Amsterdam stag do

Amsterdam is still one of the most popular stag destinations in Europe, but the city has made it very clear it no longer wants stag groups looking for a messy weekend. Go with the right expectations, though, and it's a fantastic place to spend a few days.

The canals, the brown cafés, the beer and the food are excellent, and the city is easy to get around by bike, tram or on foot. Most of the rules are aimed at the Red Light District, so a group that spends more time elsewhere will barely notice them.

Amsterdam residents are tired of drunk tourists, and the city council has acted. In 2023 it ran an online campaign called "Stay Away", aimed directly at young British men searching for stag parties and pub crawls. It has also restricted pub crawls and limited stag groups in the centre.

Outside the Red Light District, you'll find the Dutch direct but friendly. They'll tell you if you're in the way, especially on a cycle lane. Keep the noise down on residential canal streets at night, as people live in every building.

Plenty of bars and cafés, especially in the Red Light District, won't serve large groups of men. Some have explicit no-stag policies. Smaller groups and a calmer approach will get you a lot further.

The city has brought forward closing times for bars in the Red Light District at weekends, so plan the late part of the night elsewhere, in areas like Leidseplein or Rembrandtplein.

Fancy dress is exactly what the city's campaign is aimed at, and it'll mark you out to police and bar staff. Leave it at home, or keep it to the groom.

The Jordaan

Pretty canal streets and traditional brown cafés. The best area for a proper Dutch pub afternoon.

Leidseplein

Busy bars, clubs and live music venues. Where a lot of big nights happen.

Rembrandtplein

Another lively square with bars and clubs open late.

De Pijp

Markets, good restaurants and a younger, mostly local crowd.

The Red Light District

Worth seeing once. The rules are strict, and it's not the place for a big night.

A canal boat

Hire a private boat with drinks for the group. It's one of the best things to do in the city, and a lot calmer than a pub crawl.

The Heineken Experience

Touristy, but good fun for a group, and it ends with a beer.

Bike tour

The best way to see the city. Hire bikes and stay sober while riding them, and stick to the bike lanes.

Football at the Johan Cruijff ArenA

Ajax home games are a great atmosphere, if you can get tickets.

Brown café crawl in the Jordaan

Traditional pubs with wooden interiors, good local beer and a relaxed atmosphere.

Friday

Fly in, drop the bags, and start in the Jordaan's brown cafés. Dinner in De Pijp, then Leidseplein for a late night.

Saturday

A bike tour or the Heineken Experience in the morning, then a private canal boat in the afternoon. Dinner, then Rembrandtplein.

Sunday

A walk through the Red Light District in daylight to see it, then lunch and the flight home.

Amsterdam accommodation is expensive, and getting more so. The city's tourist tax is 12.5% of the room rate, and hotel VAT rose in 2026, which together add a large chunk to the bill.

Short-term holiday rentals are limited to 30 nights a year per property and banned altogether in parts of the centre, so big group apartments are hard to find. Hotels are the realistic choice for most groups.

Prices change, so check before you book.

• Smoking cannabis in the street is banned in the Red Light District, Dam Square, the Damrak and Nieuwmarkt, with fines of about €100. It's only allowed inside licensed coffeeshops.
• Drinking in the street in the Red Light District can get you a fine of about €95.
• Photographing the women in the Red Light District windows is illegal, and staff can confiscate phones.
• Since July 2026, supermarkets and off-licences in the centre can't sell alcohol after 10pm.
• Watch out for bikes. Don't walk in the cycle lanes. The cyclists won't stop.