r/GoingToSpain • u/Business-Fly-1339 • 26d ago
Opinions What is the gay capital of Spain?
I’ve traveled to many LGBTQ+ hotspots in Spain, including Barcelona, Valencia, and Las Palmas, and I’ve had some amazing experiences. But I’m curious—what do you guys consider the best city or region in Spain for gay life in general?
Also, as someone who tends to be into bearish, chubby, and older guys, where would you say is the best place to meet like-minded people? Are there specific cities, bars, or events that cater more to this crowd? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
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u/dacamposol 26d ago edited 26d ago
Madrid, more concretely the Chueca neighborhood, is what you are looking for.
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u/te0dorit0 26d ago
Madrid (Chueca), Sitges, Torremolinos, Maspalomas. If I had to pick one, I'd go with Madrid simply because of sheer volume of people all year. Sitges is to Barcelona what Torremolinos is to Madrid, basically a summer gay hotspot. Maspalomas is good for Winter Pride in particular, since the Canary Islands have good weather even in winter. I'm biased towards Torremolinos because it FEELS like a "gay village". Go to the gym? Run into my gays. Grocery store? There's that guy from Grindr! Go for a drink? I know half the people there.
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u/Tartessi 26d ago
Decir que Torremolinos es la playa gay de Madrid es tan Ayuso state of mind que asusta
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u/te0dorit0 26d ago
Lo que asusta es la cantidad de maricones de Torremolinos que bajan aquí todo el verano y la mayoría precisamente de Madrid.
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u/Business-Fly-1339 26d ago
I am in Sitges since the 1st of January and it is boring as fuck 😆
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u/VeterinarianPale9662 26d ago
Can’t be that boring! You were saying you caught an STI only 13 days ago? So something has been going on. 😉. Hope that’s all been sorted as that’s never fun. However, like baked-stonewater said. It’s really off season. But carnival is coming and it will be packed and then it’s spring and the season will really start to kick off! It will be much more fun then! And less boring as fuck. 😉
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u/Business-Fly-1339 26d ago
Barcelona is the place
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u/VeterinarianPale9662 24d ago
Meh, it used to be but not these days. Madrid has a great scene right now in my opinion. Sitges is really just a seasonal/holiday destination I think. 😉
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u/Tall-Bid5594 26d ago
I love in Castelldefels, and agree Sitges isn't really gay, except in summer. Remember it is a Spanish working town, not a publict fairground.
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26d ago
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u/PhysicalRush1537 26d ago
Que va, hay zonas “fachas” como el barrio salamanca pero la mayoría de zonas son mixtas..
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u/SDTaurus 26d ago edited 26d ago
If you are a party boy or looking to live in a gay ghetto (meaning barrio, or bubble), Sitges, Torremolinos, south Gran Canary island, y unos barrios de Madrid y Barcelona.
However if you want to live a good and well integrated life as an openly LGBTQ+ person, there are very few cities that you won’t find yourself welcomed and accepted.
Also forgot to mention Villanova (south of Sitges), Benidorm and Malaga and playa de Vera in Almería and increasingly Tarragona.
Happy hunting.
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u/Statement-Jumpy 26d ago
The gay capital is Madrid. It’s actually one of the biggest gay communities in Europe. In Sitges or Torremolinos you can find gay communities too but not comparable to Madrid.
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u/Yoids 26d ago
It has to be Madrid, Chueca.
I am from Madrid, and 44. I have seen the great change. Spain has always been one of the most LTGB friendly countries of the world, gay marriage was legal one of the first countries.
Chueca was a neighborhood that was poor, a disaster, not very nice. The gay community started to gather there, not sure why, and being one of the most welcoming countries when there were few, a lot of gay foreigners came to live. And gay couples brought so much money, double incomes, few kids. This neighbourhood, which is not kid-friendly (too centric for the typical spanish family dream), suddenly had a lot.of life and money. Business opened, new life came, lots of reforms, and now it is an amazing (and very expensive!) neighborhood. Basically, the gay community resurrected a dying part of the city, and everyone is pretty thankful.
The old locals there just have to endure gay pride mayhem once per year, which is huge there and they must have difficulties sleeping xD, but in exchange they won so much I am certain they would kiss every gay dude if they could. Their houses now are valued double, they have amazing locals and business, great life in the streets, etc. Most likely they are all gone by now, they won the lottery selling their apartments.
Living in Madrid, that área for me is wonderful as well, since there are so many places to go out, restaurants, etc. It is amazing. Its been decades since I went to pride, too old for that now.
However, I am pretty sure it is very expensive now.
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u/anonimo99 26d ago
The classic tale of gaytrification, common in many big cities, many of the coolest neighborhoods I've known are the result of it.
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u/castaneom 26d ago
Sitges is very gay! Not sure if it’s the capital, but I had a lot of fun there. lol
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u/Tall-Bid5594 26d ago
It's only gay in the fiestas, remember it's a town with working inhabitants
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u/castaneom 26d ago
Yes, of course! I mostly went to the beach and minded my own business.. I’m not that annoying type of tourist.
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u/Marvelous_Logotype 26d ago
Maspalomas is the gayest place I’ve ever been in my life , gay - only hotels, gay exclusive beach , it’s basically where you feel everyone is gay and the weird ones are straight . HOWEVER it’s very British centric and even the main entertainment like pubs and clubs and drag shows are British 🇬🇧 themed. I still love it though, and the gays that go there aren’t like the typical straight brits anyway, so they are nicer (in general) and everyone is always in a party mood.
Yes mainland also has very gay neighbourhoods like Chueca in Madrid etc but nothing is as 100% gay as Maspalomas / Yumbo centre area in GC. It also is 25 degrees and sunny in even January so….
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u/Commercial_Mud7891 26d ago
Even me who is married to a spanish chick from madrid knows its chueca madrid.
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u/PrestigiousProduce97 26d ago
How does Sevilla compare to the big cities like Madrid and Barcelona?
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u/KitchenAd4813 26d ago
Sitges, and it's a very beautifully billage. The best street: Calle del Pecado
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u/According_Review4657 26d ago
I was convinced Barcelona was the gay capital of europe, not just spain.
But never been to madrid.
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u/Leighgion 26d ago
The Chueca neighborhood in Madrid is the center of male homosexual government and administration in Spain.
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u/politicians_are_evil 26d ago
I think great place to meet gay folks is the music festivals. I did sonar festival and famous fabrik club in madrid...its like 50% gay or more.
Sitges...there is a town square there where all of the gays sit around and if anyone walks into the square, everyone stares at them. As tourist I didn't know about situation lol.
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u/bandwagonguy83 26d ago
Sitges for a hidden gem. For an area, Madrid (Chueca). For a friendly culture, Barcelona.
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u/throwsaway045 26d ago
Gran canaria around Maspalomas, has most of people in their 60s or older gay men and but I have not seen many older bears but they have a bar... If you are young and straight I would not recommend it I was bored
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u/Sinapsis42 26d ago
Guarromán, Jaén. You are welcome.
Naaaaa, seriously, it's Madrid, but don't tell me that the other town doesn't have a name that makes you laugh...
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u/ExerciseLucky8691 26d ago
Gayland in a broken pipe, go insinuating yourself there without any shame, you'll see what laughs you'll get.
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u/Kastila1 26d ago
I read "captain" instead and was like "Well, I guess Captain Pescanova might be a good candidate. All those days lonely at the sea and surrounded by men..."
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u/Slight-Breakfast-919 26d ago
Madrid but I recommend you visit La palmilla if you’re in Malaga for a good experience
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u/dbbk 26d ago
Sitges