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Top 10 Places LGBTQ+ Travellers Should Visit in 2027
From the beaches of Thailand and Spain to the streets of Montréal and Taipei, these are ten destinations worth putting on your LGBTQ+ travel radar for 2027.
Choosing where to travel is about far more than finding somewhere with good weather and a long list of attractions. For LGBTQ+ travellers, feeling comfortable, finding a visible queer community and knowing something about local laws and attitudes can be equally important.
The global picture remains complicated. LGBTQ+ rights continue to advance in some countries while facing significant restrictions in others. ILGA World’s international data shows considerable differences in legal protection and recognition around the world, making research before travelling particularly important. With that in mind, g10 group looks at ten destinations to consider for your 2027 travels.
1. Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok has long had one of Asia’s most visible LGBTQ+ scenes, but Thailand has now entered a new chapter. Marriage equality became a reality in Thailand in 2025, making it the first country in Southeast Asia to introduce equal marriage. For visitors, Bangkok offers an extraordinary combination of modern city life, temples, rooftop bars, huge shopping centres, street food and nightlife.
Silom remains one of the best-known areas for LGBTQ+ nightlife, while Bangkok Pride has helped make queer visibility increasingly prominent in the Thai capital. But Bangkok doesn't have to be all about nightlife. Visit Wat Arun beside the Chao Phraya River, explore the Grand Palace, discover the city's seemingly endless food scene or simply watch Bangkok go by from a rooftop as the sun sets across the city. And Bangkok can easily become the beginning of a much bigger Thai adventure, with Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and Thailand's islands waiting beyond the capital.
Best for: Nightlife, food, culture and combining a city break with a wider Thailand adventure.
2. Madrid, Spain
Few European cities embrace LGBTQ+ life quite as visibly as Madrid. The neighbourhood of Chueca sits at the centre of the city's queer scene, filled with bars, cafés, restaurants and LGBTQ+-owned or LGBTQ+-focused businesses.
Madrid Pride — commonly known as MADO — transforms the Spanish capital each summer and has become one of Europe's major LGBTQ+ celebrations. Spain also remains among the stronger countries internationally for LGBTQ+ travellers. The 2026 Spartacus Gay Travel Index placed Spain jointly among its highest-rated destinations.
Away from Pride, Madrid offers magnificent museums, late-night dining, beautiful architecture and an infectious street culture. And if you want to turn the trip into something bigger, Barcelona, Sitges and the Spanish islands can easily be added to your itinerary.
Best for: Pride, nightlife, culture and LGBTQ+ visibility.
3. Reykjavík, Iceland
Small city. Big personality. Reykjavík provides something very different from the sprawling LGBTQ+ destinations of Bangkok, Madrid or Sydney.
Iceland was placed at the top of the 2026 Spartacus Gay Travel Index, which assesses destinations using a range of LGBTQ+-related criteria. The capital itself is colourful, compact and easily explored on foot, while Reykjavík Pride brings a distinctly Icelandic character to the city's LGBTQ+ celebrations. But one of the biggest reasons to visit is what lies outside Reykjavík.
Waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, geothermal lagoons and dramatic coastlines make Iceland one of those rare destinations where the journey beyond the city can be every bit as memorable as the city itself. Depending on when you travel, there is also the possibility of experiencing the midnight sun or searching for the Northern Lights.
Best for: Nature, road trips, couples and travellers looking for something different.
4. Valletta and Malta
Tiny Malta has developed an outsized reputation within LGBTQ+ travel. The Mediterranean island country was placed jointly second in the 2026 Spartacus Gay Travel Index alongside Spain.
Its capital Valletta provides an atmospheric starting point, with historic streets, impressive architecture and spectacular harbour views. Beyond Valletta, visitors can explore Mdina, Malta's beaches and neighbouring Gozo.
Malta Pride adds another reason for LGBTQ+ visitors to consider the islands, but Malta doesn't need to be visited during Pride to work as a queer-friendly Mediterranean escape. With history, sunshine and relatively short travelling distances, you can experience a surprising amount during even a short visit.
Best for: Mediterranean sunshine, history, couples and shorter European breaks.
5. Sydney, Australia
There aren't many LGBTQ+ events as instantly recognisable as Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Each year, Sydney becomes a major international gathering point for LGBTQ+ visitors, with the famous parade forming only part of a much larger programme. Oxford Street and surrounding areas have historically been at the heart of Sydney's queer scene, but LGBTQ+ life stretches far beyond a single neighbourhood.
Then there is Sydney itself. The Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach provide the postcard moments, while the city's beaches, restaurants and outdoor lifestyle make it easy to understand its international appeal.
Allow enough time to experience the city beyond Mardi Gras — and consider turning your visit into a wider Australian adventure.
