Every year in late February or early March Sitges hosts the greatest gay parade in the country. Sitges holds the biggest gay event in Barcelona, the Carnaval. It is located around c/ de Cent and c/ d’Aribau near the metro stops Universitat, Urgell and Passeig de Gràcia.Īnother area that is very popular with the gay community - just an hour outside of Barcelona, is Sitges. This area is a beautiful and relatively modern and trendy district in the centre of Barcelona and offers an active social scene for both the gay and straight community. Although it’s not exclusively a gay area, this is where most of the gay bars, clubs and hostels can be found. Popular Gay areas within BarcelonaĮixample is the heart of the gay scene in Barcelona.
For both Barcelona residents and travelers the city offers a gay and lesbian hotline (900 601 601) as well as the SexTienda, a useful resource which lists gay bars, clubs, hotels and restaurants within the city. While there are definitely gay barrios within the city, basically everywhere in Barcelona is welcoming and gay friendly. When it comes to popular gay travel destinations in Spain, Barcelona has always had the reputation as being a city with a vibrant and integrated gay scene. Specific Gay friendly areas around the country: Since the law has been passed, at least 5,000 couples have already applied for permission to marry.ĭue to the new marriage law and the growing support within the country for homosexuality, Spain has become a popular tourist and vacation destination for the gay community.
An important thing to note is that this law also improves the legal situation for children born into or adopted by lesbian or homosexual couples, giving them civil and inheritance rights currently denied them under law. This law now gives Spanish-resident same-sex couples the right to marry and the same rights of ownership, inheritance and adoption as married heterosexuals. Even though the Catholic Church strongly contested the marriage bill, the large majority of people (especially in urban areas) support equal rights for homosexual couples.Īn estimated sixty-two per cent of Spanish people supported the move to legalize same-sex marriages. Due to the recent introduction of the controversial homosexual marriage law, Spain became the third European country after the Netherlands and Belgium, to legalize same-sex marriage between native Spanish citizens and also registered foreigners living in Spain.
With the onset of the Spanish constitution in 1978 it was legalized and since then the gay community in Spain has thrived. During Franco’s rule in Spain, homosexuality was illegal. Homosexuality in Spain however, hasn’t always been so accepted. Gay clubs, bars, hotels and associations are rampant throughout the country with more of a presence in the larger more cosmopolitan cities, yet still very active within smaller cities.Ĭurrently, it is estimated that 10% of Spanish people live in same-sex couples, or are attracted to the same sex, meaning that there are around four million lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered people in Spain.() If you’re homosexual, lesbian, transgender, bi sexual or just plain straight and feel like going to a bar where you don’t have to worry about being harassed by the opposite sex, Spain has a thriving and very active gay scene. Information about the gay and lesbian scene in Spain.Ĭurrently, it is estimated that 10% of Spanish people live in same-sex couples, or are attracted to the same sex, meaning that there are around four million lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered people in Spain.