Hostel Review: Hostel Pisa in Italy

There are lots of different hostels in the world that have the same kind of facilities, but totally different vibes. You get party hostels, working hostels, family hostels… But as they can look the same on paper, you don’t really know what you’ve let yourself in for until you get there.

Well I didn’t really know what to expect from Hostel Pisa when I visited this month. But I was secretly hoping it wasn’t a party hostel after 3 full-on days in Cinque Terre. Luckily I was rewarded with one of those gems – a completely chilled hostel. This is the kind of hostel that gives you a break from the whirlwind that backpacking life can be.

Hostel Pisa is about 5 mins walk from the train station so easily accessible. And when I arrived, I was greeted with welcoming staff, a really chilled common area and a relaxing outdoors area, which in the sunshine felt just like a beer garden.

I stayed in a 6 bed mixed dorm and the room was clean and the bathroom was nice, and lockers were available. Oh and free WiFi! So all the basics were covered.

There’s no kitchen in this hostel but as Pisa is only really a 1 night stay kind of place, it doesn’t really matter. Especially when the food they serve is so cheap!

Ok so let’s face it, we’re all in Pisa to see the leaning tower, so how close is it? Well it’s about a 25 minute walk away. That sounds far but it’s actually a really nice walk over the river and through the city centre. And I’d rather be closer to the station than have to lug my backpack that far!

Anyway, like I was saying, I was after a quiet one in Pisa, so decided to chill in the hostel for the evening. It was quite sociable with lots of people around, but just so laid back with people playing pool or table football and just chatting. I really liked it.

They also played music videos on a big screen outside so it was a nice atmosphere. Especially when beers are €2 a pop.

My favourite part of my stay at Hostel Pisa? THE €7 ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET. Honestly I think it’s dangerous doing an all you can eat deal for backpackers. We all want to save money so are likely to skip a meal beforehand to make the most it. But anyway, the buffet was awesome for what it was – pizza, pasta, salad… Yum! And it even includes a drink in the deal. What an absolute dreamboat.