Edinburgh Stag Do

An Edinburgh stag do gives you a castle on a volcano, cobbled streets full of old pubs and enough whisky to make your stag regret ever learning the word dram. It’s compact, gorgeous and properly lively at night, and it’s one of the few cities where the history is as much fun as the bars.

The city is also famous for its festivals, especially the Fringe in August. That’s a brilliant time for a comedy-heavy stag weekend, but the city gets packed and beds go fast. If you want the place a bit more to yourselves, any other month works nicely.

The Grassmarket, right under the castle, is where most stags end up. It’s a wide old square lined with pubs, and it gets lively at the weekend. Just round the corner, the Cowgate runs underneath the bridges with late bars and clubs, so the two together make a natural first night.

Rose Street, tucked between Princes Street and George Street in the New Town, is basically a lane of pubs, so it’s made for a pub crawl. George Street is the smarter option with cocktail bars that stay open late, ideal if the group owns shirts. Down at the shore, Leith has waterfront pubs and some of the best food in the city. Drink-wise, it’s whisky, real ale and a can of Irn-Bru the next morning, which locals swear by.

Walk up Arthur’s Seat for the best views in the city and a hangover cure that works by pure suffering. Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile are worth a few hours, and the Scotch Whisky Experience by the castle is an easy sell.

For a bit of action, get the stag into a kilt and book a round of Highland games, where he can attempt to toss a caber in front of an audience. If the lads want something wetter, white water rafting in Perthshire is a day trip north. And with Edinburgh’s festival pedigree, a night at a comedy club is a safe bet any time of year. Rugby fans should check the Murrayfield fixtures, because a Six Nations weekend turns the whole city into a party.

• Getting there. Trains run straight into Waverley in the centre, there’s the Caledonian Sleeper from London, and Edinburgh Airport is connected to town by tram.
• Drinking in public. Edinburgh has byelaws against drinking in public places, so save the carry-out for the accommodation.
• Shoes. The Old Town is all hills, steps and cobbles. Leave the brand new brogues at home.
• August. The Fringe is fantastic but busy, so book accommodation very early if you’re going then.
• ID. Scottish bars take ID seriously, so everyone needs some on them.

For a stag party in Edinburgh, two nights is ideal. Friday in the Grassmarket and Cowgate, Saturday with an activity and George Street or Leith, then Sunday up Arthur’s Seat for anyone who can still stand. If you fancy a two-city Scottish trip, a Glasgow stag do is a short train away, and Aberdeen is further north for the lads who like their weekends wild. Compare the packages below and book early for festival and rugby weekends.

I’d base the group in the Old Town, as close to the Grassmarket as you can get. It’s the old square of pubs right under the castle, the Cowgate’s late bars and clubs are just round the corner, and the Royal Mile and the Scotch Whisky Experience are on the doorstep for Saturday. That makes Friday night a short stagger home.

The New Town is the other option. Rose Street sits between Princes Street and George Street, so you’re a lane away from a ready-made pub crawl and the smarter cocktail bars that stay open late. Trains run straight into Waverley in the centre, so either base works if the lads are coming up by rail.

Two practical points. The Old Town is all hills, steps and cobbles, so wherever you sleep, pack shoes you can actually walk home in. And if you’re going in August, book the beds before you book anything else, because the Fringe packs the city out.

Friday Get the train into Waverley, or the Caledonian Sleeper if the London contingent fancy arriving in style, dump the bags and head for the Grassmarket. Warm up in the old pubs under the castle, then drift round to the Cowgate once you want the late bars and clubs under the bridges. Make sure every man has ID on him, because Scottish bars take it seriously and nobody wants the stag stuck on the pavement.

Saturday Get the stag into a kilt and book a round of Highland games, where he gets to attempt a caber toss with the whole group watching. If the lads would rather get soaked, swap it for white water rafting in Perthshire, but it’s a day trip north, so it eats the whole day. Back in town, the Scotch Whisky Experience by the castle is an easy afternoon and gets the whisky started. For the night out I’d do a pub crawl down Rose Street and finish on George Street in the cocktail bars that stay open late. During the Fringe, a comedy club slots in before the crawl. Rugby fan in the group? Check the Murrayfield fixtures first, because a Six Nations weekend rewrites the whole plan.

Sunday Crack open a can of Irn-Bru, which the locals swear by, and march whoever can still stand up Arthur’s Seat for the best views in the city. Then head down to Leith for the waterfront pubs and some of the city’s best food before the train home. Edinburgh has byelaws against drinking in public places, so any real ale left over stays at the accommodation, not on the hill.