The World's Most LGBQT+ Friendly Cities

The Netherlands is possibly one of the world’s most LGBTQ-friendly countries. In 2001 it became the first country in the world to introduce civil marriage for same-sex couples. Amsterdam is so liberal that homosexuality was decriminalised there in 1811 with that city’s first gay bar opening in 1927. This progressive city also provides an official gay and lesbian info kiosk known as PinkPoint next to the monument erected in honour of the many gays and lesbians who lost their lives in World War II, known as the Homomonument on Westermarkt. Popular districts include trendy Reguliersdwarsstraat, Kerkstraat and Warmoesstraat in the Red Light district.

The LGBTQ+ scene is extremely diverse with something for everyone mainly based around Reguliersdwarsstraat. Some of the best bars include SOHO and Prik. Spikjer Bar is where you'll want to head if you're into jeans/leather, and there is even a bar for men who are into “black and coloured men” called Cafe Reality. In terms of clubs, check out Club NYX, YOLO, Eagle and the infamous Church club.

Concerning LGBTQ+ events, Amsterdam Pride in July/August is the most famous as well as being unique. Instead of driving decorated floats down the streets, the floats are instead on boats sailing through the iconic canals of the city. Other events in Amsterdam include the Bear Weekend in March, Leather Pride in October and the International Queer and Migrant Film Festival in December.

Cape Town is the most popular destination for LGBTQ+ tourists in South Africa and is regarded as the gay capital of Africa. The liberal, post-1994, South African constitution enshrines the rights of individuals regardless of race, sex, religion or sexual preference. Pride celebrations are the iconic Cape Town Pride festival, the Mother City Queer Project, and the Out in Africa Film Festival. De Waterkant, the area alongside the city centre is a gay village with a high concentration of guest houses, hotels, pubs and clubs. The area is the epicentre of the Cape Town Pride festival.

Berlin is known for its wild nightlife and has something for everyone, from the varied bars, clubs, saunas and nights that meet all tastes imaginable. The city has gay museums, archives, a Holocaust memorial and modern mainstream districts like Schöneberg, the original pink hub Prenzlauer and hipster central Kreuzberg and Neukölln. Interestingly, Berlin’s first openly gay mayor - Klaus Wowereit was in office for 13 years.

Before the outbreak of WW2, Berlin was a leading force in the gay rights movement having the world’s first gay neighbourhood in the world back in the 1920s. Cross-dressing was common and tolerance towards homosexuality was a lot higher than it was in other countries at the time.

Berlin has awesome bars like SchwuZ and Möbel Olfe and other clubs that are magnets to the LGBTQ+ community! Housed in a massive former railway warehouse, the super exclusive Berghain gay club is today a haven for electronic music lovers with 72-hour parties (a.k.a. raves) starting on Friday evenings and ending on the following Monday morning.

Brighton has the highest proportion of LGBTQ+ households in the United Kingdom. It has lovely beaches, and colourful nightlife and is popular with gay Londoners. This city is not only one of the UK’s gay capitals but is also one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly cities in the world. Whilst the LGBTQ+ scene of Brighton is not as big as London’s it is still a very fun place to be. The majority of Brighton's LGBTQ+ scene is based around St James's Street with places like Bulldog, The Queens Arms and Subline. Of special interest is Brighton Naturist Beach which has its own gay section.  Brighton Pride is one of the best events in the UK, while other gay events include Trans Pride and the queer film festival called Eyes Wide Open.

While San Francisco has long been heralded as the gay capital of the world let’s not forget liberal and stylish New York. This cosmopolitan city is also one of the world’s most LGBTQ+ friendly destinations. The gay rights movement was started by the Stonewall riots which took place in Greenwich Village in the late 1960s. From the West and East villages to Hell's Kitchen and the Theatre District, there is every kind of party or event taking place for the gay community. The city’s official tourism authority embraces the gay movement when saying: ‘Pride is more than just an event - it’s a way of a life’.

Melbourne boasts an abundance of bars, clubs, restaurants, shopping and gay and lesbian events from the International favourite Melbourne Queer Film Festival to the popular Sunday afternoon drinks at the Railway Hotel. A trip to the nearby town of Daylesford lands you among the country’s top mineral springs and a large LGBTQ+ population that brings together Australia’s largest country queer festival the Chillout Festival.

Dubbed “the Gay Capital of the Middle East”, Tel Aviv is a very liberal city with a high LGBTQ+ population and is a lot more than just a city brimming with amazing beaches, clubs and cafes. From Tel Aviv Pride Week to every day on famous Shenkin Street, free gay city tours and shopping/eating/clubbing on Rothschild Boulevard - Tel Aviv is a city for everyone!

Since 1997 between 3 and 4 million people throng the streets of São Paulo every year for the biggest Pride festival in the world! While the country still is, shall we say, somewhat “old-fashioned” and sticks to old-world norms, the city itself is more tolerant, although any gay visitor would be wise to exercise caution. The nightlife scene is as diverse as it is exotic with clubs like The Week, Bubu, Hot Hot, and Eagle, so if looking for a bit of Latin American sauce the clubs to visit are the Seven Cruising Club and Upgrade Club.

The LGBTQ+ scene of San Francisco includes lots of queer events, the most famous being the Folsom Street Fair and Pride, which attract millions of people. The Castro is regarded as one of the first gay neighbourhoods in the United States and is still packed with lots of queer hangouts like Moby Dick, The Stud, 400 Castro and Beaux. 

San Francisco is considered the gay Mecca of the world with one of the most vocal and prominent gay scenes. Back in the day, the authorities tried to flatten the gay movement with their truncheons and heavy boots but San Francisco's LGBTQ+ scene has stood strong and resilient over the years to become the gay haven it is today.

There is so much to see and do in Toronto that you will be spoilt for choice, from visiting the distillery area to an awe-inspiring day trip to Niagara Falls. But for the LGBTQ+ visitor, this city is a glittering queer metropolis with multiple gay areas and houses Canada’s largest gay community with one of the hottest LGBTQ+ nightlife scenes in the world. 

Toronto is famous for the Church Wellesley Gay Village with its epic nightlife, inclusive community centre, and restaurants offering this city’s exceptional foodie experiences.  This is also one of the only cities in the world to have multiple gay districts so a visit to the edgier Queer West Village or the up-and-coming Old Cabbagetown is worth your time.  The Toronto Pride Parade is one of the biggest in the world!