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The annual Circuit Festival is held each August and is considered the biggest international gay festival attracting many gays from all over Europe and the world. Its success proves that a hetero-friendly hotel is in high demand and they have even opened a second property in Barcelona to serve the increase in demand. The Catalan capital is home to the original Axel Hotel, which opened its doors in 2003 and proclaimed itself the first gay hotel chain not only in Barcelona but also in Spain and even in Europe. From Barcelona, it’s also easy to continue down the coastline to beach towns like Sitges or up to the many resorts in the coastal area of Costa Brava.
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This cosmopolitan city is also popular for its beaches which were developed for the 1992 Olympics and the Catalan capital offers the perfect balance between the city and the sand. You’ll find many hotels, restaurants and shops in the city that go out of their way to be gay-friendly. Barcelonaīarcelona has been a popular destination for LGBT+ tourists now for at least two decades. Pick one or pick them all and you’re sure to be impressed and will head home with memories to last a lifetime. So if you’re thinking of planning a trip to Spain, here is a list of the top 10 most gay-friendly cities to visit in this European hotspot. Together all these structures, art pieces and dances tell the elaborate story of the region from which they originate. You can also head south to Andalusia and experience the passionate dance of flamenco, which has been impressing spectators for hundreds of years. Fans of Gaudi will love his work all over Barcelona, especially his most infamously incomplete work, La Sagrada Familia. Architecture enthusiasts will enjoy the Aqueduct in Segovia, the Mezquita in Cordoba and perhaps the most famous palace in Spain, the Alhambra in Granada. For art lovers, there’s the infamous Prado museum in Madrid, the Picasso Museum in Barcelona and the Guggenheim in Bilbao. Spain also has a lot of ways for you to immerse yourself in its incredible and complex cultural heritage and impressive historical landmarks. Spanish culture is fun, friendly and very social making it easy to get caught up in the party scene or lose track of time sitting on a terraza sipping wine in the summer.
Clearly, Spain has much to offer that’s already drawing gay travelers in. According to LGBT Capital, LGBT+ tourism brings in an estimated $6.8 billion to Spain annually, putting the country ahead of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. As the third country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage back in 2005, it’s no surprise that Spain is welcoming to the LGBT+ community. In just several decades, the Spanish people have managed to emerge from a repressive dictatorship to become one of the most progressive destinations on the planet. Spain is famous around the world for its cultural traditions, great beaches, history and welcoming atmosphere.