The Ultimate Amsterdam Stag Do Guide 2023

G’day mate. Fancy a swift one with your crazy Australian cousins? Good onya, mate. Coco’s ranch is the closest you’ll get to the Outback this side of the equator. Celebrating everything Aussie, Coco’s Outback is a thriving spot for stag dos, backpackers, Erasmus students and locals – it’s a proper lad pad. There are around 30 large screens dotted around the bar, so you’ll never miss a live sports game, and there’s even pool tables and darts to keep you occupied during half time. The bar never runs dry (challenge accepted?) with a huge range of beers from Down Under and ice cold Heineken in frozen mugs (served by the fittest waitresses known to man, fact), as well as an open fire pit to drink them by. If you’re hungry, you can trust the Aussies to rustle up some sweet meats on the barbie, and Coco is no exception, with beef, pork, ribs, kangaroo, alligator and even emu on the menu. Watch out mate – as you’d expect, this place gets chockers. Get here early though and you’ll be sweet as.

Located slap bang in the middle of Rembrandtplein, beneath a huge, glossy billboard (Amsterdam’s answer to Times Square), you’ll stumble across the deceptively huge nightclub, Escape. This one really is a clubber’s dream, with multiple floors of massive tunes, wild strobe lighting and smoke machines, creating an Ibiza-megaclub vibe, right in the heart of the Dutch city. Escape has seen the likes of DJs like Tiesto, David Guetta, Paul van Dyk, Kevin Saunderson and Todd Terry hit the decks and sweep crowds up into a frenzy, so if it’s big name DJs you’re after, look no further. Attracting attractive young things from across the city and further afield, there’s a front beer garden, the DeLux bar, the Cafe, the Studio and the Lounge, a smaller, more sophisticated venue.

Putting its heart and soul into good food, drink, music and sports, Belushi’s couldn’t be more of a stag do classic if it tried. Located on the outskirts of the Red Light District, Belushi’s has a 350-capacity and fills up pretty quickly every single night of the week. With a huge reputation preceding it, this is a haven for tourists, Erasmus students, backpackers (there’s a hostel upstairs) and stag groups – so make sure this is a party you definitely don’t miss out on. There are huge screens showing live sports (no more refreshing Sky Sports and draining your data), pool tables, live DJs, a smoking room and a nightclub attached, taking you seamlessly from day to night celebrations. Pocket friendly, the food and drink will leave you with plenty of cash left to splash in your red-lit surroundings.

Have you ever spent the night with two sisters? How about three? Now you’re talking. This place is the ultimate lad pad, with 128 seats around the bar area, including 16 plush Chesterfield armchairs. There’s a suntrap of a drinking terrace around the front of this bar, where all walks of life come to catch the rays, have a bite to eat, people watch and start their nights early. The Three Sisters’ kitchen is open from 10am until midnight, when those munchies kick in, they’ve got your back.

Welcome to Paradise… the number one place for your music fix. Housed in a huge old building, Paradiso is one of Amsterdam’s largest music joints, with a checkered history to its name. In its 50+ years, Paradiso has been a church, a spot for squatting hippies in the 60s and now, it’s home to the best music around. The Rolling Stones, Adele, The Killers, Nirvana, Arctic Monkeys, Daft Punk and Guns ‘n’ Roses have all performed on its iconic stage – and if it’s good enough for them, it’s sure good enough for us. However, this whopping venue only holds 250 people (including the balconies), making gigs just about as intimate as they come – getting up close and personal, you’ll feel like you’re pretty much on stage with the acts. Just a word of warning: this place sells out really quickly, so make sure to book up early if you want to guarantee your ticket.

