Globetrotter Girls

Visiting Slovenia’s Lake Bled – The Globetrotter Guys

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Visiting Slovenia's Lake Bled - The Globetrotter Guys

Lake Bled is perhaps one of the most iconic places in Slovenia with breath-taking views of the surrounding mountains, castles and of course the brilliant blue lake itself. Over a million people visit here each year and it is somewhere we plan to re-visit each time we come to Slovenia.

There a a lot to do in this beautiful area beyond viewing the lake, and you can easily fill one day in Lake Bled with the following itinerary.

10 Things to do in Lake Bled

To spend one day in Lake Bled and see everything this magical place has to offer make sure to tick off the following activities in order. You can either try to do this solo or via a professionally organised tour where everything is pre-paid and included – we went with Luxury Slovenia and can’t recommend them enough.

First on our list of things to dois to taste the original Bled cream cake – .a recognisable feature of the area that you will see advertised as soon as your drive in. It is an iconic local treat and a great way to start your morning. The cake itself is a pastry slice with a sweet cream/custard style filling dusted off with icing sugar and usually served with a berry compote.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Slovenia – The Globetrotter Guys

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Gay Slovenia - The Globetrotter Guys

We spent two weeks in Slovenia during ‘’Pink Week’’ (focused on gay travel in Slovenia) and were simply amazed by its natural beauty – it was like being in a fairy-tale.

It’s is the third most forested country in Europe and one of the most water rich with numerous thermal springs, mineral springs and subterranean waters.

We loved the diversity and beauty of all the landscapes across the country, from rolling green hills to bright blue lakes and crystal-clear water along the coast – this country easily surpassed our expectations.

Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the east and Croatia in the south – all of which can easily be reached

In our guide to gay Slovenia we will cover how we found the country as a couple, if a queer scene exists, share the best activities to do, where to stay, suggestions of where to go and practical tips – we highly recommend that you visit!

Gay Slovenia Travel Guide

Is Slovenia Gay Friendly?

From our experience as a gay couple, we felt very welcome and safe. We barely gave being gay in Slovenia a second thought; and that is a good thing!

In fact, it is stated on the tourism boards website:

‘’Slovenia, especially Ljubljana, is friendly and open to all visitors. As guests who are members of the gay and lesbian community, you are welcome here. All the services provided by our country to its guests are also available to you.’’

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Gay Friendly Madrid Hotels – The Globetrotter Guys

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Axel Hotel Madrid - The Globetrotter Guys

Madrid is well known for being a beautiful and open city and you will easily find gay friendly Madrid hotels. It’s a bit odd to need to talk about being gay friendly in Madrid and we would use the term quite loosely here.

The city is so open and such a safe haven for gay travellers that we can say with confidence that pretty much all hotels will welcome all types of traveller without batting an eyelid.

It feels like asking the question ‘is your hotel gay friendly‘ is a bit redundant in Madrid and you would probably get some quizzical looks for asking – it feels ingrained in the culture here.

However, there are always hotels that are naturally more popular with the gay community, whether because of their brand or by their proximity to the gay area of Madrid.

We have focused on hotels that are in close proximity to the city centre and Chueca (the gay district). Here is our shortlist of gay friendly and gay hotels in Madrid to book for your next trip:

Axel Hotel Madrid – Adults Only

If you are looking for a hotel that falls in the category of ‘gay hotel’ then look no further. Having stayed at Axel Hotels in Berlin and Gran Canaria this would be our first choice, especially since it is specifically aimed at gay travellers and brands itself as ‘hetero-friendly’. The rooms are stylishly decorated, insta-worthy and come with the very cheeky ‘do disturb’ signs if you want to hang them on your doors!

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Madrid Gay Travel Resources

Madrid Gay Bars – The Globetrotter Guys

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Madrid Gay Bars - The Globetrotter Guys

The main gay area in Madrid is called Chueca and is named after Federico Chueca who could be considered Madrids first gay icon. The area spans about 1km north of Gran Via (one of the main streets) and east to west between Calle Hortaleza and Paseo de Recoletos. The main bulk of gay bars in Chueca are found within ten minutes walking distance of Plaza De Chueca – where the metro station is found. 

Chueca is walkable from the ‘city centre’ (Plaza Del Sol) or just a couple of metro stops.

It is obvious you have arrived in the gay district given that the walls of the metro station in Chueca are painted floor to ceiling in rainbows!

However, it’s not all about Chueca as you will find gay bars scattered all across the city as far as Lavapies. Equally, when it comes to large gay events and parties in Madrid, the venues are sometimes scattered around but easily accessible.

What Are Madrid Gay Bars Like?

If you have travelled to Spain before you will know they do things differently here. Whereas your night might start at 10/11pm in the UK or US, the main gay bars and clubs in Madrid are just opening their doors at 1/2am, getting busy at 3am and continuing until 6/7am in the morning.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Madrid Gay Travel Resources

Barcelona’s Gay Beaches – The Globetrotter Guys

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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!

