10 of Europe’s bt statns for LGBTQ+ travellers this Pri season | Gay and lbian travel | The Guardian

Contents:

• 10 GAY FRIENDLY SPANISH DTATNS – TWO BAD TOURISTS
• 40 BT GAY DTATNS WORLDWI, ACRDG TO TRAVELERS
• 14 GAY-IENDLY CI THAT LGBT TRAVELLERS LOVE
• GAY SPA TRAVEL GUI
• THE BT GAY DTATNS SPA
• GAY ANDALUCIA

10 GAY FRIENDLY SPANISH DTATNS – TWO BAD TOURISTS

Wily looked upon as a mol natn for gay rights Europe ( 2013 the Pew Rearch Center ranked Spa as the most gay-iendly untry the world,) Spa ntu to ph the envelope for equaly and tolerance, wh laws place to protect same-sex marriage, adoptn, and transgenr rights. Add to the mix some of the world’s largt, most wildly fun Pri Ftivals and a rich cultural history that liv on the passnate, diverse untry today, and you’ve got all the makgs for an epic gay Spa getaway that will quickly have you returng for more.

A smopolan cy wh distct, laid-back Mederranean vib, Barcelona promot an atmosphere of tolerance and diversy, of which perhaps the bt example is Catalonia’s landmark Anti-Homophobia Act. A geo gay Barcelona getaway n be had anywhere the cy, but the ever-popular Eixample neighbourhood—also known as Gayxample—is the epicentre of the cy’s most sought-after gay-popular tablishments.

40 BT GAY DTATNS WORLDWI, ACRDG TO TRAVELERS

Photo: EnBarcelona promot an atmosphere of tolerance and diversy, of which perhaps the bt example is Catalonia’s landmark Anti-Homophobia ActWe wouldn’t blame you for makg a beele straight to Barcelona’s 4.5km of scenic astle. Start at Sant Miquel or Sant Sebastia Beach, both loted near the inic W Hotel (and jt a stone’s throw om downtown Barcelona.) Due to their central lotn, the gay Barcelona beach always attract a crowd, but that also means there are plenty of handsome, sun-kissed men around, too.

Be sure to stop by Chirguo BeGay while you’re there, a gay Barcelona stutn servg up lic drks and beach b.For a gay party not soon fotten, time your vis to Barcelona over one of s world-renowned ftivals. Another in for gay Barcelona nightlife is El Cangrejo, bt known for s weekend drag performanc and kschy, lourful r.Gayxample’s central lotn mak an excellent base om which to explore Barcelona’s highlights (the bt of which we’ve outled our gay Barcelona Cy Gui).

14 GAY-IENDLY CI THAT LGBT TRAVELLERS LOVE

It’s all very elegant wh jt the right dose of bchery, showsg why Sg is one of Europe’s most sought-after gay holiday statns; the Spanish Tourism Board is an excellent place to start planng your Sg erary.

The heart of Sg gay district is Old Town, specifilly along Calle Montroig, but Sg’ notoriety as gay Spa’s premier retreat means the entire town is hugely gay-popular.When to gay beach, Sg don’t disappot. Every summer, Sg hosts a rivetg Pri Ftival, wh other notable gay events cludg Europe’s largt Bear ftival and a gay-popular Carnival.For luxur acmodatn the heart of gay Sg, Hotel Casa Vilella offers stately rooms and sweepg Mederranean views. Photo: Florian WehMadrid is the beatg heart of gay Spa, arguably one of the world’s most gay-iendly ciStart your exploratn of gay Madrid Chue Square, easily distguishable by the plethora of billowg rabow flags that rate most tablishments.

GAY SPA TRAVEL GUI

For a full list of our favoure spots Chue, don’t miss our -pth gay Madrid Cy Gui.In keepg wh Spaniards’ satiable appete for stylish nightlife venu, Madrid offers snazzy gay hnts of all styl and siz. That said, like most gay Spa nightlife, ’s bt to arrive after midnight.Photo: Mary Rebec EllttRoom Mate Osr Hotel might not be an official gay hotel, but s central lotn Chue mak an uber-popular optn wh the LGBT muny.

THE BT GAY DTATNS SPA

Room Mate Osr Room Mate Osr Room Mate OsrGay Ibiza is what you make of —wildly fun wh a smopolan edge and home to azure waters, swaths of protected terra, and stunng whe sand beach4. Head first to Es Cavallet, Ibiza’s only official gay beach (and popular nudist hangout.) This long whe sandy beach surround by dun is also where you’ll fd Chirgay, a gay Ibiza stutn that dol out qualy food and boozy tropil cktails.

