Barcelona is known for its vibrant culture, world-class cuisine, and stunning architecture. One of the most notable architectural styles in the city is the work of Antoni Gaudí, the celebrated Catalan architect known for his unique and imaginative designs.
Gaudi in Barcelona – Visiting His Fascinating Work
Gaudí was born in 1852 in the city of Reus, near Barcelona. He studied architecture at the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura in Barcelona and quickly gained recognition for his innovative and imaginative designs. His most famous works are located in the city of Barcelona, where he spent most of his career.
The most iconic building by Gaudi in Barcelona is the La Sagrada Familia, which is still under construction. This massive church has been in the works since 1882 and is expected to be completed in 2026. The Holy Family Church shows a unique and imaginative design, a mix of Gothic and Art Nouveau styles. The exterior of the building has intricate carvings and sculptures, and the interior features stained glass windows and elaborate columns.
The world’s best gay beaches span the globe, and some might not be in the places you’d expect! The list below includes all sorts of gay beaches, from the most popular and densely packed party spots near the biggest international gay destinations to lesser-known and secluded hangouts that only locals know about.
Ipanema – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
There’s no doubt that the gay beach in Rio de Janeiro’s hotspot of Ipanema is the world’s most talked-about gay beach. Tons of sexy Brazilian men (along with the tourists) are always taking photos with the iconic Dois Irmaos (Two Brothers) mountains in the backdrop.
The exact center of Rio’s gay beach is between Posto 8 and Posto 9. You can’t miss the enormous crowd of gay men!
Will Rogers Gay Beach – Los Angeles
Will Rogers is the most popular gay beach in greater Los Angeles. It’s another one of the most well-known gay beaches, at least among Americans. The gay area of Will Rogers is near lifeguard tower 18, There’s so much to do here, from playing volleyball (or watching other guys play volleyball) to drooling over the gorgeous lifeguards.
The Will Rogers gay beach is informally known as “Ginger Rogers Beach” and has a ton of history. The LGBT crowd has been coming here since the 40s!
See The Full List
Coastal Spanish cities, Italian islands, the coast of Croatia, all the best gay beaches in the United States and dozens more are all on wolfyy’s ultimate guide to gay beaches worldwide.
As a gay couple, Spain is our number one country in the world to travel to. We have visited and lived in gay Spain and the level of comfort as a same-sex couple has consistently been incredible. We have never felt discriminated against, never felt uncomfortable and never had to second guess ourselves no matter where we have travelled to – for us, this is a priceless feeling.
In 2018 we lived in Madrid, Barcelona was one of our very first holidays together 10 years ago, Sitges is one of the best prides we have been to and we have been to Gran Canaria more than 7 times – this country has a special place in our hearts. There is an inherent feeling of safety, acceptance and normality when it comes to being gay here.
In our ‘Best of Gay Spain Guide’ we want to celebrate all the amazing destinations we have travelled to and share our best recommendations with you. First, let’s take a quick look at gay rights for some context:
Gay Spain: Rights and Culture
When it comes to LGBTQ rights in Spain, these are all very positive. Same-sex intercourse has been legal here since 1979, unsurprisingly this happened the year after democracy came to this country and they said good riddance to their dictator Franco. It was also the third country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage in 2005 and discrimination protections run nationwide.
As a gay couple, Spain is our number one country in the world to travel to. We have visited and lived in Gay Spain and the level of comfort has consistently been incredible. We have never felt discriminated against, never felt uncomfortable and never had to second guess ourselves no matter where we have travelled to – for us, this is a priceless feeling.
In 2018 we lived in Madrid, Barcelona was one of our very first holidays together 10 years ago, Sitges is one of the best prides we have been to and we have been to Gran Canaria more than 7 times – this place has a special place in our hearts. There is an inherent feeling of safety, acceptance and normality when it comes to being yourself in this friendly country.
In our ‘Best of Gay Spain Guide’ we want to celebrate all the amazing destinations we have travelled to and share our best recommendations with you. First, let’s take a quick look at gay rights in Spain for some context:
Gay Spain: Rights and Culture
When it comes to gay rights, these are all very positive. Same-sex intercourse has been legal since 1979, unsurprisingly this happened the year after democracy came to Spain and they said good riddance to their dictator Franco.
Spain was also the third country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage in 2005 and discrimination protections run nationwide. The laws here are also reflected in the culture of the people. In most destinations we felt that no one even noticed we were a gay couple – it was simply by the by.
Madrid Pride…Barcelona Circuit…Sitges gay nude beaches…Gran Canaria Yumbo Centre…a mere humble sprinkling of gay highlights happening across Spain each year!
We’ve been coming to Spain religiously every year since we came out as baby gays. We love it here. Not only is it one of the most gay friendly countries in the world, but there is always a fantastic party taking place across all the major cities and islands. Spain also has some of the world’s most famous gay parties like Madrid Pride (one of the largest Pride events in the world) and Barcelona’s Circuit Party (the biggest international gay festival in the world).
Whilst Spain hosts some of the best mega parties on our planet, what we also love about the country is the variety of different events on offer. So whilst the muscle boys will thrive at the Circuit parties, bear gays and their fans are also spoilt for choice in Spain. The country has some of the biggest and best bear events, in particular, the Bear Carnival in Gran Canaria every March, and the Sitges Bear Week every September.
In short, the Spanish know how to throw a decent party…especially a gay party! These are some of the best places in Spain to check out for gay events and parties:
Madrid
The Spanish capital is famous for being the best gay city for partying in Spain. We love visiting Madrid, whether it’s for Pride, or just an ad hoc weekend of partying. Either way, we know that a visit here is always going to be a lot of fun.
The Madrid Pride (“Orgullo Gay de Madrid”) takes place every year in June/July, and it is huge. It is not only one of the best Pride events in the world but also one of the largest. Every year, around 3-4 million people descent on the Spanish capital from all around the world. We absolutely love it because as well as guaranteed beautiful weather (remember to pack plenty of sunblock cream!), the entire city gets involved and it becomes one giant rainbow street party. The focal point is around the gay neighbourhood in Chueca, where the bars spill out into the streets, and free outdoor concerts take place.
For a lively city like Barcelona, it can be easy to get tangled up with all the different options for hostels to stay. Should you go cheap and single? Splurge and treat yourself? Go central? Find a remote hideout on the fringes? Do you want to be close to clubs? Or maybe by one of the fabulous gay beaches…
We’re no strangers to the city. After all, it is one of the friendliest gay cities in the world, so we feel we know it as well as we know our hometowns. Whenever we visit we like to base ourselves near the Gaixample area – a fabulous neighbourhood in the Eixample district. There are so many gay clubs, shops, LGBTQ-themed and owned businesses to explore that you feel super comfortable engaging in PDA. It even rivals the likes of Greenwich Village in New York City, Soho in London, and well, all of Amsterdam!
The busiest months tend to be the summer. Not only do you have the sun, beach parties and bars staying open later in the evenings, but you also have a little thing called… Pride! Plus, Barcelona doesn’t just have regular Pride, but a beach Pride party in Sitges as well. These factors mean that bookings can be filled months in advance. So we strongly recommend booking your hostels ahead of time to avoid any disappointment!
Gaixmple Gay Hostels
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the best Gaixmple gay hostels in Barcelona for all travel group sizes. Each one has a unique style and offers a completely different experience. So if you’re travelling to Barcelona on a budget, or you simply enjoy the camaraderie a hostel provides, then keep on reading! And if you prefer the comforts of a hotel, make sure you also check out our guide to the best gay hotels in Barcelona.
That sums up just why we love Barcelona so much and why we keep returning every year for more! Regardless of how long you plan to visit, how much ground you hope to cover, and the kind of vibe you want to be around, Barcelona is filled with multiple options for gay travellers. We’ve always found the perfect place to suit our needs – whether we were just craving a short city break or a full-on romantic reenactment of our honeymoon.
There are plenty of choices for those willing to paint the town green (with those dollah dollah bills y’all), or who need to keep a tight grip on those purse strings. Either way, Barcelona is a calling you…so it is your duty to answer!
We’ve rounded up our picks of the coolest Barcelona gay hotels in this guide, so you will have all the info you need to book your own perfect fabulous stay.
