Castanea, Stockholm – Routes North

Above a pretty cobbled square that’s shaded by a huge horse chestnut tree, Castanea is an old-fashioned hostel with a mix of private rooms and shared dorms.

The 16-bed dormitory at Castanea hostel is quite cramped, with thin, mismatched curtains covering the big windows. Unless you’re really struggling to find a cheap dorm bed in Gamla Stan, we wouldn’t recommend staying here: you can find better options close by.

It’s a different story in the six-bed dorms, which are sunnier and a bit less cramped, though still not exactly roomy. The private rooms at Castanea are really quite nice – a couple of the twin rooms have views down onto the square.

All rooms share nice fresh bathrooms with private shower cubicles. There’s also a small, rather dated kitchen where you can prepare simple dinners. If you’d rather eat out then there’s a café just around the corner at street level. Lots of restaurants and bars are within easy walking distance.