5 of the top global LGBTQ+ destinations

Pride season is on the horizon in many parts of the world, so take a look at our selection of the most appealing destinations for LGBTQ+ travellers – then pick one of our suggested places to call home there. All accommodation is Proud Certified, so you can be sure of an especially warm welcome, no matter who you love or how you identify.

Call us biased, but we think our home city of Amsterdam is a pretty great place to be LGBTQ+. Widely regarded as the most LGBTQ+ friendly country in the world, in 2000 the Netherlands also became the first to legalise marriage for same-sex couples – and its open-minded capital continues to lead the way with its come-as-you-are attitude.

The city centre's pink, triangular-shaped Homomonument is a memorial to persecuted LGBTQ+ people, and alongside it the Pink Point stand offers information about LGBTQ+ travel in the city. From there, once you’ve toured the canals, wandered the streets of the Jordaan and perhaps stopped by the Rijksmuseum, get your nightlife fix at spots like Bar Blend and SOHO on the Reguliersdwarsstraat or PRIK on nearby Spuistraat. Come early August, you won’t need to think twice about where you go to party, because you’ll find the energy of Amsterdam Pride takes over the entire city.

After that, experience the glitz of the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, at the water’s edge inside the UNESCO-recognised canal ring. Or for something ever so slightly lower key, rest your head in a stunning, typical 18th-century Amsterdam house at 23 SouS.

Canal Street sits at the heart of Manchester’s thriving LGBTQ+ scene, known as ‘The Village’. The area was originally born out of the decline of the city centre’s industrial heritage, and these days – whether during the city’s Pride celebrations in late August or at any other time of year – LGBTQ+ travellers are all but guaranteed a friendly welcome and great time here.

Manchester's forward-thinking attitude doesn't end with the warm welcome it offers LGBTQ+ travellers, either. Take time to discover how the city has blended history and modernity at the Science and Industry Museum, then consider calling it a night at the imposing Victorian-era Kimpton Clocktower.

Home to one of the United States' largest LGBTQ+ populations and often termed the gay capital of the world, San Francisco is steeped in history, particularly that of the American LGBTQ+ rights movement. Indeed, it was here that the rainbow flag was first flown during the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade in 1978.

These days, the Castro District is still the heart of LGBTQ+ life in San Francisco. Stop by the GLBT History Museum for a crash course in the struggle for LGBTQ+ equality in the city and the United States as a whole, then grab a drink at the Twin Peaks Tavern, the country’s first gay bar where windows meant customers no longer had to hide themselves away from the outside world.

And if you're in town for San Francisco's Pride celebrations in late June, look out for the pink triangle hung from the Twin Peaks hills above the city – originally dreamed up a quarter of a century ago as a way to make Pride visible right across San Francisco. There’s a similarly arty flair at citizenM San Francisco Union Square – it’s the perfect spot for you to fall into a deep slumber after all that exploring.

Sydney is one of the most welcoming cities for LGBTQ+ travellers in not only Australia but the world. Particularly if you head down under during the early March Mardi Gras spectacular – which has been taking place in Sydney since 1978 – a colourful, fun-loving and open-minded vibe takes over the place.

In the Darlinghurst area, Oxford Street began establishing itself as the beating heart of Sydney’s LGBTQ+ scene as far back as the mid-20th century, and the neighbourhood is still packed with cafés, restaurants, cocktail bars and nightclubs today. Once you’ve partied your way into the night, treat yourself to celebrity treatment and harbour views at five-star The Darling at The Star, just a 15-minute drive from the airport.

Home to the early-2000s drama, Queer as Folk, Toronto is Canada’s diverse, open-minded LGBTQ+ capital. It’s home to the country’s largest population of LGBTQ+ residents, has a rich history of Pride activism that dates back to the 1970s – and boasts not just one but arguably three distinct centres to the LGBTQ+ scene: Church and Wellesley, Queen West and Cabbagetown (said to have originally earned its name for the cabbages new arrivals from Ireland planted in their front gardens).

Highlights of the main Church and Wellesley neighbourhood include Woody's (in business for over three decades) and North America's longest-operating LGBTQ+ bookshop, Glad Day. Late June is the ideal time to visit Toronto, not only for the pleasant summer temperatures but also to catch its month-long Pride, which culminates in a large-scale parade and festival weekend. Closer to Queen West, consider staying at the imposing Gladstone House, with its mix of playful, exposed-brick bedrooms and restored classic features like the statement old-fashioned glass elevator.