The Best Gay Bars in Europe

There are so many gay bars in Europe. This list is by no means definitive. We’ve gathered together a selection of perennial favorites in the top gay destinations in Europe. Some are seasonal favorites, others are year-round favorites. Seasoned gay travelers will have visited all or most of these bars.

Western Europe home to many of the world's most cosmopolitan and socially liberal cities. In numerical terms, the gayest city in Europe is London. The most outrageous gay scene can be found in Berlin. And the best gay vacation spot in Europe is Mykonos. The major capitals of Western Europe have long been magnets for gay people. The bars are listed in

The Glory - London

One of the most exciting and cutting edge gay bars in London, The Glory is often missed by tourists. It’s located on Kingsland Road in East London. Although Soho is London’s main gay area, you’ll find an extensive and more alternative gay scene if you head east to Dalston and Hackney.

The Glory is a good place to go for an early evening drink. It also a performance venue. You’ll find some of the UK’s best drag queens and queer artists doing their thing at The Glory. As the night progresses, it becomes a party venue. You can head downstairs and dance until the early hours.

Moeem - Barcelona

Barcelona has a huge gay scene centred around the Eixample district. Moeem is central but it’s located just outside Eixample - the Barcelona gay scene is quite spread out. Moeem opens from the early evening until the early hours throughout the week. There are loads of great gay bars in Barcelona but we tend to go back to Moeem as it gets so busy. There’s a real buzz, especially at weekends. You’ll see a lot of hot Spanish men here. Well, most of them would insist they’re in fact Catalonian!

RVT (Royal Vauxhall Tavern) - London

Another great London gay bar that isn’t in Soho. The RVT is London’s longest-running gay club. It’s become a key component of the UK’s gay scene. Famous drag queens like Lily Savage began their careers at the RVT. There’s also a legendary story about the night Freddie Mercury took Princess Diana to the RVT disguised as a boy. It sounds too good to be true but by all account this did take place in the 80s.

The RVT hosts some excellent drag and theatre nights. There are also themed club nights. It’s a historic venue and a destination bar on many gay nights out in London. It’s more than worth the trek to Vauxhall.

COX - Paris

Ah, gay Paris. There are many great gay bars in Paris to choose from so it’s hard to pick a favorite. We’ve chosen COX as it’s where so many great nights out in Paris begin. It’s in Le Marais on Rue des Archive. The gay bars in Le Marais open up in the evening at Rue des Archive is the best place to start. There are several bars, most with terraces. You can sit outside and flirt with some locals - the Parisians aren’t as rude as legend would have it, in fact! COX has a long happy hour and you’ll enjoy mingling and potentially flirting on the terrace.

Helie Welt - Berlin

When you think of Berlin gay bars you think of… things we perhaps shouldn’t mention here. You know exactly what we mean! And if you’re looking to explore the cruisey side of the Berlin gay scene then check out our guide to gay cruising in Berlin.

Helie Welt is located in Schoneberg and it’s a class bar. You can have a civilised early evening drink. It’s also a good place to bring someone on a date.

JackieO’ - Mykonos

The international gay jet set descend on Mykonos in the spring and summer months. It’s Europe’s most popular gay vacation spot. JackieO’ opens for the summer party season and it’s the place to be in Mykonos. You’ll find some of the most attractive, upwardly mobile gay men at JackieO’s. An unmissable spot for scene queens.

Parrots - Sitges

Another seasonal hotspot, Parrots is a gay bar in the heart of Sitges. It’s also the heart of the local gay scene. The chairs and tables on the terrace face the bar across the road - Central Bar Cafe - meaning you’re all but forced to get out the talent. Very conducive to chatting and flirting, Parrots is where gay nights out in Sitges tend to begin.

The Yard - Soho

Yes, Soho is in London, but it many ways it's a mini gay city unto itself. We couldn't not include a Soho gay bar so we've gone for The Yard Bar. It's very popular with locals. You can head to The Yard for a drink after work. It's also a good place to start your night out at the weekend. You'll find some of London's finest eye candy at The Yard. Read More: The Best Gay Bars In Soho.