In a time when football stars don alice bands to offset their fresh blonde highlights and rockers turn to macrobiotics and prune juice rather than whiskey and hookers, the stag weekend may well be the last bastion of old school masculinity. Amalia Illgner takes a look at the modern incarnation of this rite of passage and discovers there’s a lot more to the modern stag weekend than just a boozy night of bonding and bristols.

Back when Michael Caine was a sex symbol, Michael Jackson still black, and Chicken Tikka was considered the height of culinary chic; the perfect stag night simply consisted of a case of beer, your best mates, a fully loaded Polaroid, and an amateur stripper named Bambi. How times have changed…

According to the office for national statistics we’re now far less likely to get married in the first place and if we do get dragged down the aisle it’s far later than ever before. In fact for men the average age has crept up to an all time high of 30 and a half years, so there’s little wonder that it’s not just a small cause for celebration when two people in this Bridget Jones world manage to step away from their work stations, microwave-meals-for-one and eBay auctions and actually commit to each another.

What this means for the stag weekend is that generally couples have more money to spend on their respective hen and stag weekends and what that means is that the stag weekends are getting more elaborate, adventurous and action packed. In other words the ante is being upped along with the expectations. Forget sitting on your rear and ordering the seafood special at your local, the typical 21st century stag weekend consists of action packed days filled with paintball army combat style, canyoning, quad biking, Munich beer halls, Estonian feasts and coasteering. For those of you who think crossing Piccadilly Circus during peak hour is about as rugged terrain as you’ve ever seen, coasteering is the fine art of scrambling around a coastline and leaping off cliffs into wave lapped coves below. It’s about as close to becoming Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as anyone who works in an office is going to get. Ever. And the guys are loving it. In fact, coasteering – as well as the trusty faithfulls like paintball and quad biking – is fast becoming the new black when it comes to planning the ultimate stag weekend. There truly is nothing like getting a bunch of lads together adding a strong element of fear, the smell of competition and the threat of ritual humiliation to bring out the dormant Evil Knieval within.

And it seems this chest beating machismo and daring even stretches into the cultural realm as scores of quintessential British stags are downloading Google earth, thumbing through a phrase book and heading off shore to experience far flung destinations for their weekend of freedom. The foreign office released a detailed survey at the end of last year and found that a staggering 70 per cent of young Brits “now prefer to travel abroad for hen and stag parties”. That sure is a giant leap from our parents’ night out in Bournemouth. And perched at the top of the destination pack is undeniable the cool of Eastern Europe. Riga. Vilnius. Tallinn. Bratislava. Moscow. They’re so cool they’re hot. The Iron Curtain is cool and the Eastern Bloc is rocking. This is principally from the recent expansion of the European Union making costly and irritating visas at thing of the past and the fact that flights are now cheaper than a ticket to see Rod Stewart’s Greatest Hits tour at Wembley. And let’s not forget the exchange rate. Ah the sweet exchange rate, where often one humble quid will be enough to buy more than one pint of quality local brew. This point is often argument enough to entice punters from expensive metro poles like London (where one quid may buy you a copy of The Sun and half a mars bar).

So 21st Century Stags unite! The options are as endless as your imagination. That really is the easy part. Now it’s just a matter of convincing her to marry you…

If there’s one city in the world that knows how to party, it’s Manchester. This isn’t exactly news to the hip and the cool – Manchester has been the center of hip for decades now. Trendy music, classic style, the original Pub crawl capital of the world and home to the Curry Mile – not to mention the Hard Rock Cafe – what more could you ask from a city if you’re planning a stag do? Stag parties were made for Manchester – or should that be the other way around?

But there’s more to Manchester than night life. By day, the cheeky city boasts some of the best sporting and active pursuits any man would be proud to admit to indulging. Stag parties in Manchester tend to run to full stag weekends of non-stop rousing and Arousing fun. Whether it’s a spot of paintball (or a whole lot of paintball spots!), a round of golf, a jaunt around the course in an armored tank or a walk on the wild side in Manchester’s hottest nightclubs, a Manchester stag weekend can boast something for everyone.

So you’re the bloke that gets to plan a stag party in Manchester? Here’s a handful of helpful tips to make sure you send your mate off on his wedding day with a photo album full of memories. (And you can’t blame us if they’re the sort he’ll pay to keep hidden!)

Start with a THEME. In a city full of college pranksters and swaggering Mancunians, you’ll need a way to make the Stag stand out from the crowd. Who could miss him strutting down the street in the midst of a dozen toga-clad Senators? Or if togas are a bit too Greek for your lot, why not hit the clubs wearing pith helmets and monocles for a jolly old night on the town?

Don’t forget the PRANK – the lynchpin of any stag party in Manchester or anywhere else. The best we’ve heard is a direct steal from MAS*H – get your guest of honor totally soused… then encase him from neck to knees in a plaster cast. All right – that one might be a touch rough to pull off, but it’s a bit more imaginative than hiding all his trousers and leaving him nothing to wear but a pair of boxers stamped with bright pink ribbons.

Even if you decide to do away with the theme and the prank, you’ll still find a lot of benefit in some advance planning for your Manchester stag weekend. In fact, say many professional tour operators, you’d do best to start making your plans and reservations as much as six months in advance, especially if you want to include popular activities like quad bikes, five a side football or hovercraft racing. If you’re feeling especially organized, you might even arrange a full weekend of spy games to entertain the man of the hour in his final hours.

