Krakow
stag weekends

You can find pretty much anything you like in this magnetic city, with a culinary scene that's so much more than its reputation of meat and potatoes. If you're hankering for some good authentic Polish fare, then head straight into the main square to Kiełbaski z Niebieskiej Nyski. Here you'll find two old boys in white wraparounds standing outside their iconic blue Nyska (a Soviet model van). They stand outside this food truck every evening from 6pm, grilling Kiełbasa (Polish sausages) on an open flame and granting salvation to the hungry, drunken masses. Get in line.

You'll be wanting to pop into Pod Temida for the pierogi alone. They serve homemade food, and the type of cheesy hearty dumplings that can rectify even the messiest night. If you really want to dive into the culture, try the traditional bigos; a hearty stew served piping hot and doused with tangy sauerkraut and cabbage.

For some Soviet-era appetisers, typically served cold with shots of vodka, it has to be Ambasada Śledzia. Tuck into huge portions of traditional herring in cream, followed by white sausage with horseradish. This popular joint gets busy early and stays open late but, with its endless array of vodka and beer options, it's a must-try for any stag do.

After that fifth round of shots last night, you desperately need to bring out the big guns. And that means pretty much anything on the menu at Corner Burger. Go for 'The Boss' – a 200g beef patty which comes with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, pickles and tomatoes. Then there's ‘Polish Pride', which comes slathered in local flavours like grilled blood sausage. If you fancy swapping your patty for steak, Moo Moo Steak & Burger Club is the only name you need to know.

You'll head to Gorące Paczki a number of time on your stag do. We'd put money on it. This place serves pączek, a traditional Polish doughnut typically filled with rose jam and glazed with sugar and candied orange peel. The sweet treats here are so beautifully executed, they'll have you feeling human again after just one bite.

In addition to the beer here that happens to be cheaper to buy than water, Krakow has a bar scene that's bursting at the seams.

First things first, head down to the slightly rusty and dusty Singer café, which gives a real sense of pre-war Krakow. The place is in the heart of the hipster district Kazimierz and was named after the Singer sewing machines, which have been transformed into tables. They serve every type of flavoured vodka you could ask for as well as very, very cheap beer.

Pijalnia Wodka i Piwa is an old-school bar influenced by Poland's socialist movement. You probably won't find doting waiters and fine dining but what you will find is dirt cheap drinks. We mean flavoured vodkas and beer for only £1. Yep, less than a packet of Hobnobs.

Cybermachina is a retro videogames dive bar where you can play games like Mario Kart on Nintendo, Xbox 360/One or PlayStation consoles. Seriously! Take the lads out for beers and old school gaming. What's not to love?

For vodka, it has to be Wódka Café Bar which is small but perfectly formed. Order their famous 6 shot vodka board for £4. It comes with all the classics like lemon and raspberry or spice things up with flavours of quince, ginger or chili chocolate.

Krakow isn't the place for chilling, but if you fancy seeing a bit of Polish history and culture on your trip, then Old Town is the place to go. Spend some time exploring the vast Main Market Square which is the focus of the Old Town, Europe's largest medieval town square. Check out the 16th-century Cloth Hall and the 15th-century Town Hall Tower. Have a mooch around the Wawel Royal Castle and then sit for a while at one of the many al fresco bars in the area and take in St Mary's Basilica. From here, head 15-minutes south and you'll find Kazimierz, once a separate town from Kraków but now one of the city's hippest areas.