February is the month of romance and whether you have a special someone on Valentine’s Day or are looking for one, there will be a special event for you in or around the 14th of the month all over the world. With the northern hemisphere still feeling the cold of winter, it’s tempting to go somewhere warm still feeling the heat of summer. For gay travelers the choice should be Rio de Janeiro, which is throwing major gay parties in mid-February. On the 13th it will be the “R:evolution Party” at 11PM in , while on the 16th it’s the Original Brazilian Pool Party at 4PM at Clube Internacional de Regatas. You can get complete party details through the website (www.revolutionparty.com.br), which includes ticket information.
A recommended hotel for this time of the year is Rio 180, gay-friendly accommodation with stunning views of the city. It includes a romantic pool area, although Ipanema beach is just a short ride away. Get complete hotel information here: Rio 180.

-See the complete Rio de Janeiro city guide.
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London has just opened a gay tourism office. Actually, the big news should be that London “finally” has a gay tourism office. If Amsterdam has one, so should London, as one of the world’s gay capitals that it is. But better late than never, and now LGBT visitors can find complete city information (not just gay events and venues) in the SoHo district, or more specifically above the popular Ku Bar on Lisle Street (there is another Ku on Frith Street). In addition to finding out where everything is, you may also book tickets for London activities and events, and know how to get around the city.
Perhaps even native Londoners will find something new, so more than a tourist office, this is an LGBT information center. But before you even arrive in London, all the city’s gay information can be found in UCityGuides’ London Gay Guide.

-See the complete London city guide.
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We’ve recently announced the results of the 7 Urban Wonders of the World as voted by travelers. Those were all important urban centers in modern cities, but if that list were to also include remarkable cities of the past, one of them would certainly be Pompeii. This Roman town is found just outside Naples, and for many travelers it is reason enough to visit that southern Italian city. What was once a sophisticated urban area is now an archaeological site thanks to a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. Visiting it today is a captivating voyage into the everyday life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. The columns of the Forum still stand with the Vesuvius as the backdrop, there is a very well-preserved amphitheater, and most fascinating of all for most visitors is the town’s brothel which still contains naughty mosaics depicting erotic scenes. Many of those images are considered pornographic in today’s societies, but it is known that the Roman Empire was much more liberal than 21st century cultures, a theory further proven by household items with sexual themes found on the site. Most of the archaeological finds from Pompeii are on display in Naples’ National Archaeological Museum, and include those images once hidden from public view for being considered too shocking for most visitors. Some of them even show gay encounters, yet another piece of evidence that suggests just how liberal (and open to homosexuality) Roman society was.
The museum is the sight you must not miss on a trip to Naples, and should be seen after a visit to the archaeological site seen in our photos below.

-See the complete Naples city guide.
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The windmills facing the charming white and blue houses of Little Venice are the islands’ most photographed landmarks. You can use them as a reference point, knowing that they stand in the center of the island, in front of the main tourist areas, shopping streets, restaurants, and bars. Just a short walk away is the bus terminal, your connection to the several beaches of the island.

No first trip to Mykonos is complete without a visit to Delos. It’s a small desert island easily reached by a tourist ferry, and now standing as one huge mystical archaeological site. Its iconic stone lions stand out among the many ruins, while the most significant remains are on display in the site’s museum.

Paradise is the most popular beach in Mykonos. It lives up to its name with a beautiful scenery made up of crystal clear blue waters and enough sand to lay your towel on. Buses connect the beach to the center of town throughout the day, and you may want to stay until late on special summer nights when its bars turn into major clubbing spots with live DJs and lots of drinking and dancing.

There are many beaches in Mykonos, and although Paradise is the most popular and Super Paradise is the choice of the large gay crowds, Psarou Beach competes for the title of most attractive. It is also served by bars, calm blue waters, and the warm yet cool Mediterranean breeze and environment that only Mykonos and the Greek Islands can provide.