A stag weekend in Manchester is just one example of the unique stag parties that a professional tour operator can help you arrange. If you’re looking for more unique ideas for stag parties in Manchester or any other city, contact a tour operator that specialises in unique and unusual stag nights, bachelor parties and stag weekends.

Ghost Hunters

With 800 years of experience, there are few cities that can boast the atmosphere that Riga offers for stag parties. A vibrant, modern city with a special love of music, Riga offers a blend of adrenaline-raising activities and heart-pumping night life that make stag parties in Riga the sort that you’re still talking about years later. The Old Town in Riga boasts clubs, live music, DJs, casinos and bars that cover the spectrum from posh to dodgy. And if shopping is part of your agenda, Riga’s city market is the largest in the world.

Shopping on a stag weekend? Stag parties in Riga find some unusual things to do, and shopping is one of them. The City Market is housed under four enormous renovated zeppelin hangars, and is a great place to test your Stag’s mettle in the face of the local ‘scenery’. It’s just a few minutes walk from Old Town Riga, where dozens of pubs and bars offer an excellent venue for a Riga stag parties pub crawl. If you’re not certain of the best watering holes in the city – and who’d expect a bunch of tourists out on a holiday stag jaunt to know? – you can turn the planning over to a tour organizer that specialises in arranging activities for stag parties in Riga.

One Riga stag parties activity that you won’t find in many other cities is an afternoon of – bob-sledding. Hurtling down an icy bobsleigh track at speeds approaching blurring, with no brakes to slow your downward descent – is there a better metaphor for the journey your mate is about to embark than that? Other daytime activities for stag parties in Riga include paintball, quad biking, off road karting and… wait for it.. bungee jumping! Let your stag literally take the plunge before he jumps off the cliffs into married life, eh?

Stag parties in Riga really hit their stride in the evenings, though, with dozens of clubs and music venues that offer a taste of every entertainment imaginable. Hit the nightclubs with a guide, or rent out a limousine for a bangup start to your night with a lapdance limo ride. If you make your arrangements in advance, you can end up your pub crawl in one of Riga’s lap dancing and strip clubs for a night of ogling the best girl flesh that Eastern Europe has to offer.

Bobsleighing in Riga is just one example of a fun stag parties activity that a professional tour operator can help you arrange. If you’re looking for more unique ideas for stag parties in Riga or any other city, contact Chillisauce.co.uk, a tour operator that specialises in unique and unusual stag nights, bachelor parties and stag weekends.

Fancy a stag do with exciting daytime activities and exotic night time adventures that do not burn a hole in your pocket? Yes! This place exists and it goes by the name of Budapest. For a mere 80p, you can get a pint of beer while a hearty meal will just cost you less than £5. Couple this with the service of a Chillisauce stag do operator, you will definitely be bound for some pure fun and lasting memories!

Also named as the Paris of the East, Budapest boasts of the Buda section that is the historic section of the city and the Pest, where all the modern malls, clubs and restaurants are located. With a total of 123 thermal springs and a selection of outdoor spas combined with 2000 hours of sunshine each year, your stag do in Budapest will definitely be one of your best experiences ever.

Possible unique daytime activities for a Budapest stag do include a taste of adventure sports in the nearby Pilis Mountains. These would include exciting rally driving experiences, Quad Bike racing and obstacle courses as well as uniquely different thermal spas and exotic Bacchanalian Spas. Unlike the ones in UK, the thermal spas here are located in buildings designed much like castles with fountains and pools of both warm and cold water, as well as bikini clad beauties. These are just perfect for recovery after the heavy booze and hangover from the previous night. Furthermore, other services that complement the thermal spa include steam rooms, sauna and massage services, all of which have been built to cater to your need to relax.

What other unique stag do activities can you expect from Budapest? Well, if you are in for some gambling fun, then there’s the Budapest casino. Chillisauce will take care of all the entry requirements for you so that you can just enjoy the Poker, Roulette and Blackjack, or even have a go at the Slot Machines.

Peruvian girl

Looking for a wild stag party in the heart of Europe? Try a stag do at Prague to experience a different party culture with a blend of medieval charm and cosmopolitan excitement. This city of 1.2 million has always been a favored for the uniquely ancient Prague Castle, drawing tourists from all over to revel at its unique architecture.

For the party animal with a different agenda, Prague offers a multitude of night spots offering a constant flow of cheap and world-class beer. This includes popular local beer brands such as Pilsner Urquell and Budvar, easily acquired anywhere in the city but more prominently in the night spots of the Old Town area of Prague.

If you don’t want to miss out the most exclusive clubs where only VIPs gain entrance, get a tour operator like Chillisauce to get you in. Specifically, Chillisauce will increase the fun level of your stag party with a clubbing experience that you will never forget! Marvel at the massiveness and uniqueness of the 14th Century nightclub located at the heart of Prague which incorporates 5 different dance floors. Whatever your taste in party music may be, you will be spoilt for choice with the variety of 5 different music areas.

That not good enough for you? Well, you will be definitely astounded when you discover the Roman Baths and pools here, which make this 14th century party haven no match for any other stag party venue in the city. Truly, this club must be at the top of your list before you even land in Prague!

Strip shows are also aplenty in Prague. With Chillisauce, you can be sure that you won’t mess up your itinerary and miss out on the ultimate stag experience. There is not anything more exotic than the opportunity to enjoy a sumptuous dinner while watching a strip show! You can be sure that good quality will not be compromised as your 3 course meal is served at one of Prague’s finest restaurants.