Berlin Lesbian Bars & Nightlife – Our Taste for Life

Berlin Lesbian Bars & Nightlife - Our Taste for Life

Looking for the best Berlin lesbian bars & nightlife? You’re in the right place! In this guide, I share a list of the top queer and lesbian bars, clubs, parties, and events throughout the city. Lesbian bars are a bit like unicorns. We know they exist, but it’s almost impossible to find them.

Thankfully, Berlin is an exception. A bit like Lesbian London, the progressive city has been a queer hotspot since the early 1900s and continues to thrive. Of course, the lesbian scene is tame in comparison to what’s on offer for the boys. That said, there’s still plenty of fun to be had for lesbians in Berlin. So, let’s get to it and share our top lesbian bars, clubs, and parties in Berlin.

Berlin Lesbian Bars – Himmelreich Cafe

Located on the ever-popular Simon-Dach-Straße, Himmelreich Cafe is one of few lesbian bars in the party district of Friedrichshain. The bar has an open-door policy, and anybody is welcome regardless of their $exuality. However, it’s proclaimed as a ‘Cafe by day and gay lady oasis by night’. Certain nights are LGBTQ+ specific, such as Women’s Lounge on Tuesdays, which caters to a lesbian and FLINTA crowd.

By Charlotte & Natalie – Full Story at Our Taste for Life

Germany Lesbian Travel Resources

Gay Germany – The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Germany - The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Germany is notorious for being one of the most open and friendly countries in Europe. Like many countries in Europe, Germany has a troubled past when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights but now easily can class itself as one of the most gay friendly destinations worldwide.

Same sex marriage has been legal since 2017, same-sex couples have full adoption rights, there are strong discrimination protections and transgender people can legally change their gender without surgery. From the vibrant and diverse scenes that you will find in its main cities, to the welcoming attitude of the people, you can feel at home here.

We have been lucky enough to spend time in some of Germanys biggest and gayest cities, including celebrating pride (aka Christopher Street Day) in two of the 3 gay Germany cities in this list.

Berlin – The Hedonistic Capital

Three words to describe our visit to Berlin – liberating, insane and gay! Berlin probably eats other gay cities for breakfast! There is an attitude of open mindedness across Berlin that seems to be embedded into its culture. People don’t seem to care if you are different and we really felt a sense of ‘anything goes’ and ‘you do you’.

Not only that, but it is a beautiful city, steeped in history and activities to keep you entertained all weekend unless the nightlife takes you first. Berlin has a wealth of gay nightlife, from casual bars to huge clubs and more cruising clubs that you could shake a stick at.

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Gay Germany Travel Resources

Berlin Gay Hotels – The Globetrotter Guys

Berlin Gay Hotels - The Globetrotter Guys

Berlin’s inherent gay friendly nature means that no matter what hotel you stay at, you should be welcomed as a gay traveller.

However, like many cities around Europe there are also a few outright Berlin gay hotels on offer.

For further travel planning, check out our full Gay Guide to Berlin.

Here are our top choices:

Axel Hotel Berlin – Adults Only

This is probably one of the best known gay hotels in Berlin. We stayed at the Axel Hotel Berlin, which is in the heart of the gay area of Berlin making it perfect for a night out and while it may advertise itself as hetero-friendly, is just mainly full of gay men. We loved the sauna area, hot tub and roof top terrace are – perfect to hang out and meet other guests.

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Germany Gay Travel Resources

Gay Berlin – The Nomadic Boys

BLOG - Gay Berlin - The Nomadic Boys

Jokes about German sausage are the wurst!

…especially when you arrive at the Wittenbergplatz in gay old Schöneberg, to be greeted by the cutest, gayest, rainbow-clad super-kitsch kiosk of Fritz & Co selling particularly yummy currywurst German sausages. More about Fritz & Co below, but as our first impression of Berlin, we knew we were in for a gay old time here! Gay Berlin is notorious for being the city of sin – a truly liberal and diverse hub where anything goes. The absolute wurst…and we live for it!

Schöneberg is considered to be the main gay area of Berlin, the traditional heart and soul of Berlin’s LGBTQ gay community, where the bulk of its gay bars, clubs and hotels can be found. The city also has several other exciting gay neighbourhoods to check out, each with its own unique character, vibe and queer hangouts. The main ones are Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain.

