.jpeg%3Ftrim%3D0%2C0%2C0%2C0%26width%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
The best Pride celebrations in Europe, from DJs and drag queens in Lisbon to street parties in Stockholm
With Pride season fast approaching, you might be wondering where to head to for sequins, sunshine and serious fun this summer. Expedia's Summer Travel Outlook survey recently revealed that 54 per cent of LGBT+ Brits plan to attend a Pride event this year. For city breaks, the travel booking site found that Amsterdam, Paris and Barcelona were the most sought-after destinations, while London, Brighton and Manchester were considered the most LGBT+ welcoming in the UK by those surveyed.
So, where are the best parties, celebrations and events taking place in Europe? From Berlin to Brighton, these cities are proudly wearing the rainbow flag this summer. So if you plan to party hard this Pride season, choose one (or more) of these headline events.
Lisbon
When: 21 June 2025
Unlike Madrid, Berlin and other Prides with huge international followings, the Portuguese capital's Arraial Lisboa Pride flies under the queer radar; but that's set to change with it being upgraded to this year's EuroPride (the continent's highest-profile Pride event).
Even with this boost in its fortunes, Lisbon Pride remains on the smaller side. The advantage is that, unlike better-known Prides that sprawl across their host cities, Lisbon keeps things convenient and compact. The focus falls squarely on waterfront Praça do Comércio, which stages an open-air party that's plenty of fun without being chaotic: all the DJs and drag queens you might expect, but balanced with laid-back Lisbon flair.
Later, head up to the Bairro Alto neighbourhood for the afterparty; then retreat to the adjoining Principle Real to bed down at The Vintage: a boutique hotel whose rooftop bar is a great place to unwind with post-party cocktails.
Madrid
When: 6 July 2025
If you subscribe to the mantra 'go big or go home', Madrid Pride (Orgullo Madrid) is for you. Held each year in early July, this is Europe's largest Pride event, drawing upwards of two million revellers to the Spanish capital. Perhaps that's no surprise – after all, Spain is one of the continent's most LGBT+-friendly travel destinations – but there's a sizzling sense of energy that makes Madrid Pride unique.
The week-long event takes over the city centre with concerts, cultural happenings and sideshows such as the High Heel Race, culminating with a massive parade (and an even larger afterparty). The Chueca gaybourhood is the celebration's beating heart, so do yourself a favour and stay as close to the action as possible.
Choose Axel Hotel Madrid (the Axel chain was created specifically for the LGBTQ+ community) for its rooftop swimming pool and speakeasy-style basement bar.
Berlin
When: 26 July, 2025
Though smaller, Berlin's Pride (or CSD, which stands for Christopher Street Day) is in some ways even wilder, as you might expect from a city where all-night parties are a way of life. The event is a powerful mix of parade, demonstration and celebration, where the festive atmosphere is rooted in activism and calls for safety, acceptance and equal rights.
Staged each July, CSD attracts hundreds of thousands of people from across the queer spectrum, making it one of the calendar's most diverse Pride events, and, given that this is a country where nudity is second nature, pretty much anything goes in terms of what to wear.
As for where to stay, choose one of the 30-odd hotels that subscribe to Visit Berlin's Pink Pillows initiative and are particularly sensitive to LGBT+ guests' needs. Hotel Oderberger in the lively Prenzlauer Berg district is an excellent option.
Brighton
When: 2 August 2025
Beachy vibes meet big-name acts at Brighton Pride, which is Britain's biggest, best and brightest LGBT+ event. This year's headliner, Mariah Carey, follows international icons such as Christine Aguilera, Britney Spears and the queen of pop herself, Kylie, all of whom have previously graced the post-parade festival's main stage. Held in the city's Preston Park (where the Pride parade terminates), this year's iteration is a two-day event that promises cabaret and funfair rides as well as credible live music. Brighton Pride is something you need to plan ahead for, though; the Preston Park festival and the Pride Village street party that follows it in Kemptown (the LGBT+ neighbourhood) are ticketed events, and accommodation books up well in advance.
Try The Willows Hotel, a cute and colourful, 14-room boutique option in Kemptown, within stumbling distance of both the party and Brighton's shingle beach.
Amsterdam
When: 2 August 2025
Rather than having its colourful Pride parade take to the city streets, Amsterdam makes use of its greatest asset: its central ring of canals. Lined by elegant Golden Age townhouses that date from the 1700s, these scenic waterways stage a colourful, floating carnival every August. Huge crowds gather along its route; get there early to stake out a decent spot on a bridge or along the water's edge, or go one better and rent a boat from which to watch the parade pass by.
