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Gay Lisbon Lisbon

Europe's most beautiful gay beach and a vibrant nighttime street party



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There aren't many rainbow flags waving around Lisbon's seven hills, and you must ring a bell to enter most late-night gay bars due to their quiet residential neighborhood location. Gay life in Lisbon While this picture may take you back into the so-last-century days of the closet, you should not be fooled by that -- Lisbon is very gay.

Yes, Lisbon is the capital of a country with a strong Catholic culture that lived under a homophobic dictatorship for decades, but the city has become more open, colorful, and quite gay in the last decade. Many gay Portuguese men are still married-with-children, straight men seem way too obsessed with affirming their masculinity with macho speech and attitudes, while others maintain ambiguous Batman-and-Robin relationships, but let's just come out and say it -- Lisbon is one of Europe's most attractive gay destinations.

IN DAYLIGHT


During the day you'll see plenty of gay men parading up and down the shopping street Rua Garrett, making eye contact on the outdoor tables of A BRASILEIRA CAFÉ (Rua Garrett, 120-122), and often pretty much taking over the entire food court of the Armazens do Chiado mall down the street.
Another café in the neighborhood that is also a popular gay hangout is Royale Café, with a very contemporary interior and a pleasant outdoor patio.

AT THE BEACH


But since Lisbon's summers are long, you'll likely be drawn to the beach -- it can be pleasant and warm enough as early as April, all the way to October! But no, you don't have to compete with sandcastles and screaming children for space to spread your towel on. Lisbon has a wonderful gay beach ("Beach 19"), with plenty of sand, sea, and some secluded (and usually discretely occupied) dunes. Lisbon's gay beach You'll ideally have a car to reach it, otherwise, take the "toy train" from the overcrowded Costa da Caparica beach all the way to stop 19 (hence the name of the beach).

GAY-FRIENDLY HOTELS


When the sun sets, you may shower and relax at the gay hotels Rainbow Rooms, Les Suites du Bairro Alto or Pouso dos Anjos, at the gay-friendly Palacete D'El Rei, Bairro Alto Hotel, or at the romantic Solar dos Mouros which is the perfect option for two.

GAY-FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS


As for gay-friendly restaurants, the most recommended option is Império dos Sentidos. The Mediterranean menu is served in a low-lit art-filled space which is inviting for a dinner for two. Another option to consider is O FREI CONTENTE (Rua de São Marçal, 94) which translates to "The Happy (or gay) Friar". It serves mostly Portuguese cuