnius – Jimmy Jumps House Hostel
- Best Cheap Hostel in Vilnius – Pogo Hostel
- Best Hostel for Couples in Vilnius – Downtown Hotel & Forest Camping
- Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Vilnius – 25 Hours Hostel
The Best Hostels in Vilnius
Before you start booking your accommodation, you have to figure out where to stay in Vilnius. The city isn’t the smallest and there are a lot of awesome neighbourhoods. Once you’ve decided on the best place for you, let’s have a look at the perfect hostel for you!
Mikalo House – Best Overall Hostel in Vilnius
Mikalo House is a slice of homely cosiness with a super friendly host on hand to help you with whatever you might need – and quite easily the best overall hostel in Vilnius. (Possibly down to the amazing host).The social area is pretty cool here, plus the kitchen is (ALWAYS) a great place to get chatting to new people. This Vilnius backpackers hostel is also just a couple of minutes walk to the old town. Rooms are simple, but clean and well maintained.
Jimmy Jumps House Hostel – Best Party Hostel in Vilnius
With its friendly and fun atmosphere (I mean, couldn’t you tell from the zany name?) this top hostel in Vilnius was actually set up by a Canadian who loves to travel, so you can trust that the atmosphere here is one that a lot of backpackers can get on board with.And yep, it’s fun and the vibe is good for getting to know people. But in essence let’s be honest: this place is a party hostel. The best party hostel in Vilnius in fact. It’s all about drinking and good times. There’s a bar. And in the morning you get free waffles. Fine by us.
Pogo Hostel – Best Cheap Hostel in Vilnius
Set in a part of Vilnius that’s pretty much the ‘alternative’ area, this Vilnius backpackers hostel is a great shout if you like nightlife. But the hostel itself is pretty quiet, not in a dead way but in a chilled way.There’s not a lot of anything going on (activities or such like), but the staff are nice and the rooms are decent enough. Basically, if you’re looking for the best cheap hostel in Vilnius, well, here it is. As we often say, don’t expect the Ritz though.
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View on Osprey View on REIDowntown Hotel & Forest Camping – Best Hostel for Couples in Vilnius
A super cute place, don’t be fooled by the name – it ain’t just forest camping (you can, however, camp if you like). The best hostel for couples in Vilnius, this place is set in a creative lil’ pocket of the city and it’s rustic and warm. Cute, like we said.So yeah, it’s not actually a forest: it’s a garden with loads of trees in it. But never mind. This recommended hostel in Vilnius is peaceful and has a lot of heart. There’s a fireplace in the lobby. The staff are nice and leave notes and earplugs next to your bed. The beer garden is a chill place to hang out and get chatting to locals, too.
25 Hours Hostel – Best Hostel for Solo Travellers in Vilnius
Hostel? Really? But that’s literally crazy. Anyway… this recommended hostel in Vilnius is super friendly and ultra clean, which are always things that help a hostel not be bad. No bunk beds definitely help too: no creaking!Vibe wise, well, it’s small and quiet, but it’s still a decent place to meet fellow backpackers. Plus if you want atmosphere you can head out into town with your new mates – it’s just a short walk to the old town, plus pretty close to the bus station too.
Fabrika Hostel & Gallery – Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Vilnius
One of the coolest hostels in Vilnius, this place is all minimalist and modern industrial chic, which is pretty stylish we gotta say. There’s loads of benches with stools, and tables and chairs, making it good if you’ve got a laptop and you’re raring to go with some hardcore emailing.So, yeah, it’s the best hostel for digital nomads in Vilnius, too. This place is also close to the city centre, so you can easily escape from your new workspace if you need to and head to a local cafe or do a lil’ bit of shopping or something.
B&B&B&B&B – Best Hostel with a Private Room in Vilnius
Nice, nice, nice, very nice, and probably actually the coolest hostel in Vilnius, we might just wanna move into this place it’s just THAT chic. Seriously. Quirky little design touches like wooden palettes, houseplants everywhere, old floorboards – and is that a skate ramp inside…?Even the bar is cool. And they play loud music at the weekends. But DANG this is the best hostel with a private room in Vilnius. They are literally like stylish little city apartments. Cool, spacious, fun… I mean, we could go on about this TOP hostel in Vilnius…
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Hide Yo’ Money!More Best Hostels In Vilnius
Haven’t found the right hostel for you yet? Don’t worry, we’ve got even more coming your way! Remember to plan your trip beforehand, so you don’t end up stressed because you might miss out on something.
Filaretai Hostel
This Vilnius backpackers hostel is set inside a BIG building and although it’s a lil’ bit outta town, you can still get to the old town pretty easily by using your feet to walk there. Yep, but this place is big: 84 beds big to be exact.There’s a kitchen here to make yourself some snacks and stuff. And unless you’re lucky you’re probs not gonna make a lotta new friends, but it’s a decent place to stay and the decor is pretty cool too. A good place to stay if you’re already WITH friends, we reckon.
Hostel Jamika
A great place to meet people and get together with some fellow travellers, this recommended hostel in Vilnius features a nice lil’ backyard area to socialise in which is always fun. The hostel also puts on events like trips to the flea market, movie nights and burger days… and it has a bar. I mean, we’re IN!!!Probably one of the best social hostels in Vilnius, this place also comes WITHOUT bunk beds (always a plus for us) – instead they have actual beds with privacy curtains around them. There is a vague music theme here: Bob Marley features quite a lot.
Hostelgate
Hostel Gait is an easygoing, chilled out place to stay. It boasts big common areas where you can chill with a cup of tea or coffee or whatever. You can even chill in the hostel SAUNA. Whaaat? Yep, that’s right, there is one here.Located next to the Gate of Dawn in the old town, staying at this top hostel in Vilnius means being just a short stroll from churches and other stuff in the area. The helpful staff will also give you insider tips to find proper Lithuanian places to eat and drink.
What to Pack for your Vilnius 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.
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
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Grayl Geopress Water Bottle
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Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
Why you should travel to Vilnius
So there you have it. Don’t you feel enlightened about the best hostels in Vilnius now?
There are loads of cool places to suit the equally cool Lithuanian capital – from hostels that ooze design led cool to places primed and ready to party.
Whether you want to be near the old town and its cool bars or further out of town in a chilled hostel, we reckon you’ll find a hostel here that’s right for you.
But if you still can’t decide? Don’t worry! We totally understand…So for an easy decision, we’d say just go for Mikalo House, easily the best overall hostel in Vilnius.
Now you’ll have a base from where you can truly discover one of Europe’s lesser-known gems. Enjoy!
FAQ about Hostels in Vilnius
Here are some questions backpackers ask about hostels in Vilnius.
Travel Safety Tips for Vilnius
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More Epic Hostels in Lithuania and Europe
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Vilnius.
Planning an epic trip all across Lithuania 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 Vilnius 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!
- Check out our extensive guide to backpacking in Eastern Europe
- Keep things affordable with our guide to a budget trip to Europe.
- Check out the best places to stay in Vilnius before you arrive.
- Remember to grab yourself an international sim card for Europe to avoid any issues.
- Prepare for your trip with our backpacking packing list.
- Sort out your travel insurance for Europe before your trip.
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!
