. Krakow is a wonderful, fun-filled city that is deservedly among the top three European stag destinations. Just over 2 hours from London, the guys arrive at the airport and face the ordeal of another 30 minute journey before hitting the centre

The old city is marvelously compact with a central Renaissance square measuring 200m by 200m. It’s beautiful and spacious with superbly balanced architecture housing too many good bars, restaurants and clubs to shake a stick at. Any of the many side streets that lead into a maze of smaller lanes can take you to literally hundreds more. The trendiest part of the city, Kazimierz has as many tempting venues again, and is situated a 10 minute stroll away from the market place.

So how does the Krakow stag party organizer ensure that he’s taking his group to the best places? These are the ones that welcome large groups of party guys, hell-bent on a good weekend. The ones with the nicest staff, biggest TV screens for sporting events and warmest welcomes.

The most practical way of doing this is by using an experienced guide with good language skills to steer the boys around and point them in the right direction, especially during the first night. This ensures that the Krakow stag-do gets off to a good start and that the lads have a pretty good knowledge of what’s on for large groups. If they all stick together, then nobody gets lost which, depending on the members, might be a good thing!

Good organizers provide 2 guides for groups over 12, so it is always easy to chat to the guide and ask advice on any questions that arise and get help in translation. So when it comes to choice of lap club or night club, this is always available.

A great trick is to combine the pub tour with a basic weekend package. If organizers do this, then they should receive a 6 hour guided tour, free lap club and nightclub entry and a beer or vodka thrown in. A professional stag party organizer in Krakow will also be able to direct the group to some of the very best bars on earth whilst giving the option to tailor stag evenings according to musical taste. Here are some examples of what the Krakow stag can expect.

In the heart of the old town, it’s well worth asking the guide to show you Rewolucja. This is a packed venue with loud music to which dancing on the tables seems pretty normal. Opening hours tend to be flexible and the place only appears to close when there is nobody left to serve.

If your preference is jazz, look out for the Piano Rouge in the main square. It’s done out like a Parisian brothel in plush red, extremely comfortable, classy and comes with superb music.

A brisk 10 minute stroll takes you from the centre to the heart of Kazimierz, the former Jewish district. There are literally hundreds of great places to choose and here are just two of them, both in the central square.

Singer Bar

So why “Singer”? Would you expect a solo singing performance? If so, you might be disappointed though the music played is very well chosen. The bar actually takes its name from a brand of sewing machine, Jewish owned and American based. The average Krakow stag’s grandmother almost certainly owned a Singer sewing machine so if he visits the bar, he will instantly recognize the examples that adorn the numerous nooks where rickety seats support the drinker.

Alchemia

One of the first bars to open after the political changes, Alchemia continues to be one of the magnets of Krakow. Drinkers have a choice of several rooms, each with their own tastefully decorated charms. The atmosphere is sophisticated though informal, and Alchemia draws in a fair number of “arty” types as well as the “farty” ones we all know and love.

So, gentlemen stag party boozers, there you have just 4 bars, chosen at random, to give you an idea of what to expect from a guided pub tour in Krakow. Cheers!

Everybody knows that Poles are good at drinking but is it only vodka they drink? Find out what other spirits people in Krakow use to get themselves “oiled”.

1. Strong, slim and very long. Beer, beer and more beer. (Piwo pron. peeve oh) There is enough of a variety to hold a dedicated swiller’s interest and the quality is very high. Beers are usually of the lager type but with a fuller flavour. It?s also cheap by British standards being about 1.25 GBP for a half litre “pint”. But a word of caution, the average beer is around 6% proof so take it easy! The dark beers (porters) are a great winter warmer being around 8% alcohol and pack a kick like a mule. Most popular beers in Poland are: Lech, Tatra, Tyskie, Zywiec and Zubr, however there are plenty more local breweries which offer excellent beer for real beer lovers.
2. Let’s neck in. A unique Krakow opportunity is the beer brewed on the spot in our microbrewery. It’s delicious, fresh and lively and is served in 5 litre tabletop tubes (giraffes) from which you help yourself from a tap in the base. Great with food or on its own, the Polish pint is a must.
3. Cold comfort or welcome warmth? For the winter reveller, a fantastic way of getting warm and in the mood is hot beer. It sounds crazy but it’s a heady concoction of good beer heated up with cinnamon and raspberry juice. It’s often offered with an optional shot of vodka. The flavour is unique but this is a seriously easy way to get plastered.Serving tips – heating beer the traditional Polish way :
   • 2 bottles (each 0,5 l) of light beer
   • A piece of cinnamon
   • 3-4 cloves, 2-3 yolks, 3-4 spoons of sugar

   Heat the beer with cinnamon and cloves but don’t boil it! Mix yolks with sugar to a creamy consistence. Slowly, still stirring, pour the yolks into heated bear. Cover the pot and warm it on low heat till it thickens but do not let it boil.
   

4. Merry / boozy Christmas ! Another extraordinary way of getting plastered on a late winter evening in Krakow is trying local “herbal wine” called locally “Grzaniec Galicyjski”. It’s a traditional mulled red wine with added spices and herbs, traditionally enjoyed during winter, and especially around Christmas, to warm you up.Serving tips:Buy a bottle of “Grzaniec Galicyjski” and pour wine into a pot or a mug, heat it up on a stove or in a microwave to a temperature of 60-70 degrees C( 140-160 degrees F). DO NOT BOIL . Now You can enjoy a natural medicine against winter cold. A great drink and easy to prepare !
5. A short, sharp shot. Poland is the best place in the world for the voddy drinker. Wonderfully cheap, it’s great on its own as an ice cold shot or in a variety of mixed bevies; vodka is the stag parties lubricant! It is also flavoured with a surprising variety of things and these are widely available in bars and restaurants. There are loads of brand names but probably the most popular and renowned Polish vodkas are : Wyborowa, Zytnia, Chopin and of course the “Zubrowka” of which you can read just below.
6. You want some green ? Can you believe it? There is even a vodka that smells of a freshly cut lawn! Sounds whacky until you realize that it is bottled with a blade of grass in it. This gives the drink a nice sweetness and it as fantastically refreshing served over ice with a good measure of apple juice. A novel way of doing grass!
7. Fruity firewater. Polish people are creative when it comes to distilling and brewing. The climate allows a large and varied fruit harvest but, sadly, they’ve never got into cider. But an interesting shot is made from plums and is known as sliwowice (pron slivovitsa). It’s a clear and fiery drink which can be very strong indeed – up to 80 %! It needs to be treated with care!
8. Who lost their cherry? Polish cherry liqueurs are made from fresh cherries with natural flavor and fragrance. They have a pleasing mild bouquet, sweet cherry taste and noticeable flavor of almonds. Drinks with those liqueurs can be served straight or as a component of cocktails. It is highly appreciated by ladies who avoid strong alcoholic drinks. Best served at room temperature in liqueur glasses with coffee and desserts.
9. Sweet as honey. Polsih Mead is a Poltorak Miod Pitny, what means that it is made from 3:1 proportion of honey , water and alcohol. It’s not very strong but has incredible intensity, aroma, and depth of flavor, balance, length and sweetness. It is most definitely for dessert or by itself. No words can fairly describe its sweet, complex flavors with hints of raisins and it’s huge warming effect. Drinking is believing.
10. Beware of the dog! If you fancy something that’s spicy and a bit on the wild side, the “rabid dog” (or “wsciekly pies” as the locals call it) be just the ticket. Try this for size – a generous shot of vodka, shot of raspberry or grenadine syrup then a shake of tobasco. It’s actually a nice drink and not as painful on the throat as you might imagine and you don’t end up barking!