Schlager in the Bierbörse, cocktails 2 for 1 at the Irish Pub, laser tag and escape rooms, plus the view from the Sparrenburg: here's how to plan your stag do or hen party in Bielefeld, with the best things to do.
Good to know
A 0.4 l Herforder Pils costs €4.40 at Heimat+Hafen, a 0.5 l Staropramen €5.00 at Zum Eckstoß. Cocktails are €6.90 during happy hour at ALEX, and 2 for 1 every night at the Irish Pub. The disco at Lokschuppen is usually €8, Stereo is free until 00:00. All guide prices.
All costs and money-saving tips ↓On Friday and Saturday nights and before public holidays, 14 moBiel NachtBus lines leave Jahnplatz at 01:05, 02:05, 03:05 and 04:05. During the week, the Stadtbahn and the main buses run until about 01:00; after that there's only the shared call taxi (Anruf-Sammel-Taxi). Taxi: (0521) 97111, round the clock.
moBiel NachtBus ↗In North Rhine-Westphalia, pubs and restaurants only have a closing time from 05:00 to 06:00. Bielefeld even lifts it completely at Carnival, on the night into May and on New Year's Eve. Lokschuppen keeps dancing until 05:30 at weekends, Stereo until 05:00.
The city's public order regulation (Ordnungsbehördliche Verordnung) bans peeing in public, drunken abuse and leaving bottles or broken glass behind, and alcohol is off limits in signposted playgrounds. A glass ban only applies temporarily, by general order, at big events such as Arminia celebrations at the town hall.
The satire “Bielefeld doesn't exist” started on Usenet in 1994. Later the city offered €1 million for proof that it doesn't exist: more than 2,000 entries, no valid proof. A gift for games and slogans on your stag or hen T-shirts.
By train you'll reach Bielefeld from Dortmund in 44 minutes, from Hanover in 50 minutes, from Cologne in 1 h 41 min and from Hamburg in 2 h 19 min, each on the fastest connection. By car, take the A2 or the A33, which meet at the Bielefeld motorway junction.
The most practical place to sleep is between the main station and Jahnplatz: you can walk to the Boulevard, the Old Town and the pubs on Arndtstraße, and the NachtBus lines leave from Jahnplatz. On Neumarkt you'll find the Légère Hotel with the bar faces.
If it rains, try Saunawelt Ishara on Europaplatz, daily until 22:00 and on Fridays until 23:00, the escape rooms at Raum&Zeit and TeamCrack, or laser tag at LaserZone. Or go underground on the casemates tour at the Sparrenburg, from April to October.
Plan & map
Pubs, clubs, beer halls and activities on one map: filter by type, add your favourites with “+ Add to plan” and share the plan with your group via a link, no account needed. Rather have a ready-made schedule? The itinerary generator builds one for you.
Bielefeld activities by type: click an idea and the list and map show only what matches.
Escape rooms on Herforder Straße, at Kesselbrink and in Schildesche, plus 19 duels in the Gamer game show for up to 84 players.
For stag and hen dos alike: laser tag with the stag and hen upgrade and blacklight mini golf under one roof on Stadtheider Straße, bowling on the Boulevard.
Up the tower and down into the casemates of the Sparrenburg, round the city with the night watchman, or a culinary walk from the Old Town Hall.
A cocktail class at LIV Bar, a brewery tour with tasting at the Braumanufaktur, house beer at Brauhaus Joh. Albrecht and stock-market prices in the Bierbörse.
Karaoke at the Irish Pub on Mauerstraße, SingAlong with '90s hits at Movie, or a private pub crawl with a guide just for your group.
Three hours on the high ropes course on the Johannisberg, from April to early November, or a day at Saunawelt Ishara with its roof terrace.
Cocktail and drinks bar on Herforder Straße, on the corner of Zimmerstraße, not far from Jahnplatz. Open Tuesday to Thursday from 19:00 to 01:00, Fridays and Saturdays until 02:00. For larger groups or a private party, the bar asks you to book.
Neighbourhood pub with a beer garden on Stapenhorststraße in the Bielefelder Westen. Herforder Pils costs €2.30 for 0.2 l and €4.40 for 0.4 l, and according to OpenStreetMap there's table football too. Open Fridays and Saturdays from 19:00; you can hire the pub for parties.
Pub and blues bar on Siekerstraße with live gigs, mostly on Saturdays from 21:00. There's a pub quiz on Wednesdays and the Rockin' Blues Session on Sundays from 19:00. Reserve gig tickets by email up to one day before; they're held at the box office until 20:30.
