Stag do in Lisbon

Lisbon's boats run on the Tagus and out along the coast, passing under the 25 de Abril Bridge and Belém Tower. The public party boat leaves from the centre, 7pm to 11pm on Saturdays from March to October and on Thursdays and Fridays in summer, with a DJ and two drinks each. Private boats and catamarans for 12 to 18 leave from marinas at Belém or Alcântara for two or three hours, day or evening. Some let you bring your own drinks, but cans only and no red wine. Anyone who arrives intoxicated is refused boarding. Bring swimwear for daytime sails.

Lisbon's bubble football pitch is about 20 to 25 minutes' drive from the centre, an outdoor pitch with a cover overhead, which gives some shade in summer. A session is an hour with an English-speaking referee, for 8 to 25 players. The exact venue is confirmed in the final itinerary closer to the weekend, and transfers and lunch at the venue can be added. Bring sun cream, water and trainers, as it is still hot under the cover in July and August. It suits the morning after the first night out, before the heat of the day builds.

Lisbon has two big club stadiums, both offering tours of around two hours that take in the pitch, the dressing rooms, the press room and the club museum. The larger ground holds over 65,000 and runs tours between 10am and 6pm, but not on matchdays; the other runs set tour times from late morning through the afternoon, Tuesday to Sunday, and is closed on Mondays. Tickets are collected at the stadium. Check the fixture list before you travel: a home match changes the tour times, and if the group wants a game, plan the weekend around it.

In Lisbon this works best as a private barbecue where the group is staying, if the accommodation has a terrace or garden, rather than a hog roast. Ask early whether outdoor cooking is allowed and whether a caterer can bring equipment in, because not every property permits it. If the accommodation cannot host it, fold the food into a boat day or an activity that offers lunch on site instead. Lisbon is hot in July and August, so plan for shade and plenty of water, and schedule the food for the late afternoon.

Lisbon's beer tasting is a craft-beer session rather than a brewery tour: about an hour in the Baixa, the downtown grid, with an English-speaking host pouring five small measures of craft beer alongside traditional Portuguese snacks. Sessions run daily from 2pm to about 8pm, and groups from 2 to 50 can be booked, so it scales for a big stag party. It is a relaxed late-afternoon option between the day's activity and dinner, and an easy one to add on arrival day once everyone has checked in and dropped their bags.

Lisbon's cocktail classes run in central bars, either as an afternoon session between about 3pm and 6pm or an evening one at 7pm from Tuesday to Saturday. Expect 90 minutes to two hours behind the bar with a professional bartender, a welcome drink, and between two and four cocktails each depending on the format. Group sizes range from about 4 to 25, so check the cap for a larger stag party. ID is needed, as it is 18-plus. The 7pm slot leads straight into dinner and the late start that Lisbon's nightlife expects.

Lisbon's food walks run about three hours with an English-speaking guide, pairing local food with a drink at each stop: cheese with port, a codfish cake with vinho verde, chorizo with red wine, and a shot of ginjinha liqueur. The evening alternative is a two-and-a-half-hour all-you-can-eat-and-drink tapas dinner for 8 to 25 people. There is also a two-hour Portuguese cooking class where the group cooks a two-course meal with a glass of wine and a port, best for a group of 12 or more. Wear comfortable shoes for the walk, as the old districts are hilly.

Lisbon's group dinners come in two main formats, both central. The rooftop option is a three-course meal with views over the city and two hours of open bar. The Bairro Alto option is a 90-minute set three-course dinner with unlimited beer, wine and sangria and coffee to finish, which puts you right where the bars are when you stand up. Bottomless tapas with drinks is the more casual alternative. Smart casual is expected. Book later than you would at home, as nights here start late, and send dietary needs in advance.