Best for: Mardi Gras, beaches, nightlife and a major long-haul adventure.
6. Montréal, Canada
Montréal manages to feel European and North American at the same time — and that is part of its appeal.
Its LGBTQ+ Village is one of the best-known queer districts in North America, while the city's festivals, restaurants, bars and arts scene mean there is almost always something happening. Montréal Pride adds another major LGBTQ+ event to the calendar.
Canada remains among the better-performing destinations in the 2026 Spartacus index, although the report also notes changes in measures of social acceptance — a useful reminder that national legal rights and individual experiences are not always identical.
Beyond LGBTQ+ nightlife, explore Old Montréal, experience the city's celebrated food scene and climb Mount Royal for views across the city.
Best for: Festivals, food, nightlife and LGBTQ+ neighbourhood culture.
7. Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei deserves a place on the radar of anyone interested in LGBTQ+ travel in Asia.
Taiwan became the first jurisdiction in Asia to introduce marriage equality, and ILGA World continues to record Taiwan among jurisdictions recognising same-sex marriage. Taipei also hosts one of Asia's most prominent Pride celebrations. The city's Ximending area is particularly associated with LGBTQ+ nightlife, including the well-known cluster of queer venues around the Red House.
But Taipei offers much more. Night markets, temples, hot springs and an outstanding food culture provide plenty to explore, while Taiwan's excellent transport links make it relatively easy to travel beyond the capital.
For travellers who have already experienced destinations such as Bangkok, Taipei provides another fascinating perspective on LGBTQ+ life in Asia.
Best for: Pride, food, Asian city breaks and LGBTQ+ culture.
8. Lisbon, Portugal
Colourful streets, historic trams, viewpoints, nightlife and easy access to the coast have helped turn Lisbon into one of Europe's most popular city-break destinations.
For LGBTQ+ travellers there is another attraction: Portugal was among the countries sharing fourth position in the 2026 Spartacus Gay Travel Index. Lisbon's LGBTQ+ nightlife is spread around areas including Príncipe Real and Bairro Alto, while Pride celebrations bring additional queer visibility to the Portuguese capital.
Lisbon's LGBTQ+ nightlife is spread around areas including Príncipe Real and Bairro Alto, while Pride celebrations bring additional queer visibility to the Portuguese capital.
And one of Lisbon's greatest advantages is what you can combine with it. Sintra makes an easy excursion, while Portugal's beaches provide the opportunity to turn a city break into a longer holiday.
Best for: City breaks, food, nightlife and combining culture with the coast.
9. Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town provides one of the most spectacular city backdrops anywhere in the world.
Table Mountain towers above a city surrounded by ocean, beaches and some of South Africa's most famous landscapes. Cape Town also has a visible LGBTQ+ community, with De Waterkant particularly associated with queer venues and nightlife.
South Africa's constitutional and legal framework provides significant LGBTQ+ protections, including marriage equality, although travellers should remember that experiences and social attitudes can differ substantially across the country. Cape Town Pride provides an obvious time for LGBTQ+ visitors to experience the city, but its appeal extends throughout the year.
Take the cableway up Table Mountain, explore the Cape Peninsula, visit nearby wine regions or simply spend time beside the Atlantic. Best for: Scenery, wine, beaches and adventure.
10. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio is difficult to mistake for anywhere else. The combination of mountains, beaches and city creates one of the world's most recognisable destinations.
Copacabana and Ipanema are internationally famous, while Ipanema in particular has a long association with Rio's LGBTQ+ community. The city also hosts major LGBTQ+ celebrations and has a huge queer community.
Yet travellers should approach Brazil with the same awareness they would any enormous country: legal recognition does not mean discrimination or violence has disappeared. Researching neighbourhoods, transport and current local advice before travelling remains sensible.
For those who do visit, Rio offers something extraordinary — mornings beside the Atlantic, afternoons exploring the city and evenings discovering Brazilian nightlife.
Best for: Beaches, nightlife, big celebrations and unforgettable scenery.
A World Worth Exploring
There is no single definition of the perfect LGBTQ+ destination. Some travellers want Pride parades and clubs. Others want beaches, food, history or somewhere to spend a quiet week with their partner.
That is why our 2027 selection stretches from Reykjavík's extraordinary landscapes to Bangkok's frenetic streets, Taipei's night markets, Madrid's Chueca neighbourhood and Sydney's beaches.
What connects them is the opportunity to discover somewhere new while also finding LGBTQ+ communities and spaces along the way.
Travellers should nevertheless remember that LGBTQ+ laws and local conditions can change. ILGA World's continually updated database tracks legislation affecting LGBTQ+ people internationally, and checking current travel advice before departure — particularly for trans and gender-diverse travellers — should always be part of planning an overseas trip.
Where will 2027 take you?