Irish pub on Alfred-Bozi-Straße with a kitchen and more than 14 Irish beers: a 0.3 l Guinness costs €4.50, a 0.3 l Königs Pilsener €4.30. Plus pub quizzes, karaoke and football nights, and a beer garden out front in good weather. Fridays and Saturdays until 01:00.
Restaurant, bar and club on the Boulevard. Happy hour starts on Fridays from 18:00, the Latin Party kicks off on Saturdays from 23:00, and on Thursdays there's an afterwork party with free entry. Book tables online until 21:30; enquiries for 20 people or more go by email.
Pub on Mauerstraße with Guinness, Kilkenny and cider on tap and more than 100 whiskies. Cocktails are 2 for 1 every night, shots €3, karaoke on Wednesdays and every 3rd Friday from 20:00. Room for 160 people, and stag and hen parties are explicitly welcome.
Cooperatively run Arminia pub in the Kneipenviereck, the pub quarter on Arndtstraße, formerly the Desperado. Staropramen costs €3.20 for 0.3 l and €5.00 for 0.5 l, Aperol Spritz €7.80, schnapps from €1.80. Wednesdays and Thursdays until 24:00, Fridays and Saturdays until 01:00.
Bar with the adjoining Hinterzimmer Club on the Boulevard, open Fridays, Saturdays and before public holidays from 19:00 with drinks, pizza and DJs; the kitchen runs until 23:00. For groups there are event packages from €99 per person plus VAT, for example with karaoke, a quiz or a cocktail class.
Wine bar with a wine shop and deli on Hagenbruchstraße, focused on Italy and Germany, with seats on the terrace, under an arcade and inside. Open Tuesday to Saturday until 19:00; at the open wine tasting from 18:00 to 21:00 you get six wines with antipasti for €89.
Listening bar with a cocktail lounge and street food restaurant on Arndtstraße near Siegfriedplatz; many dishes come in a vegan version too. For groups: its own bowling alley for €25 per hour and a private room you can book. Tuesday to Saturday from 17:30, Fridays and Saturdays until 01:00.
Beer garden run by KaffeeWirtschaft at the Bürgerwache community centre on Siegfriedplatz. The season runs from March to October, daily from 15:00 depending on the weather, at weekends from 14:00; in very bad weather it stays closed. In the evening there are drinks, food and freshly baked pretzels.
Grill restaurant with Mexican and American food and a cocktail bar on Niederwall, on the edge of the Old Town. Cocktails and spritzes cost €8–13.50, and during happy hour, daily from 17:00 to 20:00, you get 20% off all cocktails. Fridays and Saturdays until 01:00, closed on Mondays.
Hotel bar and restaurant in the Légère Hotel on Neumarkt, with unusual cocktails according to the hotel. The events calendar lists live music, dinner events and cocktail nights, so check it before you go. Book tables by phone on 0521 4895 8150.
Party venue on the Boulevard: in the Bierbörse, drink prices change every 200 seconds according to demand, right up to the stock-market crash. The music there is Schlager (German party pop), Ballermann and après-ski hits; in the club next door, charts, house and electro. Fridays, Saturdays and before public holidays from 21:00.
Big club on the Boulevard with themed parties such as tequila or start-of-semester nights, open Fridays, Saturdays and before public holidays from 23:00 to 05:00. Entry is free until 00:00, then €8. Over-18s only, no particular dress code; you can reserve an area for groups by email.
Club run by the Forum Bielefeld association in the Alte Bogefabrik on Meller Straße, with gigs, parties and readings. The party series include Flashback with '80s and '90s hits, La Noche del Reggaeton and indie and techno nights. According to OpenStreetMap there's table football too.
Club on Feilenstraße between Jahnplatz and the main station, with party series from techno, hardbounce and trance to Afrobeats on selected Fridays and Saturdays. Things usually get going between 22:30 and 23:00. At Afro Club, entry costs €12 in advance and €15 on the door.
Event venue on Stadtheider Straße with a disco on Fridays, Saturdays and before public holidays from 22:30 to 05:30, plus gigs and parties. Disco entry is usually €8, over-18s only with official ID. Stadtbahn line 2 stops at Stadtheider Straße, and the N8 at night.
Disco and live club right by the main station, with regular gigs and an Event Café at the same address. It also hosts the SingAlong event with hits from the '90s and early 2000s, tickets from €25. There's no fixed disco programme listed anywhere, so check what's on first.
