Tartu
Estonia.
Estonia · 4 districts · 1 vibes
4 handpicked hostels in Tartu, sorted by traveler rating.
Tartu is Estonia's intellectual capital — second largest city (95k people), home to the country's oldest university (founded 1632), and 2024 European Capital of Culture. Four quality hostels span the Soola street bus terminal area to the wooden Karlova district: Hostel Tartu's free morning sauna, Looming's artist-decorated rooms in a 19th-century wooden house, ROHE's per-room kitchenette in quiet Tähtvere, Downtown Hostel's 9.8 location score on Raatuse 22. Lux Express buses connect to Tallinn (2h15) and Riga (4h). Cheaper than Tallinn, deeper than Helsinki for cafe culture.
What to do in Tartu.
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Best Hostels in Tartu
4 handpicked hostels in Tartu, sorted by traveler rating.
Hostel Tartu
Hostel Tartu sits on Soola street at the back of Tartu's bus terminal — three minutes' walk to the Town Hall Square and the Kissing Students fountain, with a free morning sauna and a buffet breakfast that locals quietly envy. Couples and family travelers rate the location 9.7, and the property has the highest share of repeat guests of any hostel in Tartu.
Downtown Hostel
Downtown Hostel is the cheapest central pick in Tartu — a basic, well-located stay on Raatuse 22, two minutes' walk to the Town Hall Square and three to the Aparaaditehas creative quarter. Couples in particular rate the location 9.8. Shared kitchen, ping-pong table, free private parking, and an 8.6 rating across 902 reviews from a guest base that skews student.
Looming Hostel
Looming Hostel is Tartu's eco-and-art-led pick — a renovated 19th-century wooden house in the Karlova neighborhood with rooms decorated by local artists, a back terrace strung with hammocks, and the only proper shared kitchen with a coffee machine that any Tartu hostel offers. 969 reviews and an 8.4 rating make it the most-tested social hostel in town.
ROHE Hostel
ROHE Hostel is the newest hostel in Tartu — a small, garden-equipped stay on Kreutzwaldi 52 in the quieter Tähtvere district, two minutes from V Spa and the university stadium. Each room has its own kitchenette and a private bathroom, washing machine and dryer included. With 81 reviews and an 8.1 rating, it's the property to pick if you want privacy and a quiet residential street over the central party scene.