Study reveals best European capitals for bachelor/-ette parties

London, Prague and Sofia are the top European capitals for stag and hen dos, a new report has found. Britain’s capital also has the best-rated nightlife. Skopje in North Macedonia, which features in the top ten capitals in Europe for bachelor and bachelorette parties, has the most affordable accommodation of all.

This is all according to a new study from Slot.Day, who analysed the quality of nightlife and the cost of accommodation in all European capitals. The researchers focused on the number of highly rated nightlife establishments in each capital listed on TripAdvisor, specifically the ones that received four stars and above out of five. To evaluate the cost of accommodation, the study considers a three-night stay for a group of ten who would be sharing a room between two people.

Top 10 capital cities in Europe for stag and hen parties

London is Europe’s best destination for stag and hen parties among all capital cities on the continent. It has a staggering 854 highly rated bars, clubs and pubs to choose from on a typical night out. It is worth noting that London is the fifth most expensive European capital for accommodation, estimated at an average of €350.61 per person for a three-night stay. However, the unmatched range of things to do on a hen or stag trip outweighs the steeper hotel costs.

Famous for its variety of award-winning beer, Prague is the second-best capital city in Europe for stag and hen parties. At half the cost for hotels compared to London, Prague boasts 418 nightlife places that earned stellar reviews from its visitors.

A top destination in the summer, Bulgaria also has its capital city as a major tourist attraction. Sofia offers its visitors a choice of 112 bars and clubs rated four stars and above, while hotels are a reasonable €125.6 per person for three nights.

Completing the top ten list for hen and stag destinations are Skopje (North Macedonia), Tirana (Albania), Bucharest (Romania), Belgrade (Serbia), Warsaw (Poland), Berlin (Germany) and Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). They all have a good nightlife-hotel balance.

The study ranked Bern (Switzerland), Reykjavik (Iceland), and Valetta (Malta) among the least preferable European capitals for bachelor and bachelorette parties. Bern is both expensive to stay in (€419.4 per person) and only has seven places rated with at least four stars, making it the last capital on the list to consider for a stag or hen do. Although it offers a reasonable range of highly appreciated bars and clubs, counting 41, Reykjavik can be quite pricey for hotels, averaging to €366.4 for a three-night trip. Malta’s picturesque capital of Valletta only has seven nightlife establishments of 4-5 stars and a steep €299.5 cost for a three-night hotel stay, making it less than ideal for a typical Bachelor or bachelorette party.

Michael Slot, main author and journalist of Slot.Day, commented on the findings: “If you search for stag and hen dos on TripAdvisor, you will essentially see three main countries famous for them: France, Spain and Portugal. We wanted to find out which other European destinations might be the less obvious choices.

“It is surprising to find places like Skopje, Tirana and Sarajevo offering a good balance of high-quality nightlife and affordable accommodation. Other hidden gems off the beaten path include Vilnius, Riga and Chisinau.

Weddings can be costly, therefore finding an affordable place to enjoy your stag or hen do without having to compromise on the fun and quality of the time away is crucial, meaning these findings offer a fantastic insight for any couples looking to get away with their friends and family before their big day.”