Bratislava can be a great place to go for a short break, not least because of its stunning landmarks and beautiful scenery., which makes it an ideal location for weekend breaks, but also due to the Slovakian capital’s many bars and clubs and its reasonably priced drinks it has become a popular destination for stag parties.

Stay safe on your Bratislava stag do

It is likely that you will spend most of your break in the Old Town district of the city and here not only will you find major attractions Grassalkovich Palace and Michael’s Gate, but as you’ll also come across numerous restaurants and drinking establishments this likely to be the hub of any stag weekend.

Pickpockets often operate in these areas, so make sure that you avoid placing wallets, phones and other valuables in coat pockets that you hang on the back of chairs. It’s also a good idea to keep any bags you place on the floor between your feet, so you’ll notice if someone tries to pinch them from you.

You should also walk around in groups whenever possible – and particularly at night – as many criminals will try to target those who are out by themselves, particularly men on a Bratislava stag do.

One common scam many thieves try to pull sees female con artists approaching groups of men, so if you’re on a stag do in the city make sure you are especially careful. Quite often they will pretend to be drunk or keen to take you somewhere for a drink; however, while talking to you they will try to pick your pockets. It is best to politely refuse any offers made by suspicious-looking people and simply walk away.

There’s a wide range of places to drink, but you should be aware that some of the less reputable establishments typically have heavy-handed bouncers on their doors. Some of these doormen can get aggressive and may even carry firearms, so exercise particular caution and take care to avoid offending people.

Also, avoid any bars/clubs where you are approached outside and offered free drinks after paying an admission fee – some of these operate as clip joints where you’ll order a beer and be faced with a huge bill, with threats of violence if you don’t pay up.

Of course not everywhere is like this – there are decent people who are welcoming; as long as you don’t live up to the stereotype of being a lager lout.

Barok Circus and Charlie’s Bar are said to be two places where outbreaks of trouble can often take place, so it may be an idea to seek other bars if you’re looking to have an enjoyable, yet peaceful, night.

You should also bear in mind that it is illegal to drink alcohol in public. If caught doing this, you’ll be subject to a €33 fine (around £28). There are, however, some exceptions to this, such as when in the confines of a restaurant or bar’s outside seating area. In addition, you can drink in certain places during special events and occasions such as the annual Christmas Market.

There is also a rule against adverse noise in the Old Town between the hours of 22:00 and 06:00. So make sure you avoid being particularly rowdy while on the streets, otherwise you could risk attracting unwanted attention from the authorities.
Slovakia has a zero-tolerance approach to drink-driving, namely that you are not allowed to consume any alcohol before getting behind the wheel.

If you’re going to be travelling around in a hire car, you will always be breathalysed following a traffic accident and if any trace of drink is detected, no matter how small, you will be arrested.

Bear the above points in mind and you can be confident that you will not only have fun while in Bratislava but will also stay safe and return home in one piece!

Written by Tony, part of the travelsupermarket holidays team.

How many times have you been on a stag do and wished someone was there to film all the highlights without the risk of creating incriminating evidence that would get you neutered as soon as you returned home? Well then you might just be interested in this as film maker Mark Locke from Tamworth is shooting his new film about a guy who has to survive not one but three stag weekends in a summer and guess what – he’s on the lookout for talent.

Locke, whose first film was about a seven foot boxing shrimp (doesn’t that sound like a film we’d all like to make) has also made short films which have been shown on channel 4 and Bravo TV and he’s even turned his hand to directing music videos, winning Best music Video at the Canary Wharf film festival for the Unkle song “Hold Your Hand”. He’s very enthusiastic about finding fresh faced actors and non-actors out there who can make his comedy a hit.

Three Stags will include a mixture of actors and non-actors and Mark knows the key to his film’s success is finding people who are able to act naturally in front of the camera without any professional training. Okay, you may not have gone to RADA, but a film about stag weekends? If you’ve been on one, consider yourself trained. We’re pretty confident that most of the guys we’ve sent away on stag weekends in the past know just how to react when the stripper walks in or you hit the lap dancing club. And if Mark is looking for guys who know how to sink pints, eat kebabs party hard, we could probably give him a list of strong candidates.

Considering this is a film about a guy who isn’t particularly macho, trying to navigate his way through three stag weekends in the summer, we tried to think about the sort of activities we would send him on in order to test his mettle.

Paintballing – Hilarity to be had with all first time paintballers as they earn those sought after “wings of pain”.

Quad biking – Handling the rough and tumble of these all terrain work horse vehicles in and out of muddy ditches. You need a firm hand to control these beauties.

Recommended Bar crawl – This is where the real battles are won and lost, in a test of endurance and stamina

This isn’t a joke though – he is actually looking for regular guys and casting begins on April 12th in Corporation Street in Tamworth. If anyone is interested and is in the area you should call 0845-393-4314 to book a slot. There are a number of important roles that mark is looking to fill including a retired PE teacher in his 60s, a 13-14 year old boy packed with attitude, a doorman in his 30s and an athletically built guy in his twenties. Does this sound like you or any of your mates?

It’s always worth reminding yourself and the other members of your party the dangers that can occur on any night out through alcohol consumption.

Whether the risks are having one too many that you lose the concept of where you are, or having your drink spiked due to a lack of awareness, it’s always good to bear in mind the possible consequences of a big night out.

Please read through some tips we found appropriate to remember for the stag night…

* Plan how you’re going to get home before you leave. Make sure you’ve got numbers for taxis and keep aside enough money to get home safely.

