The Bottle Club has ranked Europe’s proudest and cheapest LGBTQ+ friendly destinations to travel to this summer.
Taking a look at a variety of factors to determine the LGBTQ+ party hotspots around Europe, The Bottle Club has taken into account the average drinks prices, hotels, and general safety for the community. Here are the cheapest locations to experience queer joy like no other.
Sofia, Bulgaria
Taking the crown for the most affordable queer friendly destination in Europe is Sofia, Bulgaria – where a drink will take you back an average of just £1.29, or €1.53. Sofia boasts 170 hotels in the city and 53 different gay bars and clubs. Summer in Bulgaria is warm and clear, so crack open Skyskanner and get ready to book this prideful hotspot. Sofia’s main gay areas include Plovdiv, Varna and Blagoevgrad.
Budapest, Hungary
Coming in second for cheap and gay friendly destinations is Budapest. A drink in this city on average will cost £1.45, or €1.72. Packed with iconic gay bars and clubs including AlterEgo, Coxx Men’s Bar and Black Unicorn Bar, Budapest is considered by locals the ‘gay bubble’ of Hungary. And with 303 local hotels to choose from, this city is not one to be missed.
Prague, Czech Republic
Ranked as the study’s no1 LGBTQ+ party destination across Europe, next on the list is Prague, where a drink will cost you around £1.54, or €1.82. Prague is well known for being gay friendly, legalising homosexuality 5 years before the UK, with a comprehensive set of anti-discrimination laws in place since 2009. Boasting an impressive 52 LGBTQ+ bars within the city, the main gay area of Prague is in the trendy residential neighbourhood of “Vinohrady”.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Taking the next spot is Copenhagen, where a drink will cost you around £1.68, or €2. Copenhagen has consistently been recognised as one of the world's most progressive and welcoming destinations for LGBTQ travellers, and was nominated as the most gay-friendly destination in the world by the British LGBT Awards. Copenhagen ranks high for its safety score for walking alone at night, as well as a low number of hate crimes in the area. You will find 35 gay friendly bars and clubs in this city along with 115 hotels.
Ibiza, Spain
The next gay friendly but affordable destination is Ibiza, one of the most renounced party holidays in the world. Avoiding the crowded tourist spots, a drink Ibiza on average will cost £1.69, or €2. One of the most popular destinations for LGBTQ+ travellers, Ibiza is home to several gay exclusive hotels, bars and clubs. Gay nightlife is mainly located in Ibiza Town, Dalt Vila and Figueretas – the gay hubs of the island.
Zagreb, Croatia
Next on the hottest but affordable places to let your hair down is Zagreb. A drink in this gay holiday hotspot will take you back just £1.78, or €2.11. With 36 gay friendly clubs and a perfect safety score of 10/10, Zagreb is home to Croatia’s best and biggest gay scene. Zagreb also ranks with one of the lowest hate crime scores in the entire study. You’ll find iconic gay friendly bars such as Hotspot, Pulse Bar and Swanky Monkey Garden.
Gran Canaria, Spain
Finally, in seventh place is the Spanish city of Gran Canaria. The stunning island boasts plenty of top-quality gay-exclusive accommodation, with establishments created solely with LGBTQ people in mind. A drink here will cost you £1.89, or €2.25, and sports 88 gay friendly bars and 252 hotels. Ranked overall in the top 3 European party destinations, Gran Canaria scored 8.8/10 when it came to the safety of walking home at night, along with a hate crime score of 10/10 – the safest hate crime score in the entire list.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