Gig cellar run by a non-profit association on Ulmenwall, with jazz, neo-soul, electro parties, comedy and poetry slams. The stage measures just 20 m², and the audience stands or sits right in front of it. There's often an electro night on Saturdays and comedy on Wednesdays; you can also hire the room.
Cultural venue in the Bielefelder Westen on Große-Kurfürsten-Straße with parties, gigs, readings and workshops. Parties usually start on Saturdays from 21:00 to 23:00, for example techno and bass nights, and there's ping pong on Thursdays from 20:00. Fairly underground, so check the programme first.
Laser tag arena on Stadtheider Straße, in the same building as GolfZone. Flat rates cost €17.90 for 1 hour up to €35.90 for 3 hours; the stag and hen upgrade with 8 cold beers costs €20, a hired costume €9.90. Fridays and Saturdays until 24:00, over-16s only in the evening.
Blacklight mini golf with 3D graffiti themed worlds on Stadtheider Straße, right by LaserZone. Adults pay €12.90, Friday to Sunday €13.90, 3D glasses included. A round takes 60 to 90 minutes, and there are stag and hen packages for up to 60 people.
Escape rooms on Herforder Straße with 4 rooms for 2 to 7 people each and a VR arena; up to 28 people can play at the same time. The price is per group, from €110 for 2 to €200 for 7 people. A visit takes about 90 minutes; book online, by phone or on WhatsApp.
Escape rooms at Kesselbrink with 60 minutes of play and up to 10 players per room, up to 22 people in two rooms at once. With 8 players or more you pay €22 per person, €24 at weekends. Stag and hen deal: come in costume and the bride or groom gets €20 off.
Four escape rooms on Apfelstraße in Schildesche, fantasy, crime and two horror, each for 2 to 7 players and 60 minutes. For stag and hen parties there's the Team Battle with 7 to 12 players in two rooms and the Große Runde with up to 28 players. Costumes are allowed, and there's a winners' photo afterwards.
Interactive game show on Otto-Brenner-Straße near the Sieker stop: 19 games of action, skill and knowledge in 1-on-1 duels with a live leaderboard, for 2 to 84 players. The stag and hen page says from €28 per player, soft drinks are included, and your own alcohol is allowed in moderation.
Bowling and entertainment centre on the Boulevard with interactive lanes, plus pool, darts and table football. On Fridays and Saturdays from 19:00 a lane costs €38 per hour, Monday to Thursday €28, shoe hire €2.50. Open until 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays; you can't bring your own food.
Castle and fortress above the Old Town. It costs €3 to climb the 121 steps of the tower; the casemates tour through around 300 m of underground passages takes 1 hour and costs €9, for 30 people at most. Tours run from April to October, for groups by arrangement.
High ropes course in the deciduous woods on the Johannisberg with more than 90 climbing and balancing stations. The 3-hour tour costs adults €32.00 online and €34.00 at the park, and groups of 8 or more get 3% off. Season from April to early November, online booking only.
The biggest sauna complex of Bielefeld's public baths, on Europaplatz, with indoor and outdoor saunas, a banya sauna, a roof terrace and food and drink. A day ticket costs €30, €31 at weekends. Daily until 22:00, Fridays until 23:00; Mondays are women-only all day, and the saunas are textile-free.
Brewery tour in Brackwede through the brewhouse and beer store with a welcome drink, followed by about two hours of beer tasting and a hearty dinner. Book via Bielefeld Marketing, for groups of 15 to 120 people, €54.90 per person, about 3 hours in total.
Guided walk from the Old Town Hall with stops at several Old Town restaurants; the menu changes with the route and season. Groups of 8 to 18 people pay €54 per person plus drinks, about 4 hours. Public dates often sell out, so it's worth booking privately.
Restaurant and bar on Arndtstraße with creative food, including vegan dishes, and outdoor seating. Open Monday to Saturday from 11:30; the kitchen runs until 22:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. For sharing, there's the starter platter for 2 or more at €14.90 per person; book tables by phone or online.
Greek restaurant by the Bürgerpark on Stapenhorststraße, near the Rudolf-Oetker-Halle Stadtbahn stop. Krombacher Pils costs €4.00 for 0.3 l and €5.50 for 0.5 l. Open from 17:00, Fridays and Saturdays until 01:00, closed on Tuesdays except on Arminia match days.
Burger grill and bar from the Peter Pane chain on Niedernstraße in the Old Town. Open Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 to 23:30, on other days until 22:00. Book tables online via OpenTable or by phone on 0521 96879310; larger groups should book early.
Burger grill on Arndtstraße with burgers, salads, lots of vegan and vegetarian dishes and a big cocktail list, plus terraces. Open Fridays and Saturdays until 23:00, with regular quiz nights from 19:00. Book by phone on 0521 99997355.
Restaurant and bar on Obernstraße in the middle of the Old Town, from breakfast and brunch to cocktails in the evening. During happy hour on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 18:00 to 21:00, and Fridays until 22:00, cocktails cost €6.90, alcohol-free ones €5.80. Book online or by phone.
Japanese restaurant on Oberntorwall with a sushi and grill buffet: adults pay €34.90 Tuesday to Thursday and €35.90 Friday to Sunday. Open Friday to Sunday from 17:00 to 23:30, closed on Mondays. Bookings by phone only; there's a terrace in summer.
Mediterranean restaurant with a bar on Arndtstraße: pizza, pasta, burgers, schnitzel and Turkish grill dishes from €13.00 to €24.90, with specials for €11.90 during the week. Open until 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, so Plaza also works as a late stop.
Restaurant, bar and lounge in the former Martini Church on Artur-Ladebeck-Straße, with five areas and its own packages for parties. The menu mixes Asian dishes, pasta, classics and grill, with mains from €19.90 to €49.50. Open on Saturdays from 09:00 to 24:00.
Brewpub on Hagenbruchstraße in the Old Town: the beer is brewed right in the bar room and served unfiltered. Up to 400 people fit into several rooms, some of them listed, plus a beer garden in the courtyard. Daily from 12:00, brewery tour on request.
Gastro bar on Goldstraße at Mirabellenplatz in the Old Town, with the motto “Eating out should be a party”. Open Tuesday to Thursday from 12:00 to 23:00, Fridays and Saturdays until 24:00, closed on Sundays and Mondays. Event menus for groups on request; book tables online.
Evening experience tour through Bielefeld with the night watchman, about 1.5 hours. A good start before you head into the Old Town pubs. The meeting point, language and dates are in your booking; for a whole group, ask early.
Cocktail class at LIV Bar on the Boulevard, about 2.5 hours in a small group: you mix your own and drink what you've mixed. How many cocktails and which ingredients are included is in your booking. Works well before a night on the Boulevard.
Sing-along night with hits from the '90s and early 2000s, about 2 hours, at Movie by Bielefeld's main station. For a group that would rather sing loudly than dance. The date, venue and what's included are in your booking.
Tour through the underground passages of the Sparrenburg and up the tower, about 45 minutes. The casemates are only open in season, so plan for April to October. The meeting point and time are in your booking.
Voucher ticket for an escape game at Sinister Rooms in Brackwede, valid for a group of 4 people. For bigger groups, combine several tickets or rooms. The room, date and validity are in your booking.
Private pub crawl just for your group with a local guide, about 4 hours, with free shots along the way. The price is for the whole group; which pubs you visit and how many people can come are in your booking.
Puzzle game through the city with a criminal case to solve, about 2.5 hours, private for your group. An outdoor alternative to an escape room. The starting point, group size and how it works are in your booking.
Long-distance stop with ICE and IC lines and regional trains on the northern edge of the city centre. Stadtbahn lines 1, 2, 3 and 4 run underneath, and next to it is the bus station with night buses. The Boulevard with its cinema, bowling and clubs starts round the back, a good meeting point.
Central square and transport hub at the northern end of the Old Town, where the pedestrian zone of Obernstraße and Niedernstraße begins. Stadtbahn lines 1 to 4 stop here, and at weekends the NachtBus lines leave from here at night. A well-known meeting point is the Alcina clock.
Historic market square in the middle of the Old Town with the Leineweber fountain and the Theater am Alten Markt. The square is lined with restaurants, cafés and bars with outdoor seating. The nearest Stadtbahn stop is Rathaus, on lines 1 to 4.
Square in the Bielefelder Westen with the Bürgerwache and its beer garden, plus cafés, restaurants and a weekly market. Stadtbahn line 4 stops at Siegfriedplatz. From here you can walk to the pubs on Arndtstraße.
Large square east of Jahnplatz with a bike and skate park, a calisthenics park and an underground car park. Around the square are pubs, bars, snack bars and the TeamCrack escape rooms; the Kesselbrink bus stop is right next door, and Jahnplatz is a few minutes' walk away.
Guide prices excluding travel, food & accommodation. Check the provider for today's prices.
🗺️ Open route in Google MapsNeighbourhoods
Bielefeld goes out in a compact area: everything between the Old Town, Jahnplatz and the main station is within walking distance, and the Boulevard is right behind the station. West of it, the pubs on Arndtstraße lead into the Bielefelder Westen.
