Mike

Can anyone recommend any nice, clean hostels throughout Italy? I'm looking to spend about 3 weeks going all through Italy this May! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Simon

Sure. I have stayed at the following:
Napoli IYHF (not clean)
Roma IYHF (somewhat out of center in the Olympic Vilage)
Nicolosi (extremely clean and organised)
Rieti-terminillo (very beautiful and very clean)
Venezia (beautiful location and clean)

My favs were Terminillo, Nicolosi, Venezia in that order.

Hope

My daughter stayed at and then worked in the Trieste Youth Hostel this past summer. It right on the water and she enjoyed the whole experience.

alfred

Mike,
The youth hostel in Venice (which I stayed in while I was there a month ago) is probably your best bet. It's very "institutional" (run just like a dorm) and the location may be a little far (you have to take a boat there), but it's cheap, tidy, spacious, airy, and if you get one of the rooms that's facing the canal, the view is just breathtaking.
Hope this helps and have fun!
Alfred

Suzy

Buy a tour guide, for heavens sake. (Let's Go, by Harvard Students excellent). Join Hostels International (they have a website). Put your own effort into it. Or else...

Anna

First hand recommendations are best, you may want to go to www.eurotrip.com for some information on good hostels in Italy. I stayed at the hostel on Giudeccia Island in Venice back in 1995, it was clean and modern.

jane

Suzy, I hope next time you ask for advice here or on any other board the only reply you get is to "get a guide book". What do you think this forum is for? Duh! It's for 1st hand recommendations and experiences.

Simon

Alfred: far? I don't think the hostel on Giudecca (Venezia IYHF) is a little far. It is right across Piazza San Marco, and as long as the catch the correct boat, you will get there in less than 10 minutes, 15 mins with the walk and wait for next boat. That is not far by my standards.

You're sure you were taking the right boat that just crosses across (one stop) ?

Simon

Mike:
Just an additional hint. You may want to buy a Biglietto Chilometrico, which is the cheapest way to travel over Italy. $120 will get you up and down the entire country (20 trips). Also, you should consider sleeping some nights on trains, in couchettes for an additional $12. Did same trip as you in Aug 1998. Wish I could do it again. Can I join you ?