A large variety of mouthwaterg mocktails mak this a particularly unique optn for those cled to absta for an eveng.The Purple Hotel is Ibiza’s premier gay adults-only hotel, an elegant way to experience the bt of Ibiza’s gay scene whout sacrificg style the procs.

Home to a burgeong gay scene full of flourishg gay bars, fashnable gay travellers and, of urse, a distguished Pri Ftival, Valencia has all the buildg blocks of a fascatg gay getaway—not to mentn s strikg futuristic archecture, vibrant Old Town, nt regnal cuise, and dazzlg goln sand beach.Unlike Madrid and Barcelona, Valencia don’t have a distct gayborhood. Photo: Willian Jten VasncellosCafe las Horas is a verable stunner, drippg wh glterg chanliers and chic Parisian fluencValencia gay nightlife is synonymo wh The Me, one of the cy’s premier gay bars. We also love Trapezz Gay-Friendly Cafe for s expansive terrace and ultra-iendly staff.Jard Botani Hotel Boutique is an enchantg art hotel ntled the heart of the gay-popular Carmen district.

GAY ANDALUCIA

Another famo gay beach is Ra Conill, a sheltered ltle spot that, due to the secln, also attracts nudists.Photo: Maxiian PazakWh some 50 gay bars and clubs, attemptg to list all Benidorm’s top nightlife spots seems an effort futily.

And Madrid's annual Gay Pri celebratn has bee one of the hottt party's Europe, attractg nearly two ln people, both gay and has been flyg the tolerance flag sce 2005, when legalized marriage, adoptn and open ary service for gays and lbians.

It’s worth seeg what gay iendly Spanish statns this part of Spa’s largt regn has to offer, like Jaén or the natural bety of the Sierra Nevada Natnal Park, which boasts a large variety of unique flora and fna. This popular LGBT statn is home to dozens of gay bars, rtrants, shops, and clubs suated si-by-si two large mercial centers Playa l Inglés and the town of Maspalomas, the settg of the most well known and photographed beach on the Islands.

From Augt 14-19 Gran Canaria celebrat one of s signature events, Dunas Ftival, a gay culture week plete wh theme nights, pool parti, shows, boat cis, exhibns, and excursns.

Wh a long-tablished LGBT scene Dalt Villa, the Old Town, enjoy a wild night out wh a backdrop of historilly important archaeologil marvels that translate to a rich cultural Events:Madrid Gay Pri Para. Most of the cy’s excg gay nightlife is Le Marais, cludg the well-known Le Raidd, Everyone lov stoppg by Raidd for sexy “shower shows” where you n tch a ltle risqué performance. Rambunct drag bnch rtrants like Hamburger Mary’s, evengs dancg at The Abbey, and pesg quirky ems at gay shops like Block Party WeHo are all classic experienc for LGBT travelers.

An epic gay rort statn, Torremolos is popular wh Spaniards and other southern Europeans, but gay travelers om other areas of the world typilly often don’t even know about ! Handsome men dancg at Klter and the Tanga party always e to md when I thk of Madrid—nowhere else the world have I walked to a packed multi-level gay club at 7:30 PM! It’s one of only five untri to make queer rights equal at a nstutnal level and holds first place on ILGA-Europe’s Rabow Europe Inx, which ranks untri on LGBTQ+ my last vis, a gay gui showed me round the wdg medieval streets of Valletta and Rabat, potg out sential bars and rtrants om Michel-starred Noni to the Monaliza Lounge drag bar, as well as the nightclub Michelangelo lively Paceville.

This spir filters down to Dubl’s many LGBTQ-iendly tablishments: two personal favour are iendly bnch spot Social Fabric Café Stoneybatter, one of the cy’s most tertg neighbourhoods, and Street 66 bar, a eful cktail spot before a night at inic LGBTQ+ stutn The southsi is gay-owned Gutter Bookshop (named after the famo Osr Wil quote), and the weekly “big gay dis” Sunday Social at Farrier & Draper; or cross the river for the Outhoe LGBTQ+ muny rource fe on Capel Street and PantiBar, owned by drag queen, activist and performer Panti Bliss. Enjoy bnch at Osr bar and fe, before a beer at one of Europe’s olst gay bars, Centralhjor, which hosts drag and Sunday jazz ssns venu clu Bøssehet Christiania, home to theatre, performanc, exhibns and parti – a well-suated boutique hotel is SP34 (doubl om £133) the Lat Quarter.