Summer in Europe: 11 Vacation Ideas for LGBTQ+ Travelers
Every winter, European tourists travel from colder countries, such as Sweden, Germany, and the United Kingdom, to European countries with warmer climates, such as Spain, Greece, and Portugal. And every summer those same European tourists head back to those warmer climates for a double dose of the warm sun and beachfront breeze!
Where exactly do LGBTQ+ travelers in Europe go in the summer? heading this year? Yes, we want warm weather, but we also just want places that are open, accepting, and safe for us to visit. Well, we have rounded up 11 of the best LGBTQ+-friendly places for a summer vacation in Europe!
Torremolinos, Costa del Sol, Spain
With more than 300 days of sun throughout the year and a pioneer in gay-friendly tourism, Torremolinos is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Costa del Sol! In fact, Torremolinos is considered the Gay Capital of Southern Spain! The warm Mediterranean climate means that Torremolinos is a great place to visit all year round. Most vacationers from places with colder climates in Europe love to visit Torremolinos in winter when it’s still warm and sunny.
Torremolinos’ history as a gay paradise goes a long way back to when Tony’s, the first gay bar in Spain, opened in 1962. While the country was still under fascist rule, the government tried to crack down and destroy the gay scene in Torremolinos. But since that dictatorship didn’t last very long, Torremolinos started rebuilding the reputation it had garnered as a queer, sexually liberated utopia.
In the central area of Torremolinos, known as La Nogalera, there are more than 30 gay venues, including Contacto, one of the oldest gay drag bars in the city, and Men’s Bar, a long-established cruisy bar with a basement dark room and ‘action’ videos. From bars and clubs to shops and restaurants, you will find whatever you need in the center of this lively city! Friday and Saturday nights are usually the busiest, as LGBTQ singles from Malaga pour out into the streets. Most gay bars don’t open until 11 pm, so expect it to be a late night out in Torremolinos! In addition to bars and clubs, LGBTQ+ vacationers can relax and soak up sun rays on queer-friendly beaches, Playamar and Bajondillo.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is not only home to one of the oldest LGBTQ+ bars, Centralhjørnet, but InterPride chose it as the site for 2021 World Pride. The people of Copenhagen are generally very relaxed, open-minded, and progressive, so the city is seen as somewhat of a “playground” for the LGBTQ+ community.
The LGBTQ+ scene is lively. So, check into one of the many gay-friendly hotels (such as Scandic Copenhagen and citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen), find a nice restaurant, and then dance the night away at an LGBTQ+ nightclub! Copenhagen has tons of popular LGBTQ+ nightclubs, including Jailhouse CPH, Kiss Kiss, Cosy Bar, and Oscar. Copenhagen is also filled with arts and culture, including places such as the Danish Museum of Art & Design and Kronborg Castle.
It’s no secret that Danes are considered some of the happiest people in the world. With tons of culture, history, and modern architecture, Copenhagen tops many tourists’ lists as a summer destination. Though not always as sunny and warm as areas near the Mediterranean, Copenhagen’s weather is still warm enough for a decent summer getaway. Though the skies may be overcast during the long summer days, the rest of the summer is quite pleasant with high temperatures ranging from 64° F to 75° F.
Gran Canaria, Spain
Situated in the Canary Islands, the island of Gran Canaria is one of the biggest and most well-known gay tourist spots in Europe. Just a few hours from many major cities on the continent, people travel to Gran Canaria to enjoy the warm temperatures, which normally range from about 65° F to 80° F year round!
Because Gran Canaria is such an LGBTQ+ playground, visitors will have the chance to choose from a variety of gay-exclusive or gay-friendly establishments and hotel or resort accommodations. You may want to check out what Airbnb has to offer in Gran Canaria if you’re looking for a more cost-effective summer vacation! You might find a cute little bungalow on the coast, or maybe a small country hotel in the mountains.
And if beaches are what you’re looking for, you will have several options in Gran Canaria – a hundred to be exact! The most popular and unique beach, the Maspalomas Dunes and Beach, is considered a main attraction for many gay couples and families alike. Just find a nice cozy vantage spot for you and your loved one to watch the sunset.
If you’re looking for nightlife, head to Playa del Inglés, at Maspalomas, or Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the capital, where you’ll find tons of bars, clubs, and discos! If daytime activities are more your speed, Gran Canaria produces an array of cultural events all year round, including opera, theatre, classical music, and other types of concerts and performances.