We’ve been to Berlin several times and usually base ourselves somewhere in Schöneberg, which we love. For us, Schöneberg remains the best gay neighbourhood of Berlin – the true Queen of the Scene! We also love venturing out to the bars and parties happening in the other gay districts of Berlin such as Möbel Olfe in Kreuzberg, SchwuZ in Neukölln, Flax in Prenzlauer Berg, and the infamous Berghain in Friedrichshain. The Berghain super club is almost like an entire gay neighbourhood in its own right! This is reason alone why we rate Berlin as one of the top gay friendly vacation destinations in the world.

We’ve put all our notes and stories from our many travels to Berlin in this comprehensive gay guide to help inspire your own holiday to this crazy and super exciting city including the best of the gay scene, gay hotels, parties, events, things to do and more.

Where is the main area of Gay Berlin?

The main gay area of Berlin is based in Schöneberg. It is the traditional heart and soul of Berlin’s LGBTQ gay community, dating back to 1897 when the world’s first-ever LGBTQ organisation was founded right here: the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee. From this point on, the area blossomed, becoming the Gay Village capital of the world.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Berlin Gay Travel Resources

Berlin Gay Tours – The Nomadic Boys

Berlin Gay Tours - The Nomadic Boys

Berlin is a city that has been revelling in its queerness for years. Even as far back as the 1920s, it was known as the gayest city in the world. While other cities have recently begun to vie for that crown, for us, there’s just nowhere quite like Berlin!

With a truly hedonistic gay scene featuring gay clubs, bars, saunas, hotels and cruising clubs, Berlin might seem a little overwhelming to first-time visitors. Hell, even us old queens who’ve been here dozens of times occasionally get surprised by the newest additions that have popped up since our last visit!

Berlin Gay Tours

Luckily, for those who want to ease into Berlin’s gay scene gently, or even explore the city from a unique perspective, there are a variety of fabulous Berlin gay tours to experience. Whether you want to just explore Berlin with a gay guide, get acquainted with the gay nightlife, or even learn about the city’s history of sex, there’s a tour for you! We’ve rounded up the best of the best for you right here.

Berlin’s Gay, Lesbian and Queer Scene Walking Tour

When we did this tour we had the terrific, Finn, as our guide. Finn is a gay local and also a history fanatic – the perfect person to get you acquainted with Berlin’s historic gay scene!

The tour is organised by Original Berlin Walks, who focus on telling the history of Berlin in an informative and entertaining manner. We were definitely entertained by Finn, learning so much about Berlin’s queer history at the same time as he walked us through the streets of Schöneberg.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Germany Gay Travel Resources

Views From the Berlin Cathedral Dome – Keep Calm and Wander

Views From the Berlin Cathedral Dome - Keep Calm and Wander

The Berlin Cathedral dome and the views from up there may not impress you much, but the climb to the Baroque dome is a nice experience you’ll remember. After exploring the Cathedral’s interior, climb the stairs to the top of the dome.

A 360-degree view of the city is awaiting for those who’ll make it there. 

Berlin’s historic district is so close looking down from above. 

Though the dome is not as tall the other Cathedral domes in Europe, the views from here give you a different way of looking at the German capital. 

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Germany Gay Travel Resources

Berlin’s Charlottenburg Palace – Keep Calm and Wander

Berlin's Charlottenburg Palace - Keep Calm and Wander

There is no doubt that Charlottenburg Palace is the most splendid in Berlin. I’m not sure how many palaces the city has, but if there’s one palace that you must go in, this should be it.

The Baroque and Rococo facade of the palace tells of its former glory. Its history dates back to the Hohenzollern Family, a royal dynasty. Built towards the end of the 17th century, Charlottenburg Palace and its surrounding area were named after the first Queen, Sophie Charlotte, the first consort of Prussia.

Charlotte was a voracious lover of the arts. The “Court of the Muses” inside the palace hosted philosophers, poets, musicians, and other artists.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Germany Gay Travel Resources

Lesbian Berlin – Our Taste for Life

When it comes to gay-friendly cities in Europe, Berlin tends to top the list every time. Not only is Germany’s capital renowned for its vibrant and open-minded culture, but the gay (and lesbian) scene rivals most cities in Europe. From pulsating gay nightclubs to steamy gay saunas, and wild gay events to gay cruising areas, Berlin is often considered a gay mecca among LGBT+ travellers.  

