3 Cities For A Queer-Friendly Night Out

If there’s one thing the LGBTQ+ community is great at, it’s having a fun night out. Hosting them, planning them, welcoming all to them, even those who are completely straight often suggest that these are the best nights out they’ve ever experienced. Not only is the music often top-shelf, but many venues and clubs take safeguarding seriously.

For this reason, a great night out could involve you heading to a queer-friendly city like London on the train (or plane), using luggage storage Tottenham court road for convenience, heading for your evening meal, and preparing for the night in your hotel afterwards.

But where are some of the lesser-known but still incredible spots for a queer-friendly night out? Let’s consider that, below:

Leeds, UK

While Brighton might be the queer capital of the UK (outside of London), Leeds is often passed over in favor of Manchester, and that’s a shame. That’s because the Freedom Quarter buzzes with energy every weekend, and really does offer some incredible nightclubs. Lower Briggate hosts most venues within walking distance of each other, creating a wonderfully walkable night out. 

Better yet, the city's student population keeps the experience fresh and welcoming and Leeds Pride have done great work to keep the space friendly, while great venues like Viaduct Show Bar offers some incredible drag performances on a consistent basis. Though of course, you don’t necessarily need to go to explicitly queer venues to have a fun night out, and Call Lane with its many associated bars is a favorite for a reason. If you really want to, heading out to that area of the city can be a great supplement to seeing a show at O2 or the First Direct arena.

Cologne, Germany

Cologne is quite an old town, with a place literally called Old Town, but in among all that history is an incredible welcoming touch for queer travelers looking to celebrate. There are many queer-friendly venues between historic buildings, which is a nice metaphor and tribute to the queer individauls of history. 

Moreover, its carnival season brings really spectacular celebrations, with some of the best DJ’s in the world coming to play lower-key shows and attend venues you might not expect. While Berlin is of course one of the capitals of dance music, Cologne offers a more relaxed, friendly vibe where people tend to be much more welcoming than you had anticipated.

Lyon, France

We might as well continue our tour of Europe with La France, long an iconic destniation for queer culture. While Paris gets the spotlight for the most part, Lyon's queer scene is genuinely stunning and seems to expand on a yearly basis. That’s because the Croix-Rousse district hosts friendly bars with delicious wines. If you’re a touch tired of clubbing, there are many smaller venues dotted around the city as well as converted cafes that open up into smaller but lovely dance halls at night. Better yet, Lyon has a proud culinary history and that adds another element of enjoyment, because some gay bars serve utterly delicious Lyonnaise cuisine alongside their cocktails. Queer nights out take a lot of fuel, so be sure to enjoy yourself!

With this advice, we hope you can enjoy your wonderful queer-friendly night out with a few fun destination recommendations.