Ancient palaces, famous prisons, royal mansions – don’t just visit sites of historical significance on your next vacation. Instead, sleep in them! Hostelworld.com has compiled a list of accommodations for travelers seeking destinations steeped in history, yet still yearning for modern amenities. In these walls, time is of the essence, so quickly book your next vacation in one of these hostels and experience a piece of the past.


Maverick Hostel & Ensuites, Budapest, Hungary
Majestic pillars, vaulted ceilings and spiraling staircases are only a few of the breathtaking features in The Maverick Hostel, a royal mansion that has been fully renovated to its original magnificence. Nestled in the heart of Budapest, this old palace-house drapes its guests in stately luxury. Built by the Habsburg dynasty, a monarchy that controlled regions within Europe from the 10th until the early 20th century, the Maverick Hostel provides a rare glimpse into the gilded lifestyle of the noble aristocrat at a peasant’s price.

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Maverick-Hostel-and-Ensuites/Budapest/30688



Castle Rock, Edinburgh, Scotland
Built in 1846 and renovated into a hostel in 1997, Castle Rock is a “grand, old edifice full of art, character and antiquity.” Voted the best hostel in Scotland in 2008 and 2009, guests that walk through the door often wonder if they are entering an art gallery or museum instead of a hostel. Located at the foot of Edinburgh Castle, one of the most important fortresses in the Kingdom of Scotland since the 12th century and the centerpiece of Edinburgh, Castle Rock provides panoramic views over the country’s capital city as its rests among the cobbled streets and mysterious gothic buildings of the Old Town.

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Castle-Rock-Hostel/Edinburgh/551



Agora Hostel, Catania, Italy
Situated in a historic piazza next to the "Pescheria," the fish market where local fishermen sell the previous night's catch, Agora Hostel is the epitome of the past colliding with present. The famous "il Duomo" cathedral is located around the corner, and the ruins of the Roman baths dell'Indirizzo and the church of the same name sit just outside the front door. Agora Hostel was built in the early 1800s and boasts royal vaulted ceilings, antique decorated tiled floors and lava block columns. The oldest rivers in Catania pass underneath the hostel in a massive, black volcanic rock cave that formed 300 years ago by an eruption of Mount Etna. Today, the cave is transformed into the hostel’s wine bar, where customers can sip the wine of old vines and admire the running water below.

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Agora-Hostel/Catania/750



Ethic étapes Cannes Jeunesse, Cannes, France
This striking hostel is located in the historical Fort Cannes Jeunesse de l'île Sainte Marguerite, a fort built in the 17th century which was famously enlarged and strengthened by the Spaniards and the renowned architect Vauban. However, it is primarily known for a former resident, the famous prisoner “the Man in the Iron Mask.” Guests can spend hours pondering the still unknown identity of this infamous detainee over a glass of wine in the hostel bar. Those that wish to make a grand escape can hop a boat to downtown Cannes, located only 15 minutes away.

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Ethic-etapes-Cannes-Jeunesse/Cannes/29129


The Pirate Haus Inn and Hostel, St. Augustine, Florida
While the building may be “only” 100 years old, the city of St. Augustine is one of the America’s most historic locales. The country’s oldest continuously inhabited city has been under sieges, suffered through pirate raids and ruled by Spanish forces. The area is brimming with history that comes alive during the recurring reenactments of pirate raids and both British and Spanish night watches, and black powder cannon firings at Castillo de San Marcos. The Colonial Spanish Quarter is a must-see for interested students of history. The living historians there reenact the daily life of St. Augustine from the year 1740, and Friday and Saturday evenings the sound of sea chanteys pervades the authentic period tavern where the lovely barmaid Gilley serves up ales and ciders.

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/The-Pirate-Haus-Inn-and-Hostel/St-Augustine/7026



HI Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
The only hostel in North America set in a former prison, HI Ottawa was originally known as the Carleton County Gaol, a jail that operated for more than 100 years. Daring travelers can sleep in former jail cells, the prison hospital and even the governor's quarters! However, this hostel is not for the faint of heart or those who are scared of things that go bump in the night. Patrick J. Whelan was publicly hanged at Carleton County Gaol on February 11, 1869 and is rumored to still wander its rooms and corridors. Hostel staff and guests have reported many strange and unusual events in the building, from disembodied voices and slamming doors to ghostly apparitions appearing at the foot of their beds. Fortunately, the booming revelry from the hostel’s new bar MUGSHOTS is likely to keep most spooks and specters at bay. Featuring a great location in the heart of downtown, hostel staff makes all guests a promise: “You don't have to commit a crime to do time.”

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/HI-Ottawa-Jail-Hostel/Ottawa/4647