We recently visited Berlin for the first time during our Winter tour of Europe, and immediately fell in love with the quirky nature of the city. Besides the thriving gay scene, Berlin is one of the most interesting cities we’ve ever encountered. A city oozing hipster culture and creative expression, with a fascinating history to boot, we, like many others, can see ourselves returning time and time again.  

What’s more, another thing that struck us about Berlin is just how damn cool everybody is! Not only measured by their unique, trendsetting style but in their incredibly relaxed attitude. You come as you are in Berlin and nobody blinks an eye. We loved that about the city. A place that welcomes diversity and allows us to be ourselves will always be a winner in our eyes.  

So with all this in mind, we have put together this Gay & Lesbian travel guide to Berlin. Here you’ll find a list of the hottest gay bars and nightclubs; gay-friendly hotels and hostels; infamous gay and lesbian Berlin events; as well as all the top things to do around the city. We will also touch on LGBT* rights and social opinions in Germany, so you are fully prepared.

A 2020 Guide to Gay & Lesbian Berlin

When you consider Berlin’s LGBT+ history, it is no surprise that Schöneberg remains the epicentre of gay culture. It is here, amidst a trendy and developed neighbourhood, that the wealth of gay bars, clubs and shops reside. Not to mention, where the major gay and lesbian events such as LGBT Park Festival and Berlin Gay Pride take place. Schöneberg even hosted Berlins first-ever LGBT+ Christmas market in 2019, which we were fortunate enough to attend!

By Charlotte & Natalie – Full Story at Our Taste for Life

Germany Lesbian Travel Resources

Gay Cologne – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Cologne - The Nomadic Boys

Under the constant shadow of the Kölner Dom, Cologne (Köln in German) is a city shrouded in mystique and wonder.

Simply walking through the Old Town is enough to convince you of the wonders Cologne has to offer. With its unique architecture, quaint shops and ancient buildings, it feels like a place from a bygone era. Yet, it is pulsing with so much life and so much modernity that it doesn’t for a second feel like you are stuck in the past.

An artistic city, Cologne is in many ways a cultural hub. With art, literature and music bursting from every street corner, anyone with any creative inclinations would find it hard not to be inspired. It’s also a university town, so expect to see lots of young crowds in their early 20s, wandering around with big eyes filled with dreams and aspirations. This could mainly be due to the amount of caffeine millennials are drinking these days though…

Cologne is vying with the gay scene of Berlin to become the undisputed gay capital of Germany, and for good reason! With gay clubs and bars dotted across the city, LGBTQ folk have such a vivacious and vibrant selection to choose from when going on a night out. Cologne is well known for having the most pubs per person in all of Germany, so one thing is for sure, the locals love a drink! We sure did, as you can see in our Vlog of Cologne:

On top of this, there are so many gay friendly spaces, from restaurants to hotels, plus many queer-centric events held throughout the year. Cologne is also one of the few cities in the world to have a memorial sculpture for LGBTQ victims of the Holocaust. This is our comprehensive travel guide to Cologne, including the best gay bars, clubs, events, hotels to stay in and so much more.

How friendly is gay Cologne?

The people of Cologne are well known for their liberal attitudes, open minds and something called joie de vivre, which basically means ‘joy of life’. To put it simply, the locals are welcoming to all people, as long as they themselves are friendly and laidback. 

There are plenty of LGBTQ events throughout the year, so like it or not, locals are all too aware of the big gay presence that Cologne holds. There is Cologne Pride in June, Carnival in February and to top it all off, the Heavenue Gay Christmas market in December. Plus, with two gay scenes, on either side of the Rhine river, and a young population, there is nothing but acceptance for our homosexual family here! 

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Germany Gay Travel Resources

Rothenburg and Munich – Dolly Travels

Rothenburg and Munich - Dolly Travels

Today we have to leave lively Munich and fly home. What a marvelous trip this has been.

As I told you on Thursday, eight of us left the ship in Nürnberg, boarded a bus bound for Munich. When we left the ship, we were greeted with snow on the ground all around us. However, although there were big grey clouds overhead, we did not get any snow. There was plenty of the stuff on the meadows and fields as we drove to Rothenburg.

Once we got to that little town, there was still snow on the roofs and some on the ground. I was so happy that we got to visit Rothenburg, as it is the ultimate Christmas village.

By Dolly – Full Story at the Dolly Travels

Germany Gay Travel Resources