The Ultimate Edinburgh Stag Do Guide 2023

No stag in Edinburgh is complete without a visit to the Three Sisters pub, located in the Cowgate area of the city. This bar has a real lively vibe and welcomes stag dos with open arms. You need to try their Man Plank, a sharing board for a minimum of six people, which would easily feed double!

The award-winning Shanghai Club is one of Edinburgh’s premier clubbing experiences and is definitely one for the list on any night out. The oriental themed club has three distinct areas, each with their own charm – perfect for pleasing the lads.

If it’s live music that you’re after, then the Liquid Room is the place to head to. With a large stage setup and plenty of options for drinks, this is the best place to celebrate your upcoming nuptials with the lads, just don’t go starting one of them mosh pits, no one wants a black eye in the wedding photos.

Another live music venue that you don’t want to miss is Sneaky Pete’s. Described as 'buzzing with late-night music', if you’re looking for good music, blue cocktails and sweaty dancefloors in the Old Town, then Sneaky Pete’s is the place for you.

This cool basement vault bar spans two floors and describes itself as 'a celebration of jiggery pokery'. We’re not sure what that means, but it sounds fun! Featuring local and international DJs each week, this club is sure to be a hit with the lads.

Banging tunes and class music awaits at Bongo, a Cowgate club popular with students. If you’re looking for something other than the typical chart music nightclub, then the Bongo Club could be just the place for you. This club is so popular, its own punters saved it from closure in 2012. N’aww.

If loud crowds and live music isn’t your thing, then Lulu bar may be more your cup of tea – Long Island Ice Tea that is. This stylish bar is located on the classy George Street and serves up decadent cocktails in chic surroundings. We recommend heading to their Lulu Saturday nights and getting one of their drinks packages, for the ultimate night out.

For even more upmarket celebrations, head over to the Voodoo Rooms, where you’ll find a luxe leather bar and gilded gold accessories. Get yourself suited and booted and settle in to try one of Liquid Room’s decadent cocktails.

Another live music venue, but you can watch the footie in this one as well. McSorley’s is an Irish bar like no other. Great craic, great burgers and great music give this place an amazing vibe. The bar is split-level with huge screens everywhere, making it the perfect spot for a few pints to watch the match.

The Hive is a relaxed club playing a cool range of music. Sticky floors and cheap drinks should bring the nostalgia of uni days flooding back to you, as you knock back a few multi-coloured shots. The Hive is really popular, so it’s always best to get guest list, so you’re not waiting in the cold with the 19 year olds.

You can’t go to Edinburgh and not visit its most iconic landmark. Hike to the top of the Royal Mile and you can view the castle in all its glory, as well as admiring the view of the city. In the 12th century, the castle was built on top of the strategic Castle Rock, but what they may not have known is, the rock was in in fact formed by a nearby volcano.

The Royal Mile runs between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace and leads off into smaller cobbled streets and twisted alleyways. There’s plenty to see and do along this famous mile (which technically isn’t a mile at all), as well as a few good pubs that you can stop off at along the way.

Even if you’ve never heard of Calton Hill, you’ll be familiar with it. It is one of the most popular points to photograph the city from, often capturing the Dugald Stewart Monument in the forefront. Don’t forget to check out the unfinished National Monument, in remembrance to the fallen soldiers of the Napoleonic Wars.

Take a walk on the spooky side and discover Edinburgh’s gruesome history. The city is one of the most haunted in the UK and for good reason. The Real Mary King’s Close, a street underneath the Royal Mile, is said to have been sealed up during the plague, entombing the dying victims inside.

For stag photos with a twist, head to Camera Obscura, where your perception of the world will be turned on its head… literally. This tourist attraction is definitely worth a visit and will provide you and the lads with some good laughs as you try to navigate the mirror maze and the Vortex Tunnel, which we call the ‘dizzy tunnel’ for good reason.

A lesson on how to look at a glass of whisky and drink it? You might think it’s daft, but whisky tasting is an art form in itself and takes real skill to master. Refine your drinking prowess and get pissed like a gentleman in the whisky homeland itself.

Learn about Edinburgh’s dark history through the Edinburgh dungeons, a walk-through attraction that will see you meeting some of the city’s most nefarious characters. From infamous body snatchers turned murderers, Burke and Hare, to the Sawney Bean cannibal clan, you’ll be reaching for a clean pair of kecks before you’ve left.

As mentioned at top of the list, Castle Rock where Edinburgh Castle sits on was formed by a volcanic eruption. Well, welcome to your volcano. Not many people know but Arthur’s Seat, beloved by hikers and tourists alike is actually an extinct volcano! It hasn’t erupted in 340 million years, so we’re going to hazard a guess that it’s fine to climb.

If you’re a movie fan, then head on down to the Cameo Picturehouse, one of the oldest cinemas in Scotland. There’s no better way to unwind from a heavy session, than sitting in a dark room with a good film, so Cameo have you covered.

Start your stag do right, by laughing yourself stupid with your mates. The Stand comedy club has been entertaining Edinburgh’s residents and visitors since 1996, so they know how it is when it comes to making you chuckle.