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globtrotter Guys

Barcelona Gay Travel Resources

Gay Mexico – The Globetrotter Guys

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Mexico is an incredibly popular gay travel destination and it’s easy to see why.

Along the coast you can find the most spectacular turquoise waters and powdery soft white sand beaches. Inland you can explore gay Mexico’s diverse history  from Mexico City through to iconic monuments like Chichen Itza before diving into one of Mexico’s many underground pools (cenotes) to cool down.

We first visited in 2015 and to date have travelled to Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum and Cozumel. We fully intend on seeing more because our experiences to date have been amazing!

Like all the destinations we travel to, we want to explore what gay Mexico has to offer and how safe it is for gay travellers. In short, we have not had any problems at all and if you are planning on visiting the tourist hot spots, you should feel welcome as a gay traveller.

To dig a little deeper, we have put together a short guide on gay Mexico to look into gay rights, where the top gay destinations are, what gay events Mexico has to offer as well as a short interview with Ricardo, a gay guy from Mexico.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Mexico Gay Travel Resources

Jerusalem Museums – Globetrotter Girls

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Jerusalem Museums

Visiting Israel is always a wonderful idea. You’ll want to see as many historic sites as you can while you are there, and specifically in the holy city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem packs a huge punch in the tourist department – from ancient architecture to modern structures. But the Jerusalem museums are don’t-miss outings. Here are my favorites.

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Cape Town’s Gay Beach – Globetrotter Guys

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Cape Town's Gay Beach - Globetrotter Guys

Cape Town has so much to offer including some absolutely stunning beaches. In fact, some of the beaches in Cape Town have been ranked among the best in the world!

With so many beaches to choose from, and with Cape Town being a very popular gay travel destination (check out our complete gay guide to Cape Town here), it’s no surprise that there are now a couple of unofficial ‘gay beaches’ in Cape Town!

We say unofficial, because unlike the gay beach in Miami, you won’t find huge pride flags lining the beach. There is nothing too obvious to let you know you have found one of the gay beaches. Here you need to know in advance where the gay beaches are in Cape Town else you would never spot them!

A lot of people ask why have a ‘gay beach’, what’s the point? But for us we view it the same as a gay bar. Because it is labelled as a ‘gay beach’ it’s a place where you can feel reassured and comfortable to be affectionate with your partner, wear those tiny speedos that you might feel self-conscious in elsewhere and just be a little more at ease.

There are two gay beaches in Cape Town, Clifton 3 and Sandy Bay. Here is everything you need to know including how to find these gay beaches!

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Cape Town Gay Travel Resources

 

Cape Town Gay Bars – The Globetrotter Guys

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Cape Town Gay Bars - The Globetrotter Guys

Cape Town may be a lot smaller than other cities in South Africa, like Johannesburg, but when it comes to gay bars Cape Town is a winner!

You might immediately Google ‘Cape Town Gay Bars’ when you arrive, but what you should also know is that Cape Town as a whole is very gay friendly – something which we found very true during Cape Town Pride.

This means that a lot of bars that aren’t ‘officially gay bars’ in Cape Town will still have a very mixed and diverse crowd. This is especially true if you head to the touristy bars on Long Street.

That being said, when it comes to gay bars in Cape Town, you will be pleased to know that there is a good selection of options! Take a look at our up to date list below and let us know where you end up!

Crew Bar Cape Town

If you want to see the hottest bar staff in Cape Town, Crew Bar will leave you with your mouth wide open. This is one of the best-known gay bars in Cape Town and has recently been refurbished.

Crew Bar has two dance floors, weekly themed nights and is open every night of the week.

By Sion and Ben – Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Cape Town Gay Travel Resources

 

One Day in Queer Rio – The Globetrotter Guys

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Queer Rio - The Globetrotter Guys

We fell in love with queer Rio De Janeiro very quickly. It is one of those rare places where you have the best of both worlds, it can be both a city break and a beach break all in one. Rio is a vibrant city intertwined with beautiful beaches, rainforests and mountains and we cannot recommend it enough.

You are bound to have seen pictures of the iconic Christ the Redeemer (aka the ‘Big Dude’), Sugarloaf Mountain and Escadaria Selaron. The best way to see all these iconic landmarks is to book an organised city tour of Rio De Janeiro, especially if you are short on time.

Rio has so much to offer which is why we want to share with you the best city tour of Rio De Janeiro we went on during our time there. It was the easiest way to see the best of Rio De Janeiro in one day.

Big Dude City Tour: Rio De Janeiro

After a lot of research through friend recommendations and through Tripadvisor we decided to book our city tour of Rio De Janeiro with Brazil Expedition. They get 4.5 on Tripadvisor and rank very highly for city tours in Rio De Janeiro so we felt very confident with our choice.

For us, we wanted to see the big ticket, iconic landmarks and so chose to go on the ‘Big Dude Tour’. This allowed us to see so much of Rio De Janeiro in just one day. It was lead by a professional English speaking guide and lasted 7 hours – a very efficient way to see the city!

Here is what we saw on our Big Dude City Tour of Rio De Janeiro!

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Queer Rio Travel Resources