Although Pride itself stretches over a week of street parties, movie screenings and other LGBT+ events, the Canal Parade is its absolute highlight (well, that and the various afterparties, such as the legendary Rapido).
For a real treat, book a canal-facing room at luxurious Pulitzer Amsterdam and watch the parade as it passes down Prinsengracht from your elevated viewpoint, well above the crowds.
Manchester
When: 23 August 2025
In Manchester, the August Bank Holiday weekend wears a rainbow flag. Britain's northern powerhouse doesn't do things by half at the best of times, and its Pride festivities are no exception. Expanding way beyond the city's Gay Village for the whole weekend, it's loud, proud and friendly in that chipper northern way, but there's a serious side too, as attested by the candlelit vigil in Sackville Gardens to commemorate those who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS.
Much more lighthearted is the revelry on Canal Street, at the heart of the Gay Village, where bars spill outside onto the street and there are live acts, cabaret and even a silent disco. Head beyond here to the edgier Northern Quarter for its alternative, pop-up events, after which you can crash at Native Manchester, whose Ducie Street Warehouse location serves excellent coffee and brunch on the ground floor: the perfect hangover remedy.
Stockholm
When: 2 August 2025
With upwards of 30 Pride parades taking place across the calendar (including iterations in Gothenburg, Malmö and even up in Lapland for the Sami community), super-liberal Sweden tips the scales when it comes to LGBT+ celebrations. Stockholm's is the biggest of them all (indeed, it's the largest in Scandinavia) and draws some 50,000 supporters to its parade and colourful Pride Park festival, all packed with creativity, community spirit and an ABBA-heavy soundtrack.
For a deeper experience, Pride House offers a chance to exchange experiences and talk about issues and challenges for the LGBT+ community via workshops, debates and discussions with notable authors. Beyond it all is the sheer magic of enjoying Stockholm during its long summer days, when the waterfront and architecture of Gamla Stan (the historic district) are at their best.
Add extra 'hello, sailor' vibes to your visit by staying at Victory Hotel, a nautical-themed boutique property in Gamla Stan.
Prague
When: 2 August 2025
With Russia's well-known anti-LGBTQ+ approach mirrored by Hungary (which recently enacted a law that has effectively banned Pride gatherings), the situation for Eastern Europe's LGBT+ communities is far less secure than in the West, all of which makes Prague Pride so vital. Since its inception in 2011, the region's leading Pride event has grown to become an essential voice for tolerance, change, acceptance and inclusion.
As well as being a Pride with a purpose, the event appeals because of the scenery: the parade takes in cobbled streets amongst baroque facades, in the shadow of Prague Castle. Sure, the event may not have the stature of western Europe's big-hitters, but its appeal lies in its defiance: this is a union of partying and progress in a region where LGBT+ rights are evolving, which is very much in the spirit of how the Pride movement began.
Stay centrally (close to Wenceslas Square) at Falkensteiner Hotel Prague.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
20 minutes ago
- The Sun
Inside newly-single Sophie Radford's ‘feral' Saturday night out – from her sexy outfit to downing shots & signing boobs
SHE bemoaned her "full on" mummy lifestyle just months before she appeared to confirm she's split from her husband. And now Sophie Radford - the eldest daughter of parents-of-22 Sue and Noel Radford - is reportedly single again, she seems to be making up for lost time on the partying front. 7 7 7 7 The mother-of-three took to her Instagram page to share pictures and videos from the wild night out with her pals on her Stories. Sophie dressed to impress for the evening out, and showed off her gym-honed figure in a mesh see-through crop top and leather trousers, which she teamed with some tie up heels. The 31-year-old looked like she was enjoying herself as she posed for snaps with her mate Cerys, who wrote "let's get feral" over the top of a picture of herself and Sophie. The alcohol then started flowing, with Sophie posting a video of a tray full of shots. She also turned "shot girl" as she carried a tray of drinks back to her table, shimmying in delight as she did so. The drinking continued as Sophie and Cerys downed their shots, before the former got up close and personal with one of her mates. In a video of her friend sporting some writing on her decolletage, Sophie added: "Had a fan ask for a picture so Georgia made me sign her t**s!" The evening out concluded