Brighton, United Kingdom
When in the United Kingdom, you have to head to the Gayest Little Seaside Town in England – Brighton! For over 200 years, Brighton has become known as the UK’s LGBTQ+ Capital, and a walk around and you can see why. Not only does it have an interesting queer history, but Brighton has what is considered the UK’s largest LGBTQ Pride event every August! So, that’s just in time to fit this “Little London by the Sea” into your summer vacation plans.
Just about every pub, bar, and club in the Brighton area is open and accepting of all, so you will never feel like you’re somewhere you don’t belong. One neighborhood, Kemptown, is the big beating heart of Brighton’s LGBTQ+ community. Here you’ll find all the swanky boutique hotels, elegant restaurants, and vintage shops your heart desires. Plan a trip to Brighton and see what all the queers in the UK are raving about!
Antwerp, Belgium
Progressive with a huge leather, fetish, and BDSM scene, Antwerp is definitely one of the most progressive of all the LGBTQ-friendly European cities. Though you should still be safe no matter where you are, you feel comfortable in the fact that most of Antwerp accept you as you are. Now, if you’re feeling naughty, take a trip to The Boots, one of Europe’s biggest fetish clubs. Afterward, take a tour down the dark aisles of Darklands, one of the biggest indoor fetish events in the world.
If disco-dancing and voguing are more your speed, then you have options as well, as Antwerp definitely has tons of discos, clubs, and pop-up parties all over the city. Some of the most popular parties are the bold and cheeky H.I.M. parties, the Sunday tea dance party Pannekoek and the bodacious Red & Blue queer parties. All these parties take place at the Cargo Club, where guys from all over the Benelux region come to play.
And if you’re in the mood to just socialize or explore the city more, Antwerp offers some gorgeous cobblestoned lanes packed with boutique shops, medieval architecture, museums, and art! And with a great beer scene, you should be able to find a bar or brewery serving a nice local craft. So drink up and take in this fetish-friendly city in Belgium.
Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki is another progressive city in Europe. So, it’s no surprise that it’s the home of Tom of Finland – the father of the infamous highly masculinized homoerotic art! This quirky queer city is sometimes overlooked, but you definitely shouldn’t sleep on it. Helsinki has what it takes to make it a fabulous queer summer destination.
Though Finns are seen as notoriously shy and withdrawn (they’re actually quite warm and open), the city definitely doesn’t showcase this characteristic. Helsinki is all about being bold and unique as seen through its gorgeous architecture. The Helsinki art-nouveau movement, National Romanticism, has provided the city with a wealth of distinctive buildings. Helsinki is also famous for its signature streamlined and functional design principles, you could easily spend days lost wandering in local boutiques and shopping for handcrafted jewelry and antiques along Market Square. Visit the city’s reputable museums and galleries, such as the Finnish National Gallery, the largest art gallery in Finland and home to the Dreamy exhibition, which focuses on issues of gender and sexuality.
What’s an LGBTQ-friendly city without great LGBTQ+ nightlife? With an abundance of gay bars, LGBTQ+ clubs, and cruising venues, the nightlife scene in Helsinki is just the kind of inclusive atmosphere that folks from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum will enjoy. Considered visiting one of the city’s best and oldest gay bars, Bear Park Cafe has won numerous awards and it’s located on the edge of beautiful Bear Park.
Mykonos, Greece
The gorgeous Greek Island of Mykonos is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, and it’s considered one of the top four gay summer resort destinations in Europe, alongside Ibiza, Gran Canaria, and Sitges, Spain. Like all of those destinations, Mykonos is pretty much warm all year.
Even though Greece itself is a Christian Orthodox country with conservative traditions and values, the Island of Mykonos embraces its queer travelers and money-spending visitors. Most of the island’s vacation accommodations are gay-friendly, and the locals are warm and welcoming.
If you’re looking for a good time in Mykonos, the island is most known for two things: its beaches and its nightlife. If you plan on spending time on one of the island’s stunning beaches with crystal-clear waters, then you may want to try one of the three beaches in Mykonos that are most popular with LGBTQ+ tourists: Elia Beach, Super Paradise Beach, and Paraga Beach. If you’re headed for a night on the town, then one of the island’s LGBTQ+ bars and nightclubs might suit you, such as Porta Bar, Lola Bar, Kastro’s Bar, and Babylon.
Berlin, Germany
For decades, Berlin has been the go-to city in Europe for queer expression, freedom, and diversity! Most LGBTQ+ travelers know that Berlin is one of the queerest, kinkiest places in the world! Berlin has earned its reputation as one of the world’s sex-positive capitals in the world with popular gay cruising bars such as WOOFS Berlin, Mutschmann’s, Lab-Oratory, and cruising areas such as Volkspark Hasenheide and The Tiergarten, the oldest gay cruising park in the city.
