01225 474200
Hey, I'm Jamie, StagWeb's Riga Destination Specialist. I had my own stag do in Riga so know exactly why it's the right location. Have a look around below & send me a quick enquiry, I'd be happy to help.
Riga stag weekends are legendary. Done right and you'll give the groom the weekend of his life.
Get a bit of expert help and the best deals with StagWeb.
"...StagWeb were very easy to speak to and understood what I wanted for my stag. They made it very simple with the whole procedure. I had no difficulties and everything made very clear for me from the beginning...."
Here's our top 8 choices for a big weekend in Riga.
Bobsleigh - Just awesome! There aren't many chances in life to ride a bobsleigh down an actual Olympic run. Seriously breath-taking.
Retro Rally - Get behind the wheel of some amazing pimped up Fiat Pandas. Solve the clues and complete the course and make the other stags eat your dust.
Beer Bike - Saddle up on your own pedal-powered, mobile pub. Pour your own pints as you tour the city streets.
Target Shooting - Get your itchy trigger fingers on some serious heavy metal. You and the guys will shoot semi-automatics like the legendary AK-47. "Yippee-kay-aye mother hugger!"
"Right in the Baltics!" StagWeb spend 48hrs in Riga.
Read more here...
Cafe Leningrad - Totally cool venue! Like stepping back in time to the Soviet era but instead of a menu of turnips and oppression, you'll find a real trendy crowd, great drinks and awesome live music.
Krišjāņa Valdemāra iela 4, Centra Rajons, LV-1050
Shot Cafe - 111 different types of shots. Add great DJs and a happy vibe and it's party time!
Torņa iela 4, Centra Rajons, LV-1050
Hardcore Hangover Club - A trendy, hipster, tattoo and beard kind of venue with a 3 hour happy hour! Nuff said!
Peldu iela 21, Riga 1050
Bierhaus - This hearty pub prides itself on having Riga's best collection of craft beers from all over the world and even brews it's own on the premises.
Lāčplēša iela 12, LV-1010
May - Latvia Beerfest. This is the largest beer festival in the Baltics and the perfect excuse to sample some of Riga's best local brews (as if you needed one).
July - Blues Festival. "Everybody needs somebody" in a Latvian musical fiesta that would make the Blues Brothers proud.
August - Riga City Festival. The city comes to life in celebration of the Latvian capital with parties in the streets, live music and a brilliantly festive atmosphere.
November - Staro Riga. Riga enjoys an overnight transformation with stunning displays and performances for the annual festival of light.
Having been occupied by the Nazis, communists and pretty much everyone else, Latvians have spent a fair amount of time drowning their sorrows, they've become experts at drinking extremely hard liquor! Now totally independent the country is making up for lost time and parties every day of the week in a really diverse and loud selection of venues. The Old Town is definitely the place to be, this one small area to keep a stag party afloat for months.
Veranes Garden is the city's largest public park and the perfect place to rest your hangovers and, lizard-like, let the sun's rays gradually warm you back to life. Another great spot is the Town Hall Square which has a nice vibe, it is the perfect location for a team photo. The bars aren't the cheapest here and a bit tourist-heavy but there are plenty of great watering holes in the surrounding streets.
'Gonoreja' (yes the J is pronounced like a 'Y') is not the most attractive Latvian Girls names. "Have you met my girlfriend Gonoreja?"
Nearly 1/3rd of Latvia's entire population lives in Riga while major migration means only 45% residents are Latvian.
Hot Babes! Latvia produces more fashion models per capita than nearly any other country in the world.
Eats - If you need some proper man food then head to Street Burgers. These guys really don't do things by halves and these stunning towers of meat, cheese and soft buns will keep all the guys happy. They even do a 'Breakfast Burger', genius!
Meza Street 4a, Riga 1050, Latvia
Drinks - At a whopping proof of 90% Riga's Black Balsam could strip the fake tan off a TOWIE babe from 20 paces. It's a blend of natural ingredients mixed with pure vodka and possibly the Devil's bathwater "It burns! It BURNS!!".
FYI Drink prices are on average half of those back in the UK. "No I'll get these, you get them when we get home..."
Riga isn't the biggest capital city but that just makes it easier to get around. The city's best bars, restaurants and clubs are all easy to reach on foot so there's no need to try and squeeze 15 stags (and potentially fatal clouds of aftershave) into one taxi. If you do want to travel further afield get yourselves eTickets to hop on trams, buses and trolleybuses whenever the mood takes you. But if you're feeling fit you can hire a 'Sixt' public bike for just a few Euros, which are dotted around the city (like London's Boris bikes).
