Prague
The true gem of Bohemia, Prague is as artistic and creative as it is wild and indulgent. The beautiful, seductive and hedonistic city is always up for a party and with beer as good as it gets in Europe, this stag haven is just waiting for groups to come and indulge in its multi-faceted glory.
Best Time to Travel: Prague can get crazy busy during the peak Easter, Summer and Winter seasons when everyone is on holiday so the best time to visit would be during the off-peak shoulder months such April, May and September, October.
Groups Favoured Activities
- Gun Shooting: Aim. Fire. Taking the group out for a round of gun shooting is as adrenalin-fuelled and exciting as it gets. Target practise and training is included and perhaps adding a ‘Looser Buy the First Round of Drinks’ clause could be a good way to stir up some competitive banter!
Must See
- John Lennon’s Wall: The iconic John Lennon Wall is a graffiti art monument to the musical legend who the residents of Prague saw as a pacifist hero after his death in 1980. Not quite as impressive as the Berlin Wall, Prague’s John Lennon Wall has become a place for people to share messages of love and peace through the art of graffiti.
Budget Friendliness: The most important thing to know as a stag group travelling to Prague is that a pint of beer should cost between €1 and €1.50. The thing with the Czech capital is that the city can get very touristy in the peak seasons and during those times groups should expect to pay a little bit more than normal in the most touristy areas.
Want more on what there is to do on your stag do in Prague?
Riga
Still reeling from its moment in the spotlight as the European Capital of Culture in 2014, the cosy and creative little Latvian capital of Riga is a real surprise. Cool bars and experimental pop-up restaurants co-exist amongst the Art Nouveau architecture to create quite a heady mix of vibrant modern urban city life and complex history.
Best Time to Travel
The best time to visit Riga is the summer season between May and September when the weather is warm, the sun shines and the nights are longer. Spring can also be pleasant for stag groups looking to indulge in outdoor pursuits such as canoeing or hiking.
Groups Favoured Activities
- Bobsledding: Alright boys, don’t forget to bring your lucky egg to Riga cos you’re about to have your own real-life Cool Runnings experience. Bobsledding it one of the most fun things you’ll ever do as a stag group – big statement, we know. But it’s true. You’ll all jump in a couple of bob sleds and then hurtle down the icy bobsled track faster than you can say: “I see pride….”
Must See
- Kalnciema Quarter: Stag groups who miss the quirky and hip Kalnciema Quarter are missing out. The area’s buildings are all 120-year-old wooden structures which come to life at dusk when all the coolest locals pour in to enjoy evening craft beers, live music and art events.
Budget Friendliness: Riga has managed to stay pretty far of the tourism radar until now and the prices still reflect that. A pint of local beer will set you back around €2 and an inexpensive meal out at a restaurant shouldn’t be much more than €7-€8.
Bucharest
While Prague’s place has been firmly established as the top Stag destination abroad for a long time now, its leading position is being jeopardised by the entrance of a new player on the stag do scene. Bucharest is currently emerging as the new alternative stag party destination thanks to its strong counter-culture community and vibrant nightlife scene.
Best Time to Travel: The best time to travel to Bucharest is during the Spring and Summer seasons when the weather is warm enough to hang out and drink beer in the park and enjoy the heady summer nights exploring the amazing bars and pubs in the Old Town centre.
Groups Favoured Activities
- Autocross: For the stag groups who thrive under a bit of friendly competition and some high octane adrenalin then this popular group autocross activity is perfect. Speed around the off-road track in a VW Golf GTI or a BMW E26 and see who’ll come out on top!
- VIP Nightclubbing: Bucharest’s nightlife scene is famous for a reason and the clubs are some of the wildest you’ll find in Europe. Hit the town in style with priority queue jumping, a VIP table in a prime position and generous bottle service.
Must See
- Lipscani District: The central Lipscani area is the hub of Bucharest’s nightlife scene where stag groups will find the best bars, clubs, cafes, shops and people!
Budget Friendliness: With the price of a pint of impressively tasty local beer coming in at around €1.50 and a cheap lunch out ranging from €4 to €5, your wallets are in for a real treat in Bucharest. In fact, the city has been listed as one of the cheapest in Europe so even the tightest of budgets can live it up in the Romanian capital.
See what you can do for your Stag weekend in Bucharest
Krakow
OK, one fact you absolutely have to know about Krakow is that it has more bars per capita than any other city in the world – yes you read that right – in the world. Do we need to say any more?
Best Time to Travel
Poland can get pretty chilly in the dark, grey winter months from around November to April, so unless you and your stag group are into winter sports or staying indoors and drinking beer all day then we recommend visiting in the warmer Spring and Summer periods when the weather is warmer, the days are brighter and the list of activities is much longer!
Groups Favoured Activities
- River Cruise: Instead of rushing around trying to drink a beer in every bar and see every sight, why not sit back and watch the world go by on a river cruise with all the beer you can drink onboard and the picturesque city floating along beside you.
Must See
- The Jewish Quarter: It’s not what you think. The Jewish Quarter of Krakow – also known as Kazimierz – may be steeped in Jewish history and culture, but today it also happens to be the coolest place to go out in the evening, home to the best bars, pubs and clubs in town.
Budget Friendliness: Krakow is not exactly the cheapest city in Poland, but on the other hand Poland is one of the cheaper countries in Europe so you are probably still saving money by travelling there for your stag do. The damage for one pint of beer is between €1.50-€2 and for a plate of the local delicacy Pierogi, you’ll pay around €3.
Budapest
If the term Urban Trendification doesn’t mean anything to you now, it most definitely will after your stag weekend away in the Hungarian capital of Budapest. The city is full of abandoned buildings which have been repurposed and turned into Ruin Bars or community art centres where cool locals hang out and drink cheap beer – stag haven.
Best Time to Travel
Anytime is a good time to travel to Budapest as the urban hub has something to offer for all four seasons. In winter the capital turns white under blankets of snowmaking the weather less pleasant but the scenery even more beautiful. In the summer it’s warm and the city is green and sun-kissed and Spring and Autumn are cool and fresh.
Groups Favoured Activities
- Beer Bike: It’s pretty easy to see why this hilarious and ingenious activity has become so popular within the stag scene in Budapest. You hop on what is essentially a giant bicycle made for 10 and cycle through the streets while being served cold beer by a lovely beer babe.
Must See
- Thermal Baths: Before you start making metro sexual jokes, paying a visit to a thermal bath in Budapest is actually an incredibly popular unisex pastime. While they make an amazing place to relax in the warm water during the day, many of the thermal baths become pool party nightclubs once the sun goes down.
Budget Friendliness: Budapest is great value for money if you steer clear of the aristocratic and touristic areas around Buda and stick to the more authentic local places. A beer costs around €1.20 and a meal at a restaurant at night might come to around €12.
Nicely written! If you are looking for an awesome stag party in Prague, try the bestpragueparty.com. We had a blast with them!