Hostels in Valencia, Spain

While staying in a hostel in much of Europe can be compared to subjecting yourself to a dimly-lighted slum, Spain is known for the surprisingly high quality of its hostels. So if you're strapped for cash - or trying to avoid becoming strapped for cash - budget accommodations could be the way to go! While these no-thrills, no-frills possibilities don't offer much in the line of luxury, the prices - between 15€ and 30€ a night - can't be beat. Plus, when it comes down to it, all you really need is a place to leave your suitcase and get some occasional shut-eye!

There's a lot of lingo floating around the realm of cheap places to stay, so to avoid any surprises or rip-offs, here's a quick run down of your money-saving options. The cheapest - and therefore the most basic - option is called an albergue. Along with the cheapest rates, many albergues also offer discounts for groups or extended stays. The next step up before hitting hostel status is a pensión. You can pick out a pensión by looking for a blue sign with a white "P."

Hostels, acting as a gateway between pensiones and hotels, are denoted with a blue sign similar to that of a pensión but with a white "Hs." Hostels, much like hotels, have a three-star rating system. When weighing out your options, keep in mind that a three-star hostel is comparable to a one-star hotel in terms of cost. Also know in advance that albergues and pensiones - and many hostels - often have shared bathrooms, although some do offer private bathrooms as long as you're willing to fork over a few extra euros.

Don't know where to look for an albergue, pensión, or hostel? The best deals are clustered in a few different areas of the city. Within the historical city, check out the streets branching off of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and the Plaza del Mercado, where you're bound to stumble across hoards of them. Venturing outside of the historical center, you can find a lot of budget accommodations down along the beaches or right by the train station, on the streets Calle Bailén and Calle Pelayo.