Hi, gay! 🌈
Looking for the top Pride celebrations around the world? We’ve got you covered. More than 5,000 users from the ROMEO community have voted for their faves, and the results are in! 🥁 For more insight, we’ve teamed up with our friends, the traveling Nomadic Boys, who shared valuable tips and experiences.
Oh—and if you’re planning a trip this year, remember to make use of our Travel feature! It lets you announce your travel plans, browse users in different cities, and even appear in a new location before arrival.
Now, let’s dive in! 🥳
1. Amsterdam Canal Parade (August 3rd)
📍 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Coming in at number one is Amsterdam Pride which is famous for its canal parade. The parade features boats floating through the city’s waterways. Quite the unique spectacle. Since ROMEO is based in Amsterdam, we’ve been a part of the canal parade a couple of times! Check out our shenanigans on the blog. Amsterdam Pride lasts a week (from July 27 to August 4) and features street parties, film screenings, and cultural activities.
Nomadic Boys: “This is the most unique Pride we’ve ever been to. It takes place on the canals instead of the streets, with boats acting as floats!”
2. Christopher Street Day (July 27th)
📍 Berlin, Germany
Christopher Street Day (CSD) Berlin is part of Berlin Pride Month (June 28th – July 28th). The CSD parade honors LGBTQ Pride and commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969 by marching through Berlin’s streets with floats, music, and banners. Check out our report on CSD 2023.
Nomadic Boys: “Berlin is the queerest city we’ve ever been to. During Berlin Pride, we’re all like, ‘Are there any straight people at all in this city?’ We love it!”
3. ColognePride (July 19th – 21st)
📍 Cologne, Germany
Ranked third by our users, ColognePride, or Cologne Christopher Street Day (CSD), is one of Germany’s largest Pride events that mixes partying with activism. ColognePride stretches for two weeks and ends with the CSD Street Festival and a demonstration.
Nomadic Boys: “Another awesome gay city with a large student population. Whilst the Cologne Carnival Festival in Feb/March is the biggest gay event of Cologne, the Pride event is also super fun.”
4. Barcelona Gay Pride Parade (July 20th)
📍 Barcelona, Spain
Image by Nomadic Boys via www.nomadicboys.com.
In fourth place, we have Barcelona Pride. The festival features a lineup of events with a large parade through the city streets. Barcelona Pride is super lively and inclusive, featuring tons of parties and attracting international visitors every year.
Nomadic Boys: “Barcelona Pride is always a lot of fun, and they have top performers every year, usually a Eurovision star or a retro act like the Venga Boys. Also, it’s close to the beach, and the beach parties are epic!”
5. Madrid Pride Parade (July 6th)
📍 Madrid, Spain
Something really gay must be going on in Spain. 🤔 Madrid Pride is Europe’s largest and one of the world’s most famous Prides, so it’s safe to say you’ve probably heard of it! Held every year at the end of June and beginning of July, it attracts millions.
Nomadic Boys: “This is the largest gay event in Europe and second in the world after São Paulo. Despite the millions of people that descend on Madrid, it doesn’t feel too hectic because it all spreads out throughout the entire city. Every street feels like a mini gay carnival happening. It’s super fun.”
Need more options?
If you’re feeling greedy, we got you. Here’s a lightning round of even more suggestions from our users: ⚡
6. Winter Pride (Maspalomas, Spain)
7. São Paulo Pride Parade (São Paulo, Brazil)
8. Athens Pride (Athens, Greece)
9. Mexico City Pride (Mexico City, Mexico)
10. Vienna Pride (Vienna, Austria)
And there you have it!
Are there any other Pride celebrations that would make your list? Let us know! Just slide into our DMs or comments on TikTok, Instagram, or X.com. 📩🫦
Who are the Nomadic Boys?
Stefan and Sebastien started their blog in 2014 to share their trip around Asia with their family and friends. They quickly attracted a wider audience seeking gay travel info, leading them to publish more content. Their @nomadicboys brand grew on social media, and they have become part of a growing conversation about LGBTQ representation, especially in the world of travel.
They aim to inspire and help gay travellers plan a fun and safe trip. Now, ten years later, they celebrate the release of their gay travel book, Out in the World: The Gay Guide to Traveling with Pride.
For more about their journey and book, visit their website, Nomadic Boys.