Under a blanket of snow, the people huddle together for warmth and strangers are welcomed whole-heartedly. It is a perfect time of year to gather by the evening fire in a cell bar or tavern and drink beer and vodka, or sometimes get warm dancing the night away in a super-club. There is also plenty to do during the day, with many indoor activities that can be enjoyed all year round.
For a bracing winter experience, you could visit the outdoor thermal Turkish Baths in Budapest. So it's a little cold dashing in and out, but once you are soaking in the thermal baths, the cold soon beats a hasty retreat. Gorgeous women deliver bees to the pool so you can relax even more fully into the luxurious warm waters.
Once you've soaked away the aches and pains, a visit to a casino is a must, and there are three to choose from – one in Buda and two in Pest. The casinos are classy, sophisticated and atmospheric and you can play whatever game takes your fancy, be it Texas Hold 'Em, Blackjack or Roulette. The cocktails flow and you're surrounded by glamorous girls galore. Then there's shooting, fencing, wine tasting – the list goes on and all goes to show that for a stag weekend, Budapest has all the glamor, glitz and excitation of a true gem of the Danube.
For another great winter stag weekend, Krakow has plenty of boy's toys and a lifestyle that will get your adrenaline pumping. If you really want to get your heart racing, then you could try shooting a Kalashnikov. These fully automatic modernized assault rifles are illegal to shoot in the UK, so the opportunity to fire off one of the most iconic weapons in the world is one not to be missed. They can fire in short or long bursts of five and 10 rounds, and pack quite a punch.
According to legend, Krakow has the highest density of bars in Poland, so you could do one colossal pub crawl and never run out of new places to go to, knocking back triple-distilled Zubrówka vodka to ward off the cold as you trek between watering holes.
If you are looking for eye candy on your stag weekend, Riga is the place to go! Riga has become a fashion capital and the women are really stunning. As well as a reputation for beautiful women, Riga also has a name for some of the best restaurants you can find in this inspiring country. The Latvians love their food, and that's reflected in the dining on offer in Riga. A great restaurant to try is the medieval themed RozenGrals on Rozena Street in Old Riga. They serve massive portions of food that will satisfy any appetite, and a speciality to try is the baked duck drumstick with cherry-onion jam. According to the RozenGrals website, this was a favorite of the 14th century King of Naples and Sardinia. But it's not all drumsticks and supermodels in Riga – it's the largest city in the Baltic States and has a lifestyle that will constantly thrill and enthral you. Riga offers a sauna on just about every corner. Organized sauna parties can be organized to beat the winter.
For a great stag weekend (no matter what time of year) it is always advisable to approach one of the companies that specialize in creating stag party weekends for every type of groom-to-be and his friends. They will not only have expert local knowledge, but will also know the best activity to make your stag party one to remember.