Europe gay
Check out our roundup of the gayest cities in Europe based on our first-hand experience, the same-sex attracted scene, as well as what life is appreciate for the local LGBTQ community.
From the industrial warehouses in Berlin to the babbling of water stroking the canals of Amsterdam, European gay life spans across the entire spectrum. And we can't gain enough.
We've been around the European block quite a few times, and can safely say, it boasts some of the most progressive places in the world. Yet, each gay scene manages to be different from the others. Some are smaller, some are wilder and some have become so intertwined within city experience, that the straight collective is left feeling love they're intruding into our special world!
For this list of the top gayest cities in Europe, we look at the same-sex attracted scene, what's it prefer to live there as a member of the LGBTQ community, and from our own first-hand life traveling there as a gay couple. For more inspiration, be sure to check out our more comprehensive guide to the gayest cities in the world and our superior gay destinations in Europe.
1. Berlin, Germany
“I don't assume we're in Kansas anymore”, we heard ourselves ponder as we s
Ah, Europe; impressed with ancient civilisations, papal riches and weather the English request for, you’re sure to have the continent lofty on your list of travel priorities. Packing 50 countries onto its turf, layered like Mille-feuille on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea – Europe and its biggest cities are firmly on the international radar, though much more lies beyond the beaten path. Have you seen Portugal’s dolphins or the secret nation of San Merino hidden in Italy? Have you gone east to taste Slavic cuisine and Ottoman influence? Make sure to seize on before the crowds with our list of the top 20 concealed gems in Europe.
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8 of Europe’s Most Gay-Friendly Cities & Destinations
In a year where it seems that prejudices are returning, right-wing governments are rolling back previous protections, and debates about people’s very existence have led the headlines, travelling as a member of the Queer community continues to convey its own additional considerations and concerns. Thankfully, there are still many gay-friendly destinations in Europe, and even in countries which might have shifted their national policies, you can still find enclaves of acceptance, tolerance and celebration.
Still, our community isn’t one immense homogeneous group with the same needs or worries, and defining a gay-friendly destination isn’t as simple as picking the place with the largest celebration party. For some homosexual travellers, it’s more about being able to guide a double room with their partner or keep hands without the anxiety of prejudice or strike, while others might be seeking a non-stop party scene. Mr Hudson, an agency that specialises in luxury designed gay vacations, believes that gay-friendly also extends well beyond clubs and community and builds its trips around the best in culture, classy hotels, and stylish activit 
Rainbow Map
rainbow map
These are the main findings for the edition of the rainbow map
The Rainbow Chart ranks 49 European countries on their respective legal and policy practices for LGBTI people, from %.
The UK has dropped six places in ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, as Hungary and Georgia also register steep falls following anti-LGBTI legislation. The data highlights how rollbacks on LGBTI human rights are part of a broader erosion of democratic protections across Europe. Read more in our press release.
“Moves in the UK, Hungary, Georgia and beyond signal not just isolated regressions, but a coordinated global backlash aimed at erasing LGBTI rights, cynically framed as the defence of tradition or public stability, but in reality designed to entrench discrimination and suppress dissent.”
- Katrin Hugendubel, Advocacy Director, ILGA-Europe
Malta has sat on uppermost of the ranking for the last 10 years.
With 85 points, Belgium jumped to second place after adopting policies tackling hatred based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
Iceland now comes third place on the ranking with a score of
The three countries at the
.
8 of Europe’s Most Gay-Friendly Cities & Destinations
In a year where it seems that prejudices are returning, right-wing governments are rolling back previous protections, and debates about people’s very existence have led the headlines, travelling as a member of the Queer community continues to convey its own additional considerations and concerns. Thankfully, there are still many gay-friendly destinations in Europe, and even in countries which might have shifted their national policies, you can still find enclaves of acceptance, tolerance and celebration.
Still, our community isn’t one immense homogeneous group with the same needs or worries, and defining a gay-friendly destination isn’t as simple as picking the place with the largest celebration party. For some homosexual travellers, it’s more about being able to guide a double room with their partner or keep hands without the anxiety of prejudice or strike, while others might be seeking a non-stop party scene. Mr Hudson, an agency that specialises in luxury designed gay vacations, believes that gay-friendly also extends well beyond clubs and community and builds its trips around the best in culture, classy hotels, and stylish activit
Rainbow Map
rainbow map
These are the main findings for the edition of the rainbow map
The Rainbow Chart ranks 49 European countries on their respective legal and policy practices for LGBTI people, from %.
The UK has dropped six places in ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, as Hungary and Georgia also register steep falls following anti-LGBTI legislation. The data highlights how rollbacks on LGBTI human rights are part of a broader erosion of democratic protections across Europe. Read more in our press release.
“Moves in the UK, Hungary, Georgia and beyond signal not just isolated regressions, but a coordinated global backlash aimed at erasing LGBTI rights, cynically framed as the defence of tradition or public stability, but in reality designed to entrench discrimination and suppress dissent.”
- Katrin Hugendubel, Advocacy Director, ILGA-Europe
Malta has sat on uppermost of the ranking for the last 10 years.
With 85 points, Belgium jumped to second place after adopting policies tackling hatred based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
Iceland now comes third place on the ranking with a score of
The three countries at the .