As more people live openly as queer, TUI has now asked for the third time which European vacation spots are best suited for queer travelers. Germany has moved up to second place, with 12 percent of the population identifying as queer according to an Ipsos study. Only the Netherlands is ahead, at 17 percent. Belgium, Spain, and Sweden share the next spot at 11 percent.
The primary criterion for the “TUI LGBTQIA+ Travel Ranking” was safety. That matters—because while far more people are living openly as queer and public spaces for queer concerns have expanded, there are still too many anti-queer crimes. In calculating the final scores for European destinations, not only factors like event density or the price of Prosecco in the best-rated queer bar were considered, but also whether hate speech or hate-crime laws exist.
Data from a general safety index, the legal equality of queer people, and recognition of nonbinary individuals were included. In addition, Pride size and the average monthly Google search interest for the city and the term “gay” were taken into account. Although the figures aren’t heavily validated and sometimes rely on a single source, they offer a glimpse into how welcoming a place may be for queer people in terms of social acceptance and legal rights.
Barcelona in first place, followed by Berlin
In the top 10, Spain and Germany each have three cities represented. Barcelona tops the list, Ibiza sits at number 3, and Madrid is at 5. Germany is represented by Berlin at number 2, Cologne at number 5, and Hamburg at number 10. Portugal also claims two cities: Porto at number 4 and the vibrant capital Lisbon at number 8. Amsterdam makes it to 7 and Vienna to 9.
Both the Spanish, Portuguese, and German locales are noted for having the strongest laws for transgender people. The local legislation awards a score of 3 on a scale from 3 to -2. Germany is the only country among the list that provides formal recognition of nonbinary people. With the Netherlands as the sole exception—where hate speech against queer people is explicitly criminalized—hate violence against queer people is prosecuted in all the other countries represented on the list. According to the Global Equality Index for queer people, Spain leads in equality for gender and sexual diversity, followed by Germany and then the Netherlands. Yet the scores are very close. Once again, Amsterdam, Vienna, Porto, and Lisbon lead the rankings for general safety.
Sweden, France and Greece perform poorly
Given the unique vulnerability of the queer community, safety criteria, as well as questions about rights and how hate violence is handled, can be decisive when planning a trip. The bottom of the list is largely made up of Swedish, French, and Greek destinations. This appears to stem from fewer events, higher prices, a lack of nonbinary recognition, and generally lower safety indicators.
Numerically, this gap is reflected in Germany’s 2023 BKA report showing 1,785 reported queerphobic offenses, while in France—the more sparsely populated country—an annual SOShomophobie NGO report tallies 2,377 cases for 2023. That equates to about 2.13 anti-queer crimes per 100,000 people in Germany and roughly 3.5 per 100,000 in France. While a significant dark figure exists beyond these numbers, they still illustrate a climate that queer travelers may encounter in these countries. It’s important to note that these are broad data points and can’t be applied uniformly to every region within a country. How consistently safety and law enforcement address queerphobic crimes varies and remains an open question.
Other perspectives on queer travel
Interestingly, Greece and Malta have emerged as newly popular destinations. Malta, in particular, is praised for its laws. Yet other sources present distinctly different takes on queer travel. Goqueer.com, for instance, paints a different picture: the focus has shifted away from purely event-focused trips and bar-hopping toward wellness getaways, family vacations, and authentic experiences with local people. The non-queer-centered portal Vacationer also highlights a different emphasis for queer travel.
TI’s list, meanwhile, appears to lean toward party and community-oriented getaways. One reason for the European focus of the statistics is not stated, but Europe is not the entire realm of queer travel—Australia, New Zealand, Canada, as well as Thailand and Uruguay are repeatedly cited as increasingly popular destinations outside Europe.
For perspective, TUI’s list is a useful guide for orientation, even if the numbers don’t necessarily mirror reality in every detail. Queer-related violence and the fear of it shouldn’t automatically deter travel. New trends and non-European destinations are not fully represented in this overview. If you’re planning a city break in Europe, you can use the list as a practical reference and, with caution, still aim for a safe and enjoyable trip.
