I've never been, but Riga is on my son's list of places to go for a short inexpensive break.

If you are thinking of RIGA please make sure you do all your homework first ! I would go as far to say that it is not safe for a lads break .

Please read the following warning about the dangers of excessive drinking in Krakow:

http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/krakow/entertainment/chapter/191-bars_pubs__clubs.html

- of course if you are a well mannered group of lads, out for a good time without resorting to excessive behaviour, you have nothing to worry about.

Hi

My friends went on a stag do recently to Krakow and they didn't think that much to the place. They said the beer isn't that cheap, the people weren't that friendly but if you're careful drinking - then you will be ok, but these types of places are all strict now.

I've been to Prague twice, both times on stag do's. It was approx 5 yrs ago now, I loved it and would definitely go back. Also been to Estonia, very similar and would definitely go back there too.

Have you thought of Latvia?

Why not stay in the UK and annoy your fellow citizens rather than annoy other nationals and give the UK a poor reputation for stag nights and excessive drinking? Bah humbug!

But please, please don't come to Edinburgh! We already have a big enough problem with our home-grown students and drunken stag parties! And what's with the identical T-shirts? We can all tell that they're out on the razz without them announcing it :-)

Seriously, when you consider the behaviour of some British visitors to those destinations that have proved popular with stag and hen parties is it any wonder that the locals aren't friendly and don't make large single sex groups feel welcome? I spent last weekend in Seville and the contrast between there and what I would expect to have to put up with on a Saturday night in Edinburgh, or any city or large town in the UK for that matter, was stark. The streets were filled with families and couples out walking around, sitting in cafes but even the large groups of students (Seville has a large student population) were just sitting and chatting whilst EATING and not just drinking. Everybody was enjoying themselves but I saw nobody drinking to excess, even by 2.00am.

Most mainland Europeans are baffled by our binge drinking culture where getting drunk is seen as the object of a night out and something to boast about rather than an embarassment that can befall you when you inadvertently end up drinking too much and that you feel you should apologise for afterwards. They don't binge drink themselves and they tend not to like it when British visitors do it. So as Alsacienne suggests, if consuming large quantities of alcohol is part of your plan you probably are better off doing it somewhere where it is more common and more tolerated. Personally, I've struck off places like Prague and Krakow from my city breaks list until such time as they stop being such popular destinations with groups whose main criteria for selecting a place to visit seems to be the price of a pint.

SM (Another grumpy, bah humbugging but not so old woman!)

SMa, I agree - perhaps if more places followed Krakow's example of what they do to drunks (see link in my post above) they may think twice. Krakow and Prague are beautiful, historic cities. If people want to take in the culture and enjoy a glass or two of beer, that's fine - but please no excessive behaviour. I think there should be a charge of "bringing the country into disrepute" for bad behaviour abroad and passports should be confiscated for those found guilty of it.

Sorry, another rant

SMa - Prague and Krakow are still well worth visiting. Prague can get crowded but fortunately the badly behaved are in the minority. We didn't see any such behaviour when we were in Krakow, though this might have been because of the foot of snow that fell while we were there!

Krapra - I'm not implying that you or your friends would indulge in any such bad behaviour

I am glad I have been to Prague and Krakow before they got popular with stag and hen nights. I tend to avoid places that get to popular.

Hope you find a good place and enjoy yourselves Krapra

Linda

Sma; I would not push Prague to the side of because of the British or any other large single sex groups intent on only getting drunk. I took my girlfriend to Prague and we were 21 and 19, we had a fantastic time without a large excess of drink. I loved Prague and granted these people were around it didn't bother me.