"Sveiks" - Hello
"Ludzu" - Please
"Paldies" - Thank you
"Alus lūdzu" - A beer, please
"Divus alus lūdzu" - Two beers, please
"Daudz alus lūdzu" - Lots of beers please
"Šis kungs par visu samaksās" - This gentleman will pay for everything
"Jūs vēlētos dejot?" - Would you like to dance?
"Ne" - No"
"Mans gliseris ir pilns ar zušiem." - My hovercraft is full of eels.
With a population of less than 2 million, which many would argue includes some of the most beautiful women in Europe (not an argument we're going to get into after we ended up having to arm-wrestle a Romanian gymnast due to previous claims we foolishly made), the Latvian capital is an amazing city to explore. If you're not sure where to begin, here's our stag party guide to Riga.
QI - Latvia's women are among the tallest in Europe with an average height of 5'7".
The beating heart of the city and home to the best bars, clubs, restaurants, street food, just the best everything. It's definitely the place to start those big nights out. Compact with cobbled streets, pedestrianised squares, it can easily be navigated on foot so no need to squeeze everyone into taxis.
A bit hippy, a bit hipster, this boho street is lined with funky cafés, vintage furniture, cool bars and good food. Definitely one to check out if you're looking to get a taste for the local, modern city and its friendly people.
With a huge student population, Teika is home to some lower priced bars, but in general drinks in Riga are really affordable, so do you want to go to a bar where you may have to discuss the merits of Tolstoy or join the university's quidditch team?
This is the modern, commercial area of the city, along with the biggest shops you'll also find a few parks and more high-rise buildings. It's also where Riga's biggest clubs kip during the day before exploding to life in the evening.
Situated on the West Bank of the Daugava River, Pārdaugava is a leafy area with good parks and sandy beaches (yes, sandy river fronts). Life here feels a little bit slower, there a café culture and some nice restaurants if you're looking for somewhere a bit different to start your Riga stag do night out.
QI - Latvia has 500km of coastline and sandy beaches. Yeah, Latvian life's a beach.
It's actually to commemorate fallen comrades in Latvia's fight for independence. So perfectly fitting to take your own fallen comrade there and all bid farewell to his independence as he welcomes in the 'IKEA Years'.
A really nice, green spot to rest those hangovers and take it easy for a while. If you like your parks ("Do I look like your nan?") then this is a great example of peace in a big city. There are canals, bridges, tree-lined walks and welcome shade to let tender heads recuperate before your next Riga stag weekend challenge.
This statue that was gifted to the city by the people of Bremen actually depicts a donkey, dog, cat and cockerel from a fairy-tale by the Brothers Grimm. It's supposedly good luck to rub each one in turn and could be the last chance the groom gets to rub another 'ass'. You can make your own jokes about him getting to rub one final cock-eral.
If you're looking for something a bit slower to do but don't want to spend time in another bar, Riga Zoo is the perfect place to take the groom for a walk. You can show him what the animals look like when living in captivity, how they've lost their lustre and virility now that they've been caged up with mates for the rest of their lives (because it is a stag do after all). #JustSayin
QI - Local spirit Riga Black Balsam is 45% and will result in your singing and dancing in Latvian.
Don't say we didn't warn you!
Stretching 33km, Jūrmala beach is stunning. A 30-minute train ride out of the city, this place is a bit special. Soft golden sand, incredibly blue sea, it's also a common place to find washed up pieces of amber if you're looking for a gift for anyone back home.
The picturesque cobbled square is the perfect Instagram-able backdrop for those more cultured looking squad photos. This part of the city does have a really good feel, with historic buildings and plenty of cafes and bars to get a caffeine fix if required.
If you're still mourning the loss of Game of Thrones, the Swedish gate could let you get your Stark back on. The only surviving medieval entrance to the city, grab the guys and all do your best Unsullied poses.
Effectively, this is Riga's answer to the 'Welcome to Vegas' sign, the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben. Yes, it's not quite as grand as some of the world's more recognisable landmarks but it's a very notable landmark in a nation of under 2 million people and they're very proud of it. So be nice.
QI - Latvia is one of Europe's greenest countries, around 50% is forest.
Riga might be small but in terms of activities and man-sized challenges it packs a massive punch. Some of our all-time favourite stag-tivities can be found in Riga. At StagWeb we take regular trips to all our destinations to look for new activities and make sure our current crop continue to reach our high standards. The scramble to bag the plane ticket to Latvia is an absolute bunfight because we're all desperate to test ourselves against Riga's finest adventures.
