Global party expert says unique Liverpool nightlife makes it Europe’s ‘queen of the hen do'

Industry experts have crowned the city ‘queen of the hen do’ with more women booking up to party in Liverpool than any other destination in Europe.

New booking data compiled by the UK’s leading stag and hen organiser Last Night of Freedom shows that thousands of hens partied in Merseyside during 2024, knocking Manchester down to 6th in the top ten standings.

And Liverpool isn’t just popular with the ladies, as the city is also the third most popular destination for stag dos, beating established city break favourites like Amsterdam, Prague and Krakow.

The firm’s managing director Matt Mavir said the city’s unique character continues to pull in visitors – and make a healthy contribution to its economy.

“Liverpool has a one-of-a-kind atmosphere and has retained a sense of individuality that other cities around the UK are beginning to lack,” said Matt, whose world-leading company has organised more than 50,000 stag and hen parties over the past 25 years.

“After the pandemic, many bar and club owners were worried about party-goers tightening their belts and changing their night out habits, although the data in Liverpool shows that footfall is actually much higher than it was in 2019.

“And our own booking statistics show that the city just keeps getting more popular. It’s the undisputed destination for hen do bookings, and it’s incredibly popular with men too.

“Stag and hen parties are a vital component in a healthy tourism ecosystem bringing fun, vibrancy and more importantly for the cities hosting them, massive economic benefits.”

Hens enjoying Liverpool’s nightlife scene have picked out heritage and music around Matthew Street and the Cavern Quarter, upmarket bars around Albert Dock and anything-goes party spots in Concert Square as favourite party spots.

“Let’s be honest, Liverpool is just a great night out,” continued Matt.

“It’s always been among our most popular cities for men and women looking to enjoy their pre-wedding getaway and I can’t see that changing any time soon.

The full top 10 hen do locations:

1. Liverpool
2. Belfast
3. Newcastle
4. York
5. Dublin
6. Manchester
7. Edinburgh
8. Benidorm
9. London
10. Brighton

The top 10 list of stag do destinations in full:

1. Newcastle
2. Benidorm
3. Liverpool
4. Dublin
5. Prague
6. Edinburgh
7. Bristol
8. Cardiff
9. Amsterdam
10. Krakow