The Best Cities Around the World to Celebrate Pride, According to a New Study – Travel + Leisure
Paris is the best city in the world to celebrate LGBTQ Pride this year, according to a new study from home rental company HomeToGo shared with Travel + Leisure.
The City of Light came in as the No. 1 spot to book a vacation to celebrate June’s Pride Month, according to the site, followed by Berlin, Stockholm, and New York. Both London and Madrid tied for the No. 5 spot on the list.
The list of cities was determined by how easy it was to get there and how many destinations were served by the nearest airport, trending search demand, the number of top-rated LGBTQ nightclubs and bars, and accommodation affordability.
“Each year, Pride celebrations around the world grow bigger and brighter as more LGBTQ+ people, supporters, and families join the festivities,” Caroline Burns, head of PR and a travel expert at HomeToGo, said in a statement shared with T+L. “There are so many exciting destinations to explore for Pride and we hope this index will inspire travelers to venture out and discover new destinations to promote equality and celebrate the history and accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ community.”
European cities reigned on this list, taking up six of the top 10 best Pride destinations with the addition of Amsterdam, which came in at No. 8.
But New York City was the top city in North America and took the top spot in the world for best LGBTQ+ nightlife with the highest number of top-rated gay bars and nightclubs. The United States overall had 12 cities on the list of 50 best cities to celebrate Pride, making it the most represented country on the list.
For its part, the United Kingdom had a total of 11 cities on the list, including Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol, Liverpool, as well as Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland and Cardiff in Wales.
Beyond major cities, there are plenty of small towns welcoming vacationers who are looking to celebrate Pride like Dawson City in Canada’s Yukon Territory, which is home to several great queer-owned businesses. Travelers can also map their way around the U.S. visiting historic LGBTQ+ landmarks.
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she’s not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.