Barcelona
Barcelona Travel Guides
Written by the specialists who plan our trips to Barcelona: where to go, when, and what is worth knowing before you book.
All Barcelona Travel Guides
Best Gay Cities in the World: Barcelona, Berlin, NYC & Bangkok
Some cities belong on every gay traveller’s list. Not because they host a famous Pride once a year, but because the gay scene is big enough, established enough and varied enough to shape the whole trip. Barcelona gives you Gaixample, beach clubs, late dining and Sitges within easy reach. Berlin has a nightlife culture that still draws people from across Europe.
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Sitges and Barcelona: The Ultimate Gay Travel Experience
Spain has positioned itself as Europe's most LGBTQ+-friendly country, yet the nation's best-kept secret is that it offers two completely different gay experiences within a forty-minute train ride. Barcelona is a major city with world-class architecture, museums, beaches, and one of Europe's largest Pride festivals. Sitges is a compact Mediterranean beach town that has transformed itself into the continent's favourite gay resort destination.
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The Best Hotels in Barcelona for Gay Travellers
Barcelona is one of the hottest travel destinations in Europe. In this city, medieval streets wind around Modernist masterpieces, there, and Gothic architecture shares space with contemporary design hotels. It also has a uniquely urban beach culture: the beaches were made from scratch in the 1992 Summer Olympics (cue Freddie Mercury song!). Barcelona is home to one of the biggest gay scenes on the planet.
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A Gay Guide To Sitges
Sitges is a coastal town just southwest of Barcelona, around 40 minutes away by train. It has some of the best gay beaches in Spain. Long a haven for artists, it’s now known as the gay holiday capital of Europe - along with Mykonos, of course. Wandering around the old town, you’ll find plenty of shops, restaurants, and a lot of gay bars.
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Pedro Almodóvar’s Film Locations: A Gay Tour of Spain
Few directors have captured the soul of a nation - and the hearts of LGBTQ+ audiences worldwide - quite like Pedro Almodóvar. The Spanish auteur's films are love letters to Spain and its outsiders. For gay travellers, following Almodóvar's footsteps is a great way to discover Spain's treasures. Emerging from La Movida Madrileña - the explosive counter-cultural movement that followed Franco's death - Almodóvar transformed Spanish cinema after many years of authoritarian rule.
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The Best Gay Beaches in Spain
Spain is one of the best gay beach destinations on the planet. From the glamorous shores of the Mediterranean to the volcanic beaches of the Canary Islands, Spain’s gay and gay-friendly beaches are world-renowned. Unlike the uniform stretches found in many countries, Spain's 8,000 kilometres of shoreline transitions dramatically from the wild, rugged beaches of Galicia and Asturias, through the golden expanses of the Mediterranean, to the volcanic black sands of the Canary Islands.
ReadWhere to stay in Barcelona
Trips through Barcelona
Spain and Portugal Tour: Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon & Sintra
Tailor-made HolidayA journey through two neighbouring capitals and their satellite towns, taking in each city's own LGBTQ+ quarter along the way. This luxurious journey through Spain and Portugal blends cultural discovery, world-class hospitality, and unforgettable experiences. The route moves between two capitals and the historic towns that shaped them, Toledo for Madrid and Sintra for Lisbon, tracing each country's golden age beyond its capital.
9 days tailor-made from £6,095 per person View trip
Barcelona & Sitges in 7 Days: A Luxury Gay-Friendly Spain Journey
Tailor-made HolidayImmerse yourself in the vibrant LGBTQ+ culture of Spain with a journey through two of the continent's most welcoming destinations: Barcelona and Sitges. Start in Barcelona, a city brimming with both historic character and modern energy. Discover Antoni Gaudí’s iconic architecture, including Park Güell, and explore the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter, where medieval buildings sit alongside stylish boutiques and busy cafés.
7 days tailor-made from £3,395 per person View trip
Grand Tour of Spain: Madrid, Seville, Valencia and Barcelona
Tailor-made HolidayA single grand tour through four of Spain's defining cities, each with its own distinct claim on the country's identity. Discover Spain on this eight-day journey through Madrid, Seville, Valencia, and Barcelona. The itinerary brings culture, hands-on experiences and comfortable stays, offering a well-rounded introduction to some of the country's most interesting cities, each with its own distinct place in Spain's LGBTQ+ history.
8 days tailor-made from £4,000 per person View tripTell us how you like to travel. We will shape the trip around it.
Frequently asked questions
Travelling with Out Of Office
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specialising in tailor-made holidays and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury holidays, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalised experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with travelling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveller, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalised service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ holidays?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalised itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travellers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of travelling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
One named specialist, first enquiry to homecoming. No call centre, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.