Barcelona Gay Guide | GAY Submit

Barcelona is a chic, relaxed city and almost certainly the most liberal part of what is a very live-and-let-live, progressive sort of country. Its broad, elegant boulevards are packed full of some of the best shopping in Europe, the narrow, winding alleyways of the Barri Gotic, the city’s Gothic quarter, rich in sights of historical interest. But it is as the sun sets that the city really comes to life, with a great deal to offer the gay or lesbian traveler. The epicenter of Barcelona’s gay party scene is undoubtedly the glorious Eixample, (pronounced eshaumplay) and known locally as ‘gayxample’. But all across the city, from stylish dining by the marina, to scruffy local favorites where you can knock back a few drinks and stuff yourself with an assortment of choice bites, there’re more great eateries than you could possibly visit in the space of a quick holiday. As well as being home to many of the best bars and clubs, the area also houses several of the city’s gay-interest shops and bookshops. The Quadrat d’Or, or Golden Square, flaunts much of the city’s archetypically extravagant modernist architecture, including some particularly glorious examples from the Catalan architect, Antonio Gaudi. A little to the south of the city the town of Sitges, long a haunt of artists – Miró was born there, and Dalí used to take his holidays in the town – is a hugely popular gay beach resort. In addition to the Platja de la Bossa Rodona, there are also a number of places where nudism is permitted. The Calle de San Bonaventura, one of the town’s main thoroughfares, is lined with most of the town’s gay bars and clubs, and in the day, proves an ideal place to sit, have a coffee and watch the world go by.