with a "pit stop" at McDonald's on the way home, with Sophie treating herself to a large fries and a double cheeseburger. The wild festivities came after Sophie broke down in tears as she admitted she was struggling during an episode of the family's reality show 22 Kids & Counting last August. During the run-up to her 30th birthday, she reflected on how her life had changed since becoming a mother. "Usually people in their twenties are out partying, but my twenties were very different, I had three kids, all within a year between them," she said. "It's hard going, it's definitely hard going. It's the same routine every day, it's so full on, all the time." The mum also acknowledged that her relationship with husband Joe Broadley had suffered since having children. "With me and Joe, we used to go out to cinemas, out for meals, go out shopping, do all sorts of things and it all stopped," she added. "Because I've seen my mum and dad so happy, I do feel like I should be like that as well. However, it's not for everyone. Sophie hinted during a Q&A with fans on Instagram in May that her marriage hadn't worked out. The Radford Family's TV history THE first ever episode of 22 Kids and Counting aired on Channel 5 on 22nd February, 2021. After the first series - which had just four episodes in it - performed well, Channel 5 commissioned a 10-episode second season, which was broadcast in 2022. They went on to commission a third series, which included a Christmas special aired in December 2023. The fourth season began airing in January 2024, but fans were left disappointed when it stopped after six episodes. Sue and Noel reassured viewers that they were just taking a little break, and the next episode will be airing on 21st July. You can catch up on all previous episodes of 22 Kids and Counting on My 5, here. Asked by a curious fan if she was single after being married for almost 10 years, Sophie replied: "YES. That's all that will be said on it." Sophie and Joe married in 2015 and have three children together, Daisy Mae, 12, Ayprill Louise, 10, and Leo, nine. Earlier in the Q&A session, Sophie was asked how she and Joe were. When they asked, "How are you and Joe?", Sophie answered: "How are we... TBC. Privacy". 7 7 7
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
How £120 airline luggage fees spiralled out of control
Have airline luggage fees gone too far? While anyone who's been within a mile of Stansted knows that budget airlines have steep baggage charges, the speed with which those fees have been escalating across Europe in recent years has been enough to give even experienced travellers a nasty surprise. At least that's the view of the European Commission, which is proposing new legislation to get the likes of Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air to standardise their baggage rules. The move is being cheered on by consumer rights groups who have spent years complaining that airline luggage fees are unfair. It's true that the red-tape enthusiasts in Brussels aren't known for their intelligent, pro-market approach. But on the other hand, there's no denying that the airlines have been taking liberties when it comes to their baggage charges – many of which have spiked several times since the pandemic. Look at Ryanair, which has tweaked at least one of its baggage charges every year for the past four summers. The end result is that the maximum charge for storing a 10kg suitcase has gone from £23.99 to £44.99 – an 88 per cent jump – and the maximum fee for a 20kg checked bag has risen from £39.99 to £59.99. Meanwhile, bringing a larger bag for hand luggage could cost you as much as £36 (up from £20 just four years ago). Given that the fees are per flight, you'll need to double those numbers if you want to bring the bag back with you. Because of how Ryanair's fees work – with the exact cost depending on the flight in question – it isn't easy to make a like-for-like comparison. But a quick search of some of the most popular routes this summer confirms that passengers are almost certainly paying more than they were before the pandemic. Looking at a flight from Stansted to Santorini on June 27, for example, a 10kg check-in bag will cost £28.99 one-way. But we can see from archived versions of Ryanair's website that the maximum fee for that service was £23.99 until just three years ago – so there's absolutely no way someone would be paying that much. Like the proverbial boiling frog, these bigger changes have happened bit by bit. In 2023, a 10kg bag was capped at £25 each way; in 2024, it increased to £29.99; this year, it jumped all the way to £44.99. In other words, if you've been thinking that your summer jaunt to Turkey has been going up in price in recent years, it probably isn't in your imagination.