Make sure to get one of your five a day on your Amsterdam stag do (your mother would be proud, sort of) in the world-renowned Banana Bar. In case you hadn’t already noticed, De Wallen is a pretty X-rated area and certainly not for the faint-hearted, so if you’re easily offended, look away now. Simply follow the glowing neon banana and head up the stairs, into a parallel universe you will never forget. Like any regular erotic bar in the area, you’ll be served your drinks by scantily clad, attractive and friendly girls who will ensure that your glass is never empty. Singlehandedly keeping Tesco’s fruit and veg department in business, this bar’s unique selling point is the *ahem* tricks that the girls perform with their bananas. We’ll leave you with that thought. Whether you decide to treat the stag to a lap dance or just want to sit back and enjoy the scenery is up to you, but one thing’s for sure – you’ll never eat a banana in the same way again.

For a massive dance night in the heart of Leidseplein, look no further than Luminaa. Slightly classier than the bars surrounding it, Luminaa is the reason you brought your best shirt on your stag do, attracting local A-listers, affluent students and in-the-know tourists. What really sets this place above its counterparts is the acutely trained bar staff; if you know what you like and don’t like when it comes to drinks, you can’t fail to be impressed by Luminaa. The professional mixologists (the PHD students of the bar world) welcome feedback and constantly challenge themselves to make the perfect drinks. Don’t be afraid to push them to their limits. Go on, they dare you. Tell them the base flavours that you’re looking for and rest assured, they’ll work their magic to shake, blend and mix your new favourite drink. As if that wasn’t enough, Luminaa even has a large and adventurous food menu, blending recognisable flavours with completely unique ones. You won’t get this sort of experience anywhere else in Amsterdam, let alone Leidesplein.

You know you’re no Casanova. You scrub up well and your chat is epic – if you do say so yourself – but for some reason those girls never seem to stick around the morning after. You, Sir, need a visit to Casa Rosso. Located in the heart of De Wallen, Casa Rosso is the oldest live sex theatre in the whole city, marked by the huge neon elephant above its doors. Here, you can have a drink with your mates and watch live (and seriously impressive) sex shows unfold before your very eyes – including strip tease acts, light S&M, various tricks involving bananas and pens, and, of course, the well-choreographed, live sex shows. Some acts even have audience participation, which have the stag’s name written all over them…

Just off Rembrandtplein, but well worth the couple of minutes’ walk to get there, Club Air plays cutting-edge electronic tunes to thousands and thousands (no exaggeration) of house and dance music fans every single week. There’s a unique, multi-tiere dance floor, state-of-the-art VOID acoustic sound system, LED wall displays and a whopping five bars, all under one roof. Commercial and underground DJs perform their sets on different nights of the week, with the biggest name acts closing the shows on Fridays and Saturdays. Plus, attracting some of the city’s best looking girls, Club Air has an excellent male to female ratio - just saying…

If you think of yourself as a bit of a Great Gatsby on the side, Door 74 is your new stag do stomping ground. This clandestine bar exudes cool from every orifice and is the ideal backdrop to a sophisticated stag weekend. Amsterdam may not be short of speakeasy-style bars, but you’ve seen nothing ‘til you’ve unearthed Door 74. This throwback to the Prohibition era is rated among the World’s Best Bars, with smartly dressed, vintage looking staff, antique barware, dark wood, dimly-lit interior, unbelievable drinks and an exclusive guestlist as long as your arm. Offering outstanding ales, premium spirits and top quality cocktails - including the intimidating White Zombie Doctor – you’ll be all too pleased you found Door 74. But shh, keep this one under your hats, or this little gem won’t be one of Amsterdam’s best kept secrets for much longer.

A stag do in Amsterdam is all about getting high… so how does 20-storeys above ground level sound? Just over the water, behind Amsterdam Centraal Station, A’DAM Lookout Tower offers glorious 360° views over the historic city centre, the thriving port, impressive Centraal Station, IJsselmeer Lake and many of the hundreds of canals running around the city centre. You can travel up the Heavenly Elevator and make the 22 second journey to the top of the tower. Once you’re there, there’s even a swing where the bravest of you can put your inhibitions behind you and fly ‘over the edge’ of the Sky Deck, swinging out over the city.

