Now more than ever, the Polish city of Krakow is proving to be one of the most popular in the world for groups of English guys heading away on a stag party. Over and above the usual suspects all across Europe, going on a Krakow stag do can be incredibly affordable, unbelievably fun and totally easy to arrange at the same time.
But what is it about Krakow that makes it such an awesome place for stag parties?
Market Square (Rynek)
Well, if you head out to this corner of Poland, chances are you’ll find yourself spending most of your time around the main market square. Not only is it the biggest market square in Europe, but you also will not believe how many bars, pubs and clubs they have managed to cram into this stag party mecca. An undeniable highlight of the main square is the Vodka Bar…creatively named ‘Wodka’…where you can try your luck with over 100 different types of vodka and the bargain vodka of the day for about 80p.
As for food, if this is your first time in Krakow, head over to Pod Wawelem right next to the castle. This place has all the subtlety of a glass of nitro-glycerine and serves up the biggest plates of traditional Polish food (amazing huge meat skewers) you have ever seen in your life. Seriously, even the pork chop is the size of a pizza!
Old Jewish District (Kazimierz)
The old Jewish District in Krakow isn’t quite as packed with strip joints and night clubs as the centre, but in terms of cramming massive numbers of bars into a small area, nowhere does it better.
Kazimierz has for a long time now been Krakow’s most fashionable and stylish district where the city’s beautiful people, hipsters and savvy visitors go to escape some of the tourist traps around the main square. If the weather is on your side, there is no better place to sit outdoors and do a bit of people stalking.
In terms of highlights, Alchemia is an absolute must with its great food and Polish beer right from the tank, while the communism-style Pijalnia in the corner not only serves beer/vodka for 80p and food for a couple of quid, but it’s also open 24 hours a day…every day!
Zakopane (Heart Of the Mountains)
Last up, if time permits, it is more than worth considering taking the party to the Polish mountain capital of Zakopane. You genuinely would not believe you were still in the same country when you find yourself surrounded by massive wooden huts and hotels right in the middle of the mountains where the air is thick with the smell of grilled meats, hot wine and highlander-style drinking opportunities. It is a brilliant place to spend a day and a night soaking up an entirely different atmosphere to that of Krakow.
One last warning however – do be aware of the fact that Poland is extremely strict when it comes to drunken tourists making fools of themselves. If you are found to be overly drunk in public, you will be thrown quite aggressively into a cell, blasted with a hose pipe and only released the next morning when you have paid the bill which is in fact way more than you’d pay for a nice hotel!
