DESTINATIONS LGBTQ+ TRAVEL | PRIDE HOLIDAYS


sell HOW TO Pride packages


“June is the traditional Pride month, but it varies from city to city and


country to country. Being aware of the many Prides around the world, as well as other LGBTQ+ events, lets you surprise clients with options year-round. Puerto Rico is a standout in the Caribbean, and Japan gets our vote for emerging destinations in Asia.” John Tanzella, president and chief executive, IGLTA


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For an in-resort Pride party,


W Costa Navarino in Greece is hosting art exhibitions, live performances and


DJ sets throughout Pride month in June


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: On board with P&O Cruises; last year’s event in Sitges, Spain; holding the flag aloft in Barcelona PICTURE: Shutterstock/Carlos Pereira M


certainly earned its (rainbow-hued) stripes as an inclusive, fun-filled city. And although those events have passed, LGBTQ+ holidaymakers keen to celebrate Down Under certainly haven’t missed the boat – quite literally, thanks to P&O Cruises’ new family-friendly Pride Cruise. Sailing up the Gold Coast from Sydney harbour, passengers can enjoy cabaret, comedy, swimming pools and a spa before hopping off at Moreton Island to book in some


snorkelling, parasailing or a scenic helicopter ride. Book it: Departing September 14, P&O Cruises’ four-night Pride Cruise makes a round-trip from Sydney to Tangalooma on Moreton Island. The price is £348 for an interior cabin (based on two sharing), meals and £50 of onboard credit. pocruises.com.au/cruises/pride


MADRID, SITGES & BARCELONA, SPAIN Madrid lays claim to Europe’s biggest Pride Parade (July 1); Sitges is frequently called the gay capital of Europe; and Barcelona’s bar-packed Eixample neighbourhood is so LGBTQ+-friendly it has earned the nickname ‘Gaixample’. You can experience all three via Contiki’s moveable feast of flamenco shows, tapas, sangria, bike tours and, for the tour’s grand finale,


Barcelona Pride (July 14-15). Get ready to fiesta. Book it: Departing July 8, Contiki’s nine-night Spain Pride group holiday costs £1,508 for a twin room with breakfast and two dinners, and includes train travel and meeting members of a local LGBTQ+ community group for drinks. contiki.com


42 4 MAY 2023 best of the rest


PRIDE CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD


Disneyland Paris, June 17. Where better to wave your rainbow flag than the most magical place on the planet?


London, July 1. Soho will be at its rainbow-clad, raving best again during one of the world’s longest-running Pride events.


Amsterdam, August 1-6. All aboard the boat party – floating down the city’s canals makes for a truly unique Pride parade.


Johannesburg, October 28. Dubbed ‘Pride of Africa’,


Jo’Burg’s event is undoubtedly the continent’s leading light for LGBTQ+ communities.


BERLIN, GERMANY The German capital’s clubbing scene is legendary year-round, but takes on an extra sparkle during Pride Month (June 28 to July 23). Launched last year, the varied event line-up goes beyond partying to campaign on vital issues for queer communities – for 2023, Rainbow families, HIV/Aids and eastern Europe – via panels, meetings and workshops. The programme comes to a colourful conclusion with the long-established


Christopher Street Day parade (22 July). Book it: Queer Travel’s six-day Berlin Pride group package with a July 19 departure starts at £698. It covers a four-star B&B hotel stay, two city tours with local gay guides, two lunches, one dinner and participation in Pride events. Flights not included. queer-travel.com


PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO For an inclusive long-haul holiday, a honeymoon or even destination wedding, Puerto Vallarta comes up trumps – the resort’s Old Town boasts dozens of bars, restaurants and clubs that give LGBTQ+ travellers a warm welcome. And it’s next to the gay-friendly sands of Playa Los Muertos. Consider combining it with a few days in Mexico City, which on June 24 will host one of


Latin America’s most legendary Pride celebrations. Book it: Gay travel specialist Out of Office creates tailor-made luxury holidays. Sample private tour itineraries for Mexico include the seven-day Puerta Vallarta: Out of Office Collection, from £2,660. outofoffice.com


TW travelweekly.co.uk


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