These countries are among the most welcoming European countries to gay people after Greece issued a travel warning for LGBTQ+ tourists.
advertisementWhen same-sex marriage was legalized in Greece in February, LGBTQ+ campaigners celebrated.
But now the Foreign Office has issued new travel advisories for gay people traveling to the country.
Updates on the UK government's international travel advice page warn that same-sex couples may face discrimination in certain parts of Greece.
The report states that “attitudes are generally much more welcoming in Athens and many of the Greek islands, particularly Lesbos, Mykonos and Skiathos,” but gay visitors are There are also concerns that they could face prejudice.
The government's advice also adds: “Public attitudes towards same-sex sexual activity vary from country to country. Public displays of affection by same-sex couples may be frowned upon, especially in rural areas.”
The warning comes after two transgender people were attacked by a mob in Thessaloniki last month, where the victims were verbally assaulted and had bottles thrown at them.
What is Greece's current position on same-sex marriage?
Greece has made great strides in accepting LGBTQ+ people, banning so-called “conversion therapy” for minors in 2022, and passing a same-sex marriage law in February with a 176-76 parliamentary majority.
However, opinions remain divided over the practice in this popular tourist destination.
As soon as the vote passed, protests led by the Orthodox Church erupted in the country.
About 1,500 people demonstrated against the changes in Syntagma Square in Athens, but a poll by Greek national newspaper Proto Tema found that only 55% of Greeks supported legalizing same-sex marriage. found. Adoption rights for back gay people are even less.
Despite opposition, in legalizing same-sex marriage, Greece It becomes the only country in south-eastern Europe to do so, joining 15 other EU member states and a further 35 countries worldwide.
But which destinations within the continent and further afield are the most accepting of the LGBTQ+ community?
Lisbon, Copenhagen and Amsterdam are among the most LGBTQ+-friendly destinations in the world
Experts from Emisil, a company that provides prosthetics for trans men, have scoured the world's most queer-friendly places. Europe And around the world.
Lisbon, Copenhagen and Amsterdam took first, second and fourth place in the top 10 list, respectively.
Emisil's research also looked at the number of queer clubs and bars listed on Google Maps, using information on same-sex marriage and gender recognition laws, the Safety Index and the Global Trans Index 2023. This expressed larger trends and provided a final ranking based on all these criteria, giving each city surveyed its score out of 10.
lisbon Officially the most queer-friendly place in the world, it has a score of 9.26, reflecting the city's high level of safety and overall positive attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community.
Portugal has the highest overall global trans index The study gave it 248 points out of 250, the highest of all countries surveyed, for gender recognition, anti-discrimination laws and low rates of hate crimes.
The capital also hosts countless queer events, including Lisbon Bear Pride and Lisbon Gay Pride.
advertisementJust behind the Portuguese city, copenhagen In Denmark.
This Scandinavian city, which came in second with a score of 9.22, has a small queer scene, with only 12 queer bars and clubs listed on Google Maps. However, it received very high scores due to its large number of annual events for residents and tourists, such as Drug House Copenhagen Presents and Copenhagen Winter Pride, and its positive attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community.
In fourth place, perhaps unsurprisingly, is Amsterdam. The Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001, and added a gender recognition law in 2014.
With a score of 9.18 according to Google Maps, Amsterdam has an especially high safety index, with more than 20 queer bars and clubs spread throughout the city.
outside Europe, New York City and Taipei, Taiwan rounded out the top five. In New York, tourists can enjoy the city's vibrant queer scene, including the New York City Pride March and the annual Stonewall Riots anniversary, but Taipei has the most of all the cities included in the ranking. It has a high safety score.
advertisementWhich other countries are most accepting of LGBTQ+ people?
Overall, Emisil found that six of the top 10 most accepting countries were in Europe.
In 6th place on the list is Barcelona. This popular Spanish city has a score of 8.83, thanks in part to its top ranking on the 2023 Global Trans Index and over 30 queer bars and clubs for locals and tourists to explore. Obtained.
The Barcelona Circuit Festival and Barcelona Gay Pride are among the most popular LGBTQ+ events, drawing people from all over Europe to the city.
meanwhile Reykjavik Although Iceland only has five queer nightlife spots, it still ranks seventh with a score of 8.80.
Iceland's capital city has a high overall safety profile and is also home to many LGBTQ+ events, including Rainbow Reykjavik, Reykjavik Bear, and Reykjavik Queer City Walk.
advertisementToronto, Canada, and Tokyo, Japan are ranked 8th and 9th respectively.
Toronto is known as a very safe place for gay people, and Canada ranks particularly highly on the Global Trans Index, ranking second on the list after Portugal.
Interestingly, even though Japan is the only country in this ranking where same-sex marriage is not legally recognized, Tokyo still has over 40 queer nightlife spaces, and Tokyo Rainbow Pride is one of the most popular places for LGBTQ+ tourism. This is a big attraction for customers.
10th place on Emisil's list is Paris.
Although the French capital has the lowest safety index compared to all other cities included in the ranking, it manages to make up for it by offering over 30 queer clubs and bars. It is also famous for hosting a number of LGBTQ+ events, such as the Festival des Cultures LGBT, the Marche des Fiertes LGBT (Gay Pride Parade), and the Paris International Lesbian and Feminist Film Festival.
advertisementWhile the cities on the list are generally very safe for LGBTQ+ people, Emisil suggests double-checking the laws and attitudes of your destination before traveling.
“While this study shows that Europe is the leading destination for queer people, we see more and more destinations becoming queer-friendly around the world,” Emisil said. a spokesperson told Euronews Travel. “Still, it's important to check the laws and tourism tips before traveling to any country to ensure a safe experience.”
