survey says

The 10 best party destinations for LGBTQ+ travelers

A man dances in front a crowd
WE Party Madrid

A new study by Emisil analyzed data such as safety scores, LGBTQ+ friendliness, average drink price, average closing time, and the number of gay clubs and bars in cities worldwide to find the best LGBTQ+ party destinations for 2024.

The company used Numbeo, Equaldex, TripAdvisor, and Yelp data to compile their rankings.

While there were several notable and interesting finds, the bottom line was:

  • The best LGBTQ+ party destination is Madrid, Spain, with 73 gay bars and clubs partying until 6 AM.
  • Copenhagen, Denmark, has the highest World Equality Index of 85.
  • The most gay-friendly bars and clubs are in New York, USA, with 440 venues open until 4 AM.
  • Taipei, Taiwan, has the highest safety score of 84.55 and offers the most affordable drinks at $2.48.
A ranking of the top LGBTQ+ party destinations worldwide

Describing their rankings and how they adjusted them based on the data, Emisil explained:

First up on the list of LGBTQ+ party destinations is Madrid, Spain, with a composite score of 91. The city is highly gay-friendly, with a World Equality Index score of 81. It has 73 gay bars and clubs, where the parties go on until 6 AM in the morning. The average drink price is one of the lowest at just $3.80.

Second on the list is Copenhagen, Denmark, scoring 84 out of 100. The city has a World Equality index of 85, the highest on the list. Copenhagen offers more than 20 gay party spots open until 5 AM, with an average drink price of $8.72.

The third LGBTQ+ party destination is New York, United States, with a composite score of 83. When it comes to LGBTQ+ nightlife, New York is unmatched, with over 400 bars and clubs staying open until 4:00 AM.

Amsterdam, Netherlands, is the fourth destination for LGBTQ+ partygoers, scoring 81. The city is highly LGBTQ+ friendly, with a score of 80 on the World Equality Index and a safety index of 71.68. Parties go on until 4 AM, with the average drink costing $8.

With a composite score of 79, Berlin, Germany, is the next destination for queer nights. The city offers more than 100 gay bars and clubs, with an average drink price of $4.88, which is among the lowest compared with most European cities on the list.

Vienna, Austria, is the sixth destination for LGBTQ+ nightlife, with a composite score of 75. The city has a high safety index of 69.8. In terms of the average drink price, it mirrors Germany.

Lisbon, Portugal, ranks seventh on the list of LGBTQ+ party destinations, scoring 72. The city has a high LGBTQ+ friendliness score of 75. Like Vienna, parties last until 4 AM, but Lisbon has a slightly lower number of gay bars and clubs, with 21 venues overall.

Taipei, Taiwan, is the ninth-best city for gay parties, with a composite score of 70. Regarding the safety of walking home at night, the city has the highest score on the entire list, at 84.55. There are more than 20 gay bars and clubs, where the average drink price is the most affordable, costing only $2.48.

Ninth-ranked Helsinki, Finland, has a composite score of 69. In its 9 gay-friendly clubs and bars, the party goes on until 4 AM, with drinks costing on average higher at $8.68. Compared to Taipei, Helsinki has a higher World Equality Index score of 78.

Toronto, Canada, closes the list of LGBTQ+ party destinations with a composite score of 68.2. The city has the same World Equality Index as Spain, but it has slightly fewer gay bars and clubs overall, with 71 venues partying till 4 AM.

Of course, if you’re looking for specific bars, restaurants, or events in over 300 cities worldwide, check out our City Guides for up-to-date listings that’ll make any trip easier and keep you better informed.

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