* Eat before you go out, or during the evening

* Drink water regularly to stay refreshed and rehydrate

* Use soft drink spacers to pace yourself – a tonic looks just the same as a vodka and tonic. A cola looks the same with or without the rum

* Remember that too much drink will do nothing for your looks – you’re drop dead gorgeous until you drop down drunk

* And don’t succumb to the beer goggles effect – you might think you’ve met your dream date – until the effect wears off

* Don’t accept drinks from strangers and never leave your drink unattended – it’s all too easy for someone to spike your drink

* Look out for your friends and make sure they look out for you

There are no rules on a stag do except to have as much fun and trouble as humanly possible, and then some more. We all expect to have some sore heads, bumps and bruises, misplaced items and lost memories. The stag weekend is a major initiation, a rite of passage and not something you can breeze through. It is a test of strength and endurance to see just how much fun you can have. Our packages are not about a game of chess and a mug of cocoa, our packages are about mind blowing experiences  that leave you with a guilty smile on your face as your crawl home to the girlfriend Sunday night to be nursed better.

We’ve put together some hints and tips that you might want to remember if you’re about to embark on the messiest weekend of the year and want to enjoy it without major mishaps and remain relatively in one piece. Alternatively, if your idea of a Stag Do is going into the wilderness to survive Ray Mears style and fend off pig-loving locals with your bow and arrow like the guys from Deliverance, feel free to ignore this sane advice.

Travel Insurance

It’s probably the last thing on your mind if you’re heading to Riga stag weekends, Krakow, Budapest or one of our other European destinations. Passport, wallet and a spare pair of socks right? Perhaps, but if you’re the clumsy type more prone to broken limbs than minor scrapes then make sure you’re covered for all eventualities. A point to note is that many insurance companies will void a claim if alcohol has been involved. Barbaric . We know it had nothing to do with the 10 pints of lager, those steps moved!

Money

It’s a good idea not to carry all your cash and cards with you on one night out. As a former stag goer found out:
“One of the guys with us lost his wallet on the first day. Pain in the arse but we gave him some money to tide him over and even found a spare wallet he could use. He lost that one on the second day. We don’t take him with us any more.”
Don’t let that shunned man be you.

Condoms

Because if you’re lucky, you don’t want to ruin the memories of the blonde bombshell who rocked your world by taking home something more than a cheeky memory.

Remember where you are…

You’re in the middle of Krakow, it’s 4 in the morning and after a heavy night to end all nights you are finally ready for the pillow. Which would be fine if you had any idea where it was you were staying or how to get there.  Okay, this is the sort of thing your mum would make you do if you’re going away to cub camp for the first time but a list of useful numbers and names of places isn’t a bad thing to have. Something that you can fit into your wallet and show a taxi driver to deliver you to your bed.

Mobile

Essential if there’s a big group of you and you don’t want to get split up for the entire evening. In this day and age you probably won’t  go anywhere without it anyway but just in case.

Once upon a time Bournemouth was a sleepy coastal resort; God’s waiting room by the sea. No one would have ever thought to head there for a night of foolish frolics let alone a whole weekend of liver and brain cell slaughter. But add a university, throw in thousands of beer thirsty students and the town had to respond, and respond it did. What you have now is a town that likes to party every night of the week so no matter when your stag party is, there will be trouble you can get into.

The main part of the town is set inland from the beach, so unlike somewhere like Brighton where your pubs and clubs sprawl along the sea front, they’re gathered in a central hub of the town with a couple of bars and clubs actually near the beach.
Once you’ve finished your day of quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, golf or one of our other many day time activities, you’ll be ready to take a short walk from your hotel into town to sample all the delights of this sunny seaside location.

On account of the students, there aren’t many organically grown “pub pubs” in the centre of the town. I can think of only one, a small Irish pub in the middle of the commercial shopping centre, called Daisy O’Briens. Great pub but quite small and probably not what you’re looking for to shake up your evening.  Expect trendy wine bars and chains pubs which have been built for the students and young professionals. Bournemouth has a great party atmosphere in the bars and we’ve picked 5 of our faves which you might like to try when you’re down.

Alcatraz Wine Bar

Just off the main shopping strip, the Alcatraz wine bar is a good place to start your night in smart surroundings with a wood stained bar, ceiling fans, tile floor the lot. It has a good menu if you’re looking for a bite to eat before you get stuck in and it’s free to get in.

Bumbles

A little bit out from the town centre, Bumbles is worth checking out if you like your live music and a friendly atmosphere. It gets filled with students and locals in a fun mix of party people who gather to dance in one of the two rooms of the club. Small and cosy it’s recently added a cocktail bar if you want to add some style to your night.

The Lighthouse

Not far from the sea front or the Bournemouth International Centre, this popular night spot gets filled all evening long and is just as good at the start of your night as at the end. It usually runs quite a few drinks promotions and gets a good looking crowd in.

DNA

Standing for “Daytime, Night time, Anytime” this Caribbean style reggae haunt definitely makes it onto the cool  list and goes from chilled out in the day time to funky RnB that gets you dancing in the night time. If you want something away from your bright lights and trendy tiled floors, this is worth checking out.
Bliss

If, on the other hand, tiled floors and fresh lights are just your thing then Bliss could be the place for your group. Set over two levels this bar club is great if you’ve decided that Elements – the main club in the area, isn’t for you and you want something with a more of a bar feel. Expect it to be very busy on the weekends and playing RnB and hip hop to get you dancing. It’s a relatively young crowd so if you’re looking for some early twenties youthfulness, then this is the place to be.

One of the brilliant things about Bournemouth is that it has everything from chilled out hang outs to up beat thumping hot spots. All you need to do is bring a good time crowd and you can’t go far wrong.