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
‘I rent out my house and live in a van at weekends. It's paying off my mortgage'
Lottie Gross owns a four-bedroom house in south Oxfordshire, but spends most of her time living in a caravan. The 34-year-old inherited the property from her mother in 2022, and decided to cover her bills and mortgage in an unusual side hustle. 'Last year, I trialled handing over the keys to lodgers while I spent two months living on the Continent. It was really successful and helped me pay my living costs, so I decided to do it again,' says Gross. This year, the travel writer, who has written for The Telegraph, has agreed another short-term let and has packed up for a summer on the road that will take her to Scotland, the Cotswolds and Portugal. She'll sleep in her 30-year-old Eriba caravan. Gross has a mortgage of £32,000 on the property after buying her brother's half share. But it was the increase in her other bills that led her to explore a different lifestyle. 'My water bill tripled this April from £20 a month to £60, add that to electricity, gas bills and my other costs, and it all starts to stack up,' she says. She's not alone. Uswitch, the comparison site, reports that household bills take up more than 54pc of single people's monthly income. Council tax costs have risen, and single people pay above-average mortgage costs in the UK. Financially, the gamble of swapping walls for wheels has paid off – the overhead of household bills and mortgage adds up to £900 per month, which is now covered by her lodgers. This, she admits, is a relief. By her own admission, travel guides are not enormously lucrative. The caravan cost £5,000 and she doesn't pay road tax on it. There's also the petrol and the costs of parking and camping. Overall, she makes a small profit of £200 a month by doing the swap. But for Gross, the real benefit is the change in her quality of life. 'I spend more time outside due to the limited space in the caravan, and my screen time has dropped,' she says. 'I've travelled to places I've always dreamed of, including the Outer Hebrides, and seen incredible things like deer swimming in the sea and otters mooching on the coastline. 'There are times it feels trying or exhausting – particularly in bad weather – but the reward of being outdoors so much, walking my dog in spectacular locations, is enough to tip the balance.' Currently motoring through Scotland with her Manchester Terrier, Arty, Gross says she hasn't been lonely, explaining that companionship can be found if you make an effort. 'You just have to do the washing up to strike up a conversation with someone.' There are, of course, downsides: 'My caravan is very small, which is fine when it's dry and beautiful outside, but when it rains it can feel a little limiting.' 'I make £300 a time. I didn't expect it to be so popular' Gross isn't the only one who has been drawn by the chance to give up a home for time on the road. Suzy Greenwood, 39, runs a guest house called Seaflowers, located near the Salt Path in Devon, and also has a job in PR. Greenwood lives in a one-bedroom annexe attached to the guest house, which she rents out when it is full to make extra cash. During these times, she lives in her van, driving around the Devon countryside and parking up on the beach where she can and enjoying a simple life outdoors. Keys are regularly handed over at just 45 minutes' notice, making her £300 a time. 'It's annoying, especially as bookings are often last-minute. But at the start I had no other option because I poured every last penny into the guest house renovation,' she explains. 'I didn't expect it to be as popular as it was, and when I realised what a money maker it could be, I continued.' She moves out of her home to a VW van most weekends from April through to September and on public holidays. All this is helped by her preference for minimalism. 'I hate clutter, which helps. I use magnetic child locks on my wardrobe and cupboards and have a labelled kitchen cupboard for guests to use. I can be out and living in the van in three quarters of an hour,' she explains. 'To rent out the annexe and have somewhere to go, I bought a van for £16,370 last March. I took a £15,000 loan to buy it and had it paid off by August through guest bookings. It was a risk, but I calculated I could make enough money to pay it back from the revenue generated by renting the annexe and from guests at Seaflowers. Thankfully it worked,' she says. 'I can live on £15 per weekend in Devon' Life wasn't always so flexible. In her mid-30s, she was stuck in a corporate job in London, working long hours and escaping to the coast at the weekends to sail. She realised that while friends were settling down or leaving the city altogether, her life in London was draining her, both financially and mentally. In early 2020, she made a last-minute decision to pack a bag and head for Devon, where her parents had converted her grandparents' bungalow into a guest house. She sold her flat in the capital and took out a large mortgage, along with a loan from her parents, who were retiring and happy to hand the business over. She then spent every last penny on renovations. Bookings today are up – a full house with 14 people starts at £600 per night or £130 for room-only options – but costs are a challenge. 'My cleaning bill alone last month was £2,125. There's also a breakage from every guest stay, so I've learnt to be very careful in my financial planning,' she says. Yet while those overheads have risen, her personal expenditure has gone down. 'I can live on £15 per weekend in Devon with a full weekend of activities – I eat eggs from my chickens and catch fish in the sea, a skill I've learnt since living down here. When I am out in the van, I hunt down free parking spots,' she says. The ups overall outweigh the downs, she says. 'I love the freedom van life brings. It might seem like a crazy way to live to some, but I'm building a life of financial independence and adventure completely on my own terms.' The transition hasn't always been easy – it has taken time to grow her confidence when living in the van. 'On my first trip in the van I opened the door to see a large axe lying outside. It scared the life out of me! It turned out the man parked next to me was just chopping wood for his wood burner and was perfectly friendly.' Since moving to Devon, Greenwood has found a better lifestyle, like-minded friends and an improved work-life balance. Being single is the secret weapon – it has enabled her to be flexible at short notice and earn money by living between van and annexe. Getting more adventurous with taking longer stints away in the van, she has accepted a full week's booking this summer for £850, meaning more time behind the wheel and parked up on the roadside.