Lisbon gives you two choices. Most groups stay central: a guided tasting of three or four Portuguese wines in a bar near Largo Luís de Camões, running one to two hours with afternoon and early-evening slots, or a quick 40-minute port tasting in a bodega between 5pm and 10pm. The alternative is a vineyard tour in the Azeitão wine area, a 50-minute drive from the centre, led by an English-speaking sommelier for about an hour and a quarter; transport is not included, so it needs a minibus. Everything is 18-plus, and the port tasting makes a good pre-dinner stop.

Lisbon's beer bikes start in Belém, on the riverside, and ride for an hour past Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, the marina and the bridge. Drinks are unlimited, with beer, sangria, wine or rosé, and an English-speaking driver steers. A bike seats 16 to 20, and unless you book every seat you may share it with another group. Arrive sober and on time: drivers refuse boarding to anyone intoxicated, and arriving more than 15 minutes late cancels the ride without a refund. Slots run from midday into the evening.

In Lisbon the evening show is fado, Portugal's traditional music, rather than drag. Groups meet a local guide in Largo Luís de Camões at 7pm, then go to a Portuguese restaurant in the centre for live fado with a glass of wine and an appetiser; allow two hours overall. Shows run Wednesday to Saturday. It is a seated, listening show rather than a party, so it works as the calm start to a big night, with the Bairro Alto bars close by for afterwards. Book it for the first evening, when the group is still fresh.

Lisbon's clubs are sold two ways. Standard guest-list entry gets the group into a club in central Lisbon with a drink each. The VIP option adds priority entry, a reserved table and a bottle of spirits with mixers for every four people, so a group of 12 needs three bottles and the package scales by the four. Smart casual is expected and ID should be carried. Nights in Lisbon run late, so there is no rush: eat properly, work through the bars first, and save the club for the end of the night rather than heading straight there.

Lisbon crawls start late, at 10pm every night, from a meeting point in Bairro Alto by Largo Luís de Camões, and run about four hours. The format is a shot of Portuguese liqueur at the first bar, then an hour of open bar on beer and sangria, discounted drinks after that, and club entry at around 1:30am. Club doors refuse anyone who arrives intoxicated, so pace the open-bar hour. Smart casual is expected and ID is checked, as it is 18-plus. For a gentler start, the rooftop crawl takes in three rooftop bars with views over the city in the afternoon.

Lisbon's group spa days are at a hotel spa in the city centre, with three hours on the circuit: thermal pool, sauna, whirlpool, a vertical jacuzzi and a relaxation area, plus lockers for your things. A late-morning start of around 11am is recommended, which suits the day after a big night. Bring swimwear, flip-flops and a change of clothes, and pack a swimming cap, as some pools ask for one. A robe and towel are included at some venues, but bring a towel if unsure. Groups of 8 to 30 can be booked in together.

Lisbon's group escape rooms are in the central old town, so it is a walk rather than a transfer from most central hotels. Each game is an hour, with two to six players per room and several themed rooms running side by side, so a group of up to about 35 can play at the same time and race each other. Start times are on the even hours, such as 2pm, 4pm and 6pm, and you need to arrive 20 minutes before your slot for the briefing. It is a useful shaded option in the summer heat.

Lisbon's hills and narrow streets are why most tours here come with wheels. Tuk-tuks collect the group from the hotel for an hour round the old districts, six to a vehicle, between about 9:30am and 5:30pm. Segway tours of downtown run an hour with a guide, at set start times through the day. The little self-drive cars follow a GPS audio route, two to a car, and each driver must be 18 or over, hold a driving licence and leave a deposit. For a half-day out, a four-hour jeep trip heads out of the city to Pena Palace. Tuk-tuks suit the morning after the big night.

In Lisbon the treasure hunt is a self-run smartphone game rather than a hosted event. Teams follow GPS points through the city, unlocking clues, photo challenges and trivia, with a live scoreboard and team tracker keeping it competitive. There is no fixed start, so you begin whenever suits, and it takes about two hours. The pub version swaps sightseeing for trivia at bars you choose along the way. Lisbon's hills make it harder work than it looks, so wear proper shoes, keep teams small, and check that every phone has mobile data and GPS switched on.