For a staunchly Roman Catholic country, it's pretty surprising that Spain has become one of the most open and liberated nations in the world. Especially when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. In places like Valencia, Ibiza, as well as its capital city, Madrid, the gay scene is amazing! Think cool bars where you can meet people of the same sexual orientation. Hip hangouts where the parties are as inclusive as ever. Not to mention a few cultural attractions that chronicle the LGBTQ+ community of the country. Out of so many top tourist hotspots, there are also many gay destinations in Spain worth visiting
Madrid
You probably never would've thought that Spain's capital, Madrid, is actually among the most LGBTQ+-friendly cities in the world, did you? As the central metropolis of a Roman Catholic country, it's easy to think that this would be among the more conservative places in Spain. However, it's quite the opposite. Madrid is pretty welcoming of the community, so much so that Chueca has become the gay district of the city. And its Pride Month celebrations, especially the parade, are among the biggest in Europe. The entire capital city turns into one huge rainbow-colored party every June!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Barcelona
Another capital, the Catalan capital, is also a popular gay destination in Spain. Barcelona has always centered itself as an open and liberated city of the European country. It helps that it's also an artistic and creative hub, with a history that's always been so welcoming of progress. Today, the city embraces the LGBTQ+ community with open arms, what with the many gay bars, clubs, and other hotspots throughout its
different neighborhoods. The most popular of which, Gaixample, is where you'll find most members of the community to hang out, meet new people, party together, and more!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Sitges
Located Southwest of Barcelona, easy to get to via
public transport, Sitges is another gay destination in Spain worth checking out. In fact, compared to Madrid and Barcelona, you can say that Sitges is more gay-friendly. It helps that it's a small coastal town in Catalonia, which has allowed the LGBTQ+ community to take up more space here than in the larger metropolises. And since it's situated near the sea, you can expect a ton of beaches where gays, lesbians, transgender men and women, and more reign supreme. One of the most popular is Platja de la Bassa Rodona, but the nudest beach, Platja d'Aiguadolç is also a must-see!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Mike McBey
Valencia
There's probably no city that's more definitive of gay Spain than Valencia, the third-largest metropolis in the country. You may very well consider it the LGBQ+ capital of Spain, considering that the community flourishes in the city. Unlike in Madrid and Barcelona, there's no 'gay district' in Valencia. The community's central hotspots are scattered all throughout the city, as are the rainbow flags and the like. And come June, Valencia hosts one of the biggest Pride Month celebrations in the country, arguably even in the entire European continent. The parade is practically second to none!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Ibiza
If there's one thing that gays know how to do, it's to party like there's no tomorrow! So it's only natural that another popular destination in gay Spain is
Ibiza. Widely regarded as Europe's party capital, the gay nightlife scene here is unlike any other. A great example is
Chiringay, a popular beachside happy hour hangout where the LGBTQ+ community can sip on cocktails as they watch the sunset. And later into the night, it's all about letting loose and having fun! As is JJ Bar, an institution of a gay hotspot considering that it's the first gay bar on the island. You won't want to miss out on these places!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Benidorm
No list of gay destinations in Spain is complete without mentioning Benidorm! The place even has its own Pride Month in September! As a coastal city in the Alicante region, you can bet that this paradise of a city has its fair share of beautiful beaches. However, for the LGBTQ+ community, it's all about the nude beaches! After all, gay pride is all about accepting yourself, right? And what better way to express that than to let it all hang out for all the world to see? On a beach like Raco del Conil, who knows whose attention you'll catch when you bare it all!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Torremolinos
And finally, there's Torremolinos, a well-known resort town in Costa del Sol. Locates just west of Málaga, another gay-friendly city in the region, this place offers up all sorts of LGBTQ+ havens and hotspots you won't want to miss! The La Nogalera, in particular, thrives with all sorts of nightlife spots where gays, lesbians, transgender men & women, and non-binary people can party until the sun rises. And speaking of the sunrise, you'll want to watch it at least once on the gay-friendly beaches of El Gato and Eden too! It's an experience you will never forget.
Source: Flickr.com/ Jose A.
You'd be surprised at how there are so many gay destinations in Spain. From the capital city, Madrid, to the island of Ibiza, regarded as the party capital in the Mediterranean, there are lots of places the LGBTQ+ community can have fun in this country!
