Hostel 42
The volume hostel that runs the Skopje bar crawl
Skopje's biggest and longest-running backpacker hostel, with 2725+ reviews and a rooftop bar that doubles as the unofficial bar-crawl meeting point. Two blocks from Macedonia Square, three from the Stone Bridge.
Hostel 42 has been Skopje's default backpacker bed since the early 2010s, and at 2725 reviews it has more recorded stays than any other hostel in the country. The selling point has always been location: two blocks south of Macedonia Square, three blocks from the Stone Bridge to the Old Bazaar, and a 12-minute walk to the bus station — you cannot pick a more central base in Skopje without paying boutique-hotel rates.
The building is a converted residential block on a quiet side street; reception is on the ground floor with a small lounge, dorms spread over two upper floors, and the rooftop terrace is the social heart from May to October. The bar-crawl crew that runs the Macedonia Street → Debar Maalo circuit picks up here three nights a week, and the rooftop is where it starts most of the time.
Dorms are 4 to 8 beds, plain but functional — bunks have curtains and personal lockers, the AC is window-unit and noticeable at night, the WiFi reaches every floor. Privates are converted twin rooms with original parquet floors and a shared bathroom down the hall.
Do not come expecting boutique design or a quiet retreat. Come for the location, the rooftop, the price, and the fact that on any given night between April and September there will be 30 other backpackers in the lounge planning the same Matka Canyon trip you are.
- 01Most central hostel in Skopje — Macedonia Square in 2 minutes, Stone Bridge in 4, Old Bazaar in 8
- 02Rooftop terrace is the actual starting point of the Skopje bar crawl, no walking needed
- 03Cheapest reliable dorm bed in the city center at 13 EUR — privates start at 35 EUR
- 042725 recorded stays since 2014 — the most-tested formula in Skopje, you know what you are getting
- Most-reviewed hostel in North Macedonia (2725+)
- Rooftop bar with Macedonia Square views
- Bar-crawl meeting point three nights weekly
- 13 EUR dorm bed in the city center
“The house was perfect, in a very good and quiet neighborhood, near the city center. Staff were welcoming and the rooftop is amazing.”
“Hostel 42 is a basic and affordable option for accommodation in Skopje. Location near the center and friendly staff make it work.”
“It was a good day there, close to the city center, with a bakery and restaurants nearby. Rooftop bar at sunset is the highlight.”
- Macedonia Square2 min walk
- Stone Bridge4 min walk
- Old Bazaar (Stara Čaršija)8 min walk
- Skopje bus station12 min walk
- Kale Fortress14 min walk
- Mother Teresa Memorial House5 min walk
