Slovenian bees at work

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Europe's Best Budget Stag Do Destinations

What do you mean, you’re thinking about staying local for your best mate’s stag do? Why, when you can enjoy a city break in Europe without breaking the bank? Take a look at these four awesome, budget-friendly cities that would gladly welcome your stag party for some unforgettable shenanigans!


Amsterdam, Netherlands
It continues to be a popular choice for stag weekends and it’s understandable why. Book one of the budget Amsterdam hotels from Hotels4U and you will have plenty of cash left to spend on activities and night-time frivolity. If you want a wild weekend, this is the place to have it – just make sure you know where you’re staying because the maze of canals and streets can get confusing after one too many shandies.

Edinburgh, UK
OK, so you may not be crossing any seas, but a trip to Edinburgh for a stag weekend will be filled with fun for the duration of the trip. Copious amounts of bars await you and, if you want to do something a little more active during the day (other than nursing your hangovers), the Lothians are on your doorstep.


Riga, Latvia
It’s proving to be incredibly popular of late, due to its affordable pricing – not just to get there but to also drink and eat and enjoy as well. Make sure you respect the culture and the city you’re in; even if you are on a stag do, it doesn’t mean you have to act like a numpty.

Barcelona, Spain
It’s not just for the hopeless romantics, you know. While the city is rich in culture and beauty, if all you’re interested in is the bars, you won’t be disappointed. Dos cervezas, por favor?


Ljubljana, Slovenia
This is definitely not the most common destination but it just might be the nicest. Slovenia is definitely very affordable and since Ljubljana is an university city, pubs are always full of students doing what they do best - partying hard. Locals are also known for their good English, so communication should never be an issue, no matter how many of those €2 beers you drink.

If none of these really sounds like your thing, you can always go to a clubbing mecca like Ibiza or Malia. Those are also perfect for stags as well as groups of lads on a bender. Just remember to behave!

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Climbing Košutnikov turn

Mountaineering has been a popular outdoor activity for centuries in this part of the world. Being partly an Alpine country, Slovenia also has many mountaineering enthusiasts.
Even though I do not see myself as one of those, I do climb a mountain every now and then.

I have already posted a report about climbing Montaž (Jôf di Montasio) a few posts ago. All those ibexes and marmots living there make it a great destination. Check out my post about it and visit it yourself if you ever get a chance.

This time we went to the Slovenian-Austrian border to climb Košutnikov turn (Koschutnikturm). It is a 2133 metres high peak in the central Karavanke mountain range. It is a popular mountaineering destination both from Slovenian and Austrian side. Due to a nice ferrata we chose to climb it from Austria.

We started our ascend from Koshutahaus mountain hut (Koča pod Košuto) and continued along the well marked path (ÖTK Steig Neu) towards the mountain. After a while trees and bushes were replaced with a large scree slope. The interesting part began from there on.

That is where the via ferrata starts. It is a very steep section which continues for a long while. Iron rungs are added in some places in addition to steel cables. We followed the ferrata by a suspended bridge, which we crossed only to get a few photos.

Even with many photo stops, we made it to the top a bit earlier than those red signposts suggested we would.

Once we made it to the top, there were Alpine choughs already waiting for us. From the top there is an interesting view of green slopes on the Slovenian side of the mountain in contrast to a much steeper, rocky approach from the Austrian side.

I can definitely recommend this climb but please keep in mind a helmet and a harness are a must. Since the side of the mountain is practically vertical in some sections, you should probably approach the mountain from Slovenia if you have some fear of heights (no need for all that equipment there).

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