Barcelona Gay Hotels – Where to Base Yourself
Situated in the Eixample district, the main gay area is nicknamed, Gaixample (pronounced: gay-sham-pleh). Here you can find tons of LGBTQ bars, clubs, cafés, restaurants and shops to explore. It’s an entire gay village that we get all to ourselves! Who will be the Queen of the village? That’s a hard question as there are tons of candidates vying for the spot…but obviously, it’s us! If you want to be walking distance to the most hip-and-happening gay hangouts, as well as the main tourist sights of Barcelona, then this is where we recommend you base yourself. Read more in our gay travel guide to Barcelona as well as our guide to the city’s best gay bars.
Having been the birthplace of the LGBTQ movement in Spain, Barcelona is a hot favourite for gay travellers moving across Europe. It has a rich history, fabulous sights, a gorgeous beach and a super hot nightlife at all the Barcelona gay bars.
There is so much variety across the city for when you’re hitting the town. You don’t even need to be the biggest party animal. You can be fairly chilled and still find a comfy corner to spend the evening. Bear in mind, the Spanish do things quite late, so if you’re planning an evening out and about, be sure to factor in an afternoon dolly nap siesta!
This is our comprehensive guide to the best gay bars in Barcelona, which you can see there are plenty to choose from!
Where is the gay neighbourhood of Barcelona?
Tucked into the centre of the Eixample district is the glowing “Gaixample” (pronounced gay-sham-ple) gay neighbourhood of Barcelona. This is where most of the gay bars of Barcelona can be found. The area is more specifically defined as being between Carrer de Balmes, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Carrer del Comte d’Urgell and Carrer d’Aragó.
Barcelona is widely known as one of the most gay-friendly cities in Europe, attracting tens of thousands of LGBT tourists every year. Given its coastal location and year-round climate, its hardly surprising that out of 4km of beaches, more than one has become known as ‘Barcelonas gay beach.’
In fact, both gay locals and tourists to Barcelona are spoilt for choice. Barcelona has no less than 3 gay beaches (with one being very long and technically three in one!). Barcelona’s gay beaches have also been deemed blue flag beaches, awarded for their high levels of cleanliness, environmental standards, safety and facilities.
One of the biggest selling points is how easily accessible the gay beaches are, right on the city’s doorstep. You can easily reach the gay beaches in Barcelona using the cheap public transport regardless of the neighbourhood you are staying in. In fact, one of the things that we loved most when we visited was that we didn’t have to choose between a city sightseeing break or a beach holiday – Barcelona combines the best of both!
Barcelona’s Gay Beaches
Out of the 3 gay beaches in Barcelona, 2 have become more officially known as ‘gay beaches’. The third is still a very popular choice for both gay locals and tourists, so for the sake of this article we will include it in our list as an ‘unofficial gay beach.’
Barcelona’s Gay Beaches #1 – Mar Bella
Mar Bella is known as THE gay beach of Barcelona and is most definitely the go-to choice of both the local LGBT community and visitors. Mar Bella is a little bit further from the city centre than the other beaches, which is possibly why it has become one of Barcelonas only nudist beaches. Being a nudist beach is probably why it has also become the popular gay beach too!
If you go to a city like Barcelona and don’t overdo it with shopping, did you even really go on holiday? We sometimes bring an extra suitcase with us just so we can fill it up with all the new clothes, art pieces and *cough* toys we find along the way!
The Barcelona gay shopping scene is fantastic for gay shops, with loads of different options. Whether you want to buy new speedos, harnesses, a few tank tops, or just something for a quick jerk-off(!), there’s always plenty to discover.
Sure, sex shops can seem quite intimidating from the outside, but hey, we’re all human. We all have desires, and these places are committed to helping you fulfil them. So shop til you drop using our guide to the best gay shops in Barcelona.
Gaixample, Heart of the Barcelona Gay Shopping Scene
The gay village of Barcelona is located in the large residential Eixample neighbourhood, bordered by the following streets: Carrer de Balmes, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Carrer del Comte d’Urgell and Carrer d’Aragó. This section of Eixample is nicknamed, “Gaixample” (pronounced “gai-sham-ple”). Read more about the gay scene in our comprehensive gay guide to Barcelona.
To get our bearings, we always look for the main Axel Hotel which is right in the heart of Gaixample, then work things out from there. Most of the shops in this guide are located in and around Gaixample. You could also orientate yourself on one of these gay tours of Barcelona!
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