Best Party Hostels
12 February 2026 · 9 min read
The top hostel pub crawls in Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, Berlin, Krakow, and Barcelona. Routes, costs, and what to expect at each stop.
Why Hostel Pub Crawls Are Worth It
Hostel pub crawls are the fastest way to meet people, learn a city's nightlife, and avoid tourist-trap bars. Most are run by hostel staff or local guides who know which venues give the best deals and which districts to focus on. They typically visit 3-5 bars over 3-4 hours, ending at a club with free or discounted entry.
Costs vary by city: free to join in some Eastern European cities (you pay for your own drinks), or $15-25 in Western Europe (usually includes a few free drinks and club entry). The value is not just the drinks. It is a ready-made social group on your first night in a new city. Solo travellers find them especially useful.
The best pub crawls are the ones run by hostels themselves, not third-party companies. Hostel-run crawls attract the people you are already staying with, which means the social connections last beyond one night. Here are the best in each city.
Amsterdam: The Flying Pig Pub Crawl
The Flying Pig Downtown runs one of Europe's oldest hostel pub crawls, departing from their bar on Nieuwendijk every night at 9pm. The route covers 4 bars in the Red Light District and Nieuwmarkt area, finishing at a club on Rembrandtplein around 1am. Cost: free to join (Pig guests only), pay for your own drinks.
Amsterdam's bar scene clusters around three areas: Leidseplein (mainstream clubs and cocktail bars), Rembrandtplein (large venues, student crowd), and De Pijp (craft beer bars, local crowd). A beer at a bar costs $5-7. Pre-game at the hostel bar first.
Alternative: Sandeman's New Amsterdam Pub Crawl ($20, includes 3 free drinks and club entry) runs nightly and is open to anyone. It hits some of the same venues but with a larger group (50-80 people on busy nights).
Prague: The Madhouse Pub Crawl
Prague is the pub crawl capital of Europe. Cheap beer ($1.50-2 for a half-litre of excellent Czech lager), a compact old town, and a concentration of party hostels make it the perfect city for bar hopping. Madhouse Prague runs a nightly crawl through the Old Town: 4 bars, 1 hour unlimited drinks at the first stop, ending at a 5-story club around midnight.
The Prague Pub Crawl (the biggest commercial operation) runs from the Astronomical Clock at 8:30pm nightly, hitting bars on Dlouha Street and finishing at Karlovy Lazne (a 5-floor club in a converted bathhouse on the river). Cost: $20 including 1 hour unlimited drinks and club entry.
For something more personal, Sir Toby's Hostel in Holesovice runs a weekly beer tour through Prague's craft brewery scene. Smaller groups (15-20 people), better beer, and a neighbourhood most tourists miss.
Budapest: The Ruin Bar Circuit
Budapest's ruin bar district in the VII District (Jewish Quarter) is a pub crawl in itself. Szimpla Kert, Instant-Fogas, Elloato Kert, Mazel Tov, and a dozen smaller bars sit within a 5-minute walk of each other. No guide needed. Just follow the noise.
Carpe Noctem Vitae and Retox Party Hostel both run nightly pub crawls through the ruin bars, usually starting with pre-drinks at the hostel bar then hitting 4-5 venues. Free for guests; non-guests pay $10-15. A large beer in a ruin bar costs $2-3; cocktails $4-6.
The best route: Start at Szimpla Kert (the original ruin bar, arrive before 10pm to avoid the queue), walk to Instant-Fogas (the mega-venue with 7 rooms across 2 buildings), then finish at Elloato Kert (outdoor courtyard, good music, younger crowd). The whole circuit takes 10 minutes on foot.
Berlin, Krakow, and Barcelona
Berlin: Forget pub crawls. Berlin's club scene is about committing to one venue for the whole night. Berghain (techno, if you get past the door), Tresor (industrial techno in a former power station), and Watergate (Spree riverside, house music). Clubs open at midnight, peak at 4am, and many run continuously until Monday. Generator Mitte and Circus Hostel are well-positioned for the Mitte and Kreuzberg club districts.
Krakow: Greg & Tom Beer House runs what might be Europe's most generous pub crawl: nightly, free for guests, with a free beer hour to start. The route covers Kazimierz's bar scene (Alchemia, Miejsce, Mleczarnia) and ends at a club in the Old Town. Krakow's nightlife is extremely cheap: $2 beers, $3 vodka shots, $5 cocktails.
Barcelona: The Gothic Quarter and El Born neighbourhood pack bars into medieval streets. St Christopher's Inn and Kabul Party Hostel both run nightly crawls ending on La Rambla or in the Port Olympic club strip. Barcelona nights start late: dinner at 10pm, bars at midnight, clubs at 2am. Budget $25-30 for a night out (drinks are $5-8 in the touristy areas, $3-5 in local spots).