As the party island that it is, Mykonos offers a wide range of bars for all types of crowds, including many gay and gay-friendly spots. Most of them are found directly behind Little Venice, blasting dance music to the narrow streets and serving cocktails to laid-back crowds.

Matoyiani Street is Mykonos’ main commercial street, lined with shops selling trendy fashions, accessories, and beachwear. In between there are galleries of local art and cafes. Many of the boutiques specialize in designer wear and prices are not exactly cheap but definitely worth a look.

The whitewashed Paraportiani Church looks just like you imagine any Greek Island church to be. It dates from the 16th century and comes featured in almost every postcard, standing under a bright blue sky. You’ll find it not far from the port.

-See the complete Mykonos island guide.
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The majority travels by him or herself (53%), while 37% go in the company of their partner and 10% choose a group of friends. Major cities are the preferred destinations by the overwhelming majority (84%), while beach resorts are the second favorite choices (9%), followed by gay cruises (5%) and regular cruises (2%). The most popular destinations are in Europe, followed by North America, Asia, Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East, Australia and Pacific Islands, and lastly, Sub-Saharan Africa.

The top accommodation choice is the most affordable hotel they can find (37%), while a close 34% choose a gay hotel. Boutique and design hotels are the third most popular options, followed by apartments, a hostel, and staying with friends.

When asked if they’ve ever felt homophobia or discrimination while traveling (in particular when staying with a partner at a hotel), 57% responded affirmatively. That may explain why for 42% it is still important to look for businesses such as restaurants that are known to be gay-friendly. When searching for gay attractions, most do it online (77%), followed by guidebooks (14%) and asking locals on arrival (6%), while the remaining 3% claim to never go to gay bars or other gay attractions while traveling.

Gay travelers most enjoy checking out a destination’s cultural attractions (49%), while 38% enjoy having fun with friends or partner in new places such as clubs, beaches and resorts, and 13% claim to mostly enjoy meeting new people. About one third of those surveyed also look for gay pride and other special gay events and parties around the world, while two thirds stated that they’ve never made such an effort.

Finally, 33% stated that they’ve traveled to countries where homosexuality is illegal or persecuted, while 27% claim they’d never go to such a place and 40% say they’ve never been but would not fear doing so.

-See the complete gay city guides.
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The first Pride of the year will be Las Vegas’ on May 1st, and from then to September there will be a major gay happening somewhere in some major city in Europe or the Americas almost every day. There are the usual gay pride events, the gay and lesbian film festivals, but also the special EuroPride 2009 taking place in Zurich and the OutGames 2009, this time in Copenhagen.

UCityGuides.com has put together a calendar of gay and lesbian events, which you can consult in the gay and lesbian travel guide throughout the year.

-Gay and Lesbian 2009 Calendar of Events
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If there is one travel market that doesn’t seem to ever be affected by global economic crisis is the gay market, as gay and lesbian travelers tend to always have more disposable income.

The two major international gay events this year will be the EuroPride taking place in Zurich in May, and the World Outgames in July in Copenhagen. This year is also the 60th anniversary of Stonewall, so expect special celebrations in every gay pride march around the world this summer. One to see to be believed is São Paulo’s, with an estimated 3.5 million participants making it the city with the biggest gay pride celebrations in the world.

Other cities not exactly known for a happening gay scene are slowly opening their closet doors and becoming major gay hotspots to be discovered this year. If you go to São Paulo’s gay pride, be sure to take the opportunity to also visit Buenos Aires which is only a short flight away. Its Axel Gay Hotel is one of the best (and most stylish) gay hotels in the world, and the city’s reasonable prices are just as attractive as its people.
In Europe, choose one of its sunniest destinations, the very pink Lisbon with its beaches and lively street life.

If you prefer to stick with the always-popular Mykonos, be sure to also spend some time in the Greek capital — Athens has much more to explore than just the Acropolis and ancient ruins.

UCityGuides offers you a list of the 9 gay destinations you should experience in 2009, and you can find what they are in the travel gaydar page.