Stroll down the quaint, cobbled Warmoesstraat and you’ll stumble across the Condomerie. If you’re into practicing safe sex (‘wrap it in latex or she’s gonna get your paychecks’ and all that), this place is Mecca. With all manner of lubricants, edible gifts, sex toys, and, of course, a huge range of condoms, your Netflix and chill sessions will never be quite the same. When it comes to wrapping the willy, this place has it all – glow in the dark, extra-large, extra-small, hand painted, animal shaped (with ears, tusks, trunks etc) and even personalised Johnnies.

The world’s first and oldest sex museum takes you on a journey through the ages, looking at all aspects of sex through the ages. We’re talking erotic pictures, recordings, photographs and interactive demonstrations (we’re not saying anything more). Aptly located slap bang in the centre of The Red Light District, you’ll be able to head straight out and discuss/black out what you’ve just seen with a few pints. Who knows, you might even learn a thing or two and impress the missus when you get home…

Behind the Rijksmuseum, the ‘I Amsterdam’ sculpture is a tourist friendly hub of people absorbing the culture and people walking, but mainly taking selfies. It’s the classic ‘I have been to Amsterdam’ photo opportunity which you can’t miss out on. At more than two metres tall and 23.5 metres wide, the huge slogan has become a local landmark and a universal meeting spot should you get separated from your group.

Nothing ticks those stag do boxes better than a brewery experience; they’re cultural, you’ll learn a bit and you’ll get to neck some beers. You can’t possibly lose in this situation. The birthplace of Heineken takes you through the popular beer’s history in the former brewery, and is located close to Leidesplein, meaning that you can spill out in search of more beers to keep yourselves topped up.

Probably the most famous neighbourhood in the entire Netherlands, The Jordaan begins near to Centraal Station, arches around Canal Ring and ends at Leidsegracht. As far as shopping, dining out and cultural attractions go, The Jordaan is up there with the very best. It’s also home to Amsterdam Cheese Museum (need we say more?) and Anne Frank’s House, for a more sombre experience.

Probably the easiest one to tick off your Amsterdam checklist is checking out the canals. With more than 100 kilometres of canals, 90 islands and 1,500 bridges – when visiting Amsterdam, you can’t miss them. If all this culture has made you thirsty, why not kill two birds with one stone and take in some of the most famous sights on a canal boat cruise?

A stag do in Amsterdam is all about getting high… so how does 20-storeys above ground level sound? Just over the water, behind Amsterdam Centraal Station, A’DAM Lookout Tower offers glorious 360° views over the historic city centre, the thriving port, impressive Centraal Station, IJsselmeer Lake and many of the hundreds of canals running around the city centre. You can travel up the Heavenly Elevator and make the 22 second journey to the top of the tower. Once you’re there, there’s even a swing where the bravest of you can put your inhibitions behind you and fly ‘over the edge’ of the Sky Deck, swinging out over the city.

Just a five minute walk from Cantraal Station, you’ll find Dam Square. Bustling with tourists, locals, bikes, live street performers, and walking tours, no matter the weather, this laid-back square is a hive of activity in the centre of the city. Dating back to the 13th century, you can say you’ve seen a bit of Amsterdam history – including the Royal Palace - as you people watch from one of the many bars and cafes surrounding the square’s perimeter. Many free walking tours commence here (leaving more money for beer spends) and there’s even a huge, colourful Ferris wheel here in the spring.

Fair enough, nothing screams ‘culture vulture’ like going to an art gallery, but we reckon that’s pretty boring, especially on your stag do. With this place, you’ll get to take a look into the home of Rembrandt (between 1639 and 1655), which has been meticulously refurbished with furniture, art and objects from his time, and get to see some of his most famous work showcased at the same time. The world famous Blue Bird Coffeeshop is just around the corner too, if you fancy a *ahem* caffeine hit.