For a beer hall, pubs and live blues
The Old Town runs from Alter Markt to Niederwall. At Brauhaus Joh. Albrecht the beer is brewed right in the bar room, Pepper's gives 20% off cocktails during happy hour, the Irish Pub on Mauerstraße has karaoke, and the Extra-Blues-Bar often has live blues on Saturdays.
For drinks, puzzles and club nights
Every Stadtbahn line stops at Jahnplatz, and the NachtBus lines start here at night. On Herforder Straße, The Barley mixes drinks until 02:00; right next door, groups solve puzzles at Raum&Zeit, and at Kesselbrink at TeamCrack. For dancing, there's Club SAMS on Feilenstraße.
For the Bierbörse, a club and bowling
Behind the main station, the Boulevard has several party venues side by side. In the Bierbörse, prices change every 200 seconds, Stereo is open until 05:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, LIV Bar serves pizza and drinks, and at The Strike you can bowl until 02:00.
For pubs, skittles and a beer garden
In the Bielefelder Westen the pubs are close together. In the Kneipenviereck, the pub quarter on Arndtstraße, Zum Eckstoß pours Staropramen and OWLs rents out a bowling alley; on Siegfriedplatz the Bürgerwache beer garden opens from March to October, and Heimat+Hafen serves Herforder.
Sample itinerary
This is what a weekend that works in Bielefeld looks like, whether it's a stag do, a hen do or a quieter group. You'll find every venue in the planner above, where you can swap out individual stops.
Burgers and cocktails on Arndtstraße; book by phone.
Prices set by demand, Schlager and après-ski hits from 21:00.
Free entry until 00:00, then €8, open until 05:00.
Stag and hen upgrade with 8 cold beers for €20; book online.
Blacklight mini golf in the same building, 60 to 90 minutes.
House beer in the Old Town; groups should book ahead.
Cocktails 2 for 1 every night, shots €3.
Disco until 05:30, entry usually €8; bring ID.
Happy hour until 20:00, 20% off all cocktails.
About 2.5 hours mixing your own; date in your booking.
Schlager in one room, charts and house in the other.
Day ticket €31 at weekends; the saunas are textile-free.
1-hour tour, €9, from April to October.
Dinner in the former Martini Church.
Latin Party on Saturdays from 23:00 on the Boulevard.
Open wine tasting with six wines and antipasti; tickets online.
Bowling alley €25 per hour, cocktails in the lounge.
121 steps up the tower, €3 to climb.
From the Old Town Hall, about 4 hours; book privately.
Live gigs mostly on Saturdays from 21:00.
Your group's a bit different? The itinerary generator builds a plan around your group, budget and mood, using the same venues.
Budget
Bielefeld doesn't have to be expensive: a 0.4 l Herforder Pils costs €4.40 in the West, happy hour cocktails at ALEX €6.90, the disco at Lokschuppen usually €8. The brewery tour, the climbing park and escape rooms for small groups cost more.
| Option | Per person | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| One night out | €30–60 | restaurant, bars in the Old Town or the West, a club on the Boulevard |
| A day with an activity | €60–120 | plus laser tag, an escape room, bowling or the climbing park |
| Weekend | €130–280 | two nights out, one activity, one night in a double room, travel not included |
Guide prices per person, based on the prices of the venues and tours on this page. The bride or groom usually doesn't pay; their share is split across the group. The planner above adds up what your programme costs.
Travel isn't included, as that depends on where you're coming from. Accommodation is based on the country's price level. Work out your own budget with the cost calculator.
Seasonal tips
These festivals come round every year. If your weekend falls on one of them, the city will be packed. If you'd rather keep things relaxed, plan around them.
In late April, the Hermannslauf runs 31.1 km from the Hermann Monument (Hermannsdenkmal) near Detmold through the Teutoburg Forest to Bielefeld.
Five days of city festival in late May; according to Bielefeld Marketing it's the city's most traditional, and it recalls Bielefeld's history as a linen town.
In late July, Bielefeld celebrates the Sparrenburgfest at the castle above the Old Town.
In September, the Bielefeld Weinmarkt wine festival is on, a good excuse for a quiet hen do.
Bielefeld's Christmas market runs from mid-November to the end of December.
A tower with 121 steps and 45.2 m to the top of the flagpole, plus around 300 m of casemate passages.
On the Boulevard, drink prices change every 200 seconds, right up to the stock-market crash.
Around 450 animals from 100 species on 15 hectares, with free entry all year round.
Questions
