Many travelers in Sardinia like to stay in hostels and 1-star hotels. So do I. For that purpose, I've put together a list of hostels I've stayed at while traveling in Sardinia or heard of and included online reviews for your traveling pleasure. I'm not going to include an agriturismi in this post - those will come later. Most hostels in Sardinia are part of the Hostelling International community, so paying for an HI membership is well worth it – you’ll get better prices.
Since the bulk of Sardinian tourism is clustered around the coasts, most Sardinia hostels are also along the coast since the backpacking set tend to like beaches. Go figure. To kick of our list, let's start in Alghero.
Best hostel in Alghero
Ostelli di Alghero
Via Parenzo n° 79 Fertilia (Sassari), Alghero
Price: Dorm beds from €15. Private rooms from €20/person. Seasonal prices may vary.
Lively, clean, attracts world travelers
The best hostel in Alghero isn't actually in Alghero. It's in Fertilia, about five km from central Alghero. Since Sardinia's second-biggest airport is also in Fertilia, it makes sense right? I last stayed at Ostelli di Alghero in 2006 and found it clean, quiet, but lacking in a communal kitchen. If cooking your own 4-star meals is your thing, stay elsewhere, but I got along just fine on sandwiches and salads. It’s on the bus line directly from Alghero and the airport, so it’s very easy to get to. Fertilia is very much a bedroom community, so shops and bars are few, but you’ll be spending most of your time in Alghero anyway.
The best part of the hostel is its proximity to the beaches of Lazaretto, Le Bombarde, and the closest – Punta Negra. Punta negra is literally a 5 minute walk, but I’d recommend throwing on some comfortable shoes and heading straight for Le Bombarde, really one of the nicest beaches in Sardinia.
Highly recommended for those including Alghero in their Sardinia travels.
Best hostel near Castelsardo
Golfo Dell'Asinara Hostel
Via Sardegna 1
07031 Loc Lu Bagnu
Castelsardo (SS)
Tel. +39-079-474031
Fax. +39-079-474031
ostello.asinara@tiscali.it
Price: Dorm beds from €13, private rooms vary. Seasonal prices may vary.
Quiet, relaxing, attracts interesting people
Castelsardo is an old fortress town from the Genoese Doria days. It’s named after the huge castle towering over the village which actually used to be called Casteldoria – after the Doria family that built it. However, once Sardinia officially became part of Italy in the 1800s, it seemed more political to name it Castelsardo. It’s a lovely village and sits along the coastal roads between Porto Cervo and Alghero. Well worth a stop to visit some of the beaches and check out the castle.
The hostel is in Lu Bagnu, a holiday village about five km from Castelsardo. Although I havne’t stayed there personally, I have it on excellent authority that it’s quiet, and attracts interesting travelers – not the typical Grand Tour of Europe types. From the hostel, you can take a bus directly to and from Fertilia airport, Castelsardo, and Valledoria places you won’t want to miss while traveling in Sardinia. You can also rent bikes, canoes, and take guided treks along the countryside. The hostel overlooks the sea and has a nice veranda.
Recommended for those looking for a laid-back, quiet holiday in Sardinia.
Best hostel in Bosa
Hostel Malaspina
Via Sardegna 1
08013 Bosa NUORO
Tel. +39-346-2363844 / 339 7751121
Fax. +39-0785-375649
valevacanzesardegna@hotmail.it
Prices: €13 for dorm beds, private rooms vary.
Lively, attracts divers and windsurfers
Bosa is one of my favorite active vacation spots with opportunities for excursions: like guided tours to the last colony of gryphon vultures, windsurfing, and Sardinia scuba-diving outings among spectacular coral kingdoms.
The city has fascinating ruins of the Malaspina Castle, built in 1112, but the town’s existence, at the source of one of Sardinia’s few rivers, can be documented even father back by Phoenician inscriptions from the 9th century BC. There is also numerous other evidence from the prehistoric era like the Domus de Janas and the nuraghi (prehistoric stone houses).
The hostel is very close to a good windsurfing beach and offers clean rooms and free European breakfast. The city center, with shops, bars, and the castle ruins are an easy 20-30 minute walk or a 10 minute bus ride from a bus that stops a block away.
The hostel staff speaks excellent English and can help you arrange any activities, including bike or kayak rentals, as well as scuba and snorkeling excursions.
Recommended for active Sardinia travelers.
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