Don't miss out, get our team to help you build the perfect stag package. Here's our top 7 Riga stag challenges:
QI - Lithuanians call Latvians 'Horseheads' because the Gulf of Riga is the exact shape of a horse's head.
The drawing back of the Iron Curtain has revealed Riga to be one of Eastern Europe's greatest pre-wedding destinations as a party capital packed with behemoth nightclubs, seriously awesome bars, gorgeous Baltic beauties and beers almost half the price you'd pay in the UK.
What's more is that you won't have to sell an arm, leg or any other vital organs to afford your stay in this European Capital of Culture - A Riga stag weekend is actually seriously budget-friendly and when you couple that fact with StagWeb's brilliant low rates, you'll be left with plenty in your wallets to treat your groom to an absolutely unforgettable weekend in the Baltics.
Stag Fact #1 - Latvia was once known as "Lettland" with its people considering themselves as "The Lettish".
We salute all our groups heading overseas in search of bigger, badder and better adventures than they'd find in the UK by offering you special benefits that you might not receive if you book anywhere else. These include -
We've been helping guys plan awesome Riga stag weekends since 2002, in that time we've built the best network of stag friendly hotels, clubs and activities and we can help you and the guys benefit from our exclusive deals and rates so you can make the most of your stag budget.
Still not convinced? See 1000+ positive reviews right here.
Stag Fact #2 - Crocodile Dundee was inspired by a Latvian. Arvid Blumentals allegedly killed 10,000 crocs in his lifetime.
We've got a huge range of hotels whether you're looking to save money with a budget-friendly 3-star hotel or hostel, a little more luxury with a 4-star or going the full Bond and booking our state-of-the-art 5-star hotel. Whichever you choose, we'll only ever put you where we know from experience that you'll have the best time, which in Riga's case is right in the heart of the action in the city centre, close to the clubs, pubs and bars in Old Town where you'll find the best nightlife the Latvian party capital has to offer.
See our full range of tried and tested accommodation here.
Stag Fact #3 - Riga's Skonto FC are the most successful team in the Latvian Football League.
When it comes to epic pre-wedding adventures, Riga takes the trophy, straps a wad of C4 to it and blows it sky-high. There's action here that you simply won't be able to try anywhere else in the world whether you're an outgoing group of lads who love taking on new adrenaline-pumping challenges or the kind of guys who'd rather sit back, relax and let somebody else do all the hard work for you. From getting hands-on with fully-automatic AK47's to maxin' and relaxin' on your own Strip Boat, Riga really does have something for everyone.
Here's some of the greats -
Stag Fact #4 - Riga's Freedom Monument has been nicknamed "Milda" by the locals.
No Riga stag weekend is complete without the chance to wet the grooms head with beers, cheers and a healthy amount of Baltic beauties - all of which this amazing city delivers up gladly before asking if you handle more. The best thing about celebrating here is that all the nightlife is one convenient place, the Old Town (seriously, it's like Riga was built for partying) where you'll find the most popular nightclubs, the hottest lap dancing clubs and brilliant bars rubbing shoulders to get your evening started.
But this is no ordinary weekend. Oh no gentlemen, this is the groom's last weekend of single living and it needs to be marked as such, so we'll be giving you the chance to receive the VIP treatment. Guestlist entry to the best clubs in town? Just walk under this rope. Limousines with very sexy, stripping passengers? Say hello to "Hilda". Medieval Banquets? Where would you like to start, m'lords?
Treat the groom -
Planning a weekend away can be seriously stressful even when you're only managing your own finances. So, when you're responsible for managing everybody else's funds as well, possibly even money belonging to blokes you don't even know, things can seem even more worrying. But fear not gentlemen, StagWeb are both ABTA bonded (No. W7797) and ATOL protected (No. 11011) which means we adhere to strict codes of conduct, giving you and your booking complete financial protection.
So how do you get the party started? That's the easiest bit of all. Just send us your enquiry. That's right, no gimmicks, no complicated booking process. All you need to do is tell us how you want the weekend to run and we'll do all the hard work, putting together your perfect package of accommodation, activities and nightlife. It's fast, easy, and best of all, completely free with zero obligations until you decide to give us the green light and start booking your Baltic weekend.
Or you can give us a call on 01225 474200. We love talking about all stag weekends great and small, so whether you know exactly what you want for your pre-wedding party or you haven't the foggiest, just pick up the phone and we can start planning your groom's last hurrah today!
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