Berlin isn’t just good for sex, kink, and cruising. The more ‘vanilla’ nightlife scene is also very full of things to do and places to go! There’s another queer club or bar just around every corner of this large city, and you won’t be without something interesting and entertaining coming your way!
Culturally, Berlin has a lot to offer including opera, theatre, the Gay Museum, and queer film programs available in cinemas throughout the city. Berlin is full of queer arts and culture. However, the highlight of Berlin’s LGBTQ+ yearly calendar is definitely the annual Pride event, CSD Berlin, a demonstration for LGBTQ+ rights and a huge party with over 50 decorated floats and up to 750,000 people parading through the streets with to the final stop, the Brandenburg Gate.
Lyon, France
It may be smaller than Paris, but Lyon is a beautiful city that offers summer fun for queers. France’s third largest city and the capital of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Lyon has one of the largest LGBTQ+ scenes in France. With so much food, art, culture, and entertainment, no wonder it’s touted as one of the World’s Best Under-the-Radar Gay Travel Hot Spots.
In the heart of the gorgeous city, you’ll find such gay bars and clubs as L’Étoile Opéra, a gay-friendly cocktail bar and lounge; or go bar-hopping in Lyon’s Gayborhood, the north end of Presqu’île between Place des Terreaux and Cordeliers.
Lyon isn’t just good for partying, but also for relaxing. Take a stroll through the tranquil parks, while wandering past historical and architectural landmarks, or chill in one of the hip, iconic bistros located in the gay-friendly Lyon Quarter. And queer visitors need not worry too much, the citizens of Lyon are very accepting, which provides a very relaxed atmosphere for queer residents and travelers alike.
According to Forbes, Lyon is considered “the Gastronomic Capital of France.” So make sure you check out the French cuisine served at a few gay-friendly food spots, such as Le Francois Villon, Chez Albert, and Chez les Garçons.
The Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve in Portugal is rarely mentioned, but it does have a large British ex-pat community and it is very tolerant of all kinds of travelers including LGBTQ+ folks. Though smaller than Lisbon or Porto, the Algarve has its share of gay beaches, bars, clubs, and accommodations that make it an LGBTQ+ summer destination.
Located on the beautiful southern coastline of Portugal, the Algarve is blessed with gorgeous sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. And speaking of beaches, there are several gay beaches on the Algarve, including Praia de João de Arens, Praia do Submarino, Praia do Canavial, Meia Praia, Praia do Homem Nu, and Praia da Manta Rota.
This region of Portugal doesn’t have much of a nightlife scene, but if you’re more of an adventurous or active traveler, then there’s a long list of outdoor activities for you! You can explore the beautiful streets of Olhão, hike along the stunning oceanfront cliffs, or peruse the Mercados de Olhão. The Algarve is also a great place for foodies who enjoy seafood and Olhão cuisine. Gay-friendly restaurants such as Lagar Mar, Mau Mau Maria, and Chá Chá Chá should definitely be on your radar!
Sicily, Italy
Without a doubt, Sicily has grown as a popular tourist destination after it served as the backdrop for the second season of HBO’s hit series, White Lotus. Sicily is considered to be one of the most gorgeous islands in the world to visit. It has a very unique, old-world charm that brings in tons of tourists every summer. However, LGBTQ identity is a fairly new concept in Sicily. But, three regions in Sicily are embracing queer culture more than ever: Catania, Palermo, and Taormina.
With a population of over a million, the people of Catania are more tolerant of outright gay expressions of affection than in the surrounding countryside. As one of the largest Sicilian cities, Palermo now has more of a scene, with more gay-friendly clubs and bars than ever before. Scenic, tranquil Taormina has always been popular with such queer legends as Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, and Cary Grant.
Each city holds has its own specialty and personality. Catania is known for its gorgeous Baroque architecture, tasty street food, and quirky theatrical style. Palermo is famous for its fine restaurants and nightlife, and its gay-friendly nude beach, Barcarello.
Some popular nightlife spots in Catania include Codice Rosso, a local men’s cruise bar featuring nude and blackout parties, and Le Capannine, a gay-friendly disco that hosts dance parties, beach volleyball, and cabaret. If going out is not your thing, then you may prefer Palermo with quicky, queer spots such as the LGBTQ+ comic bookstore Alastor AltroQuando and the LGBTQ+ bookstore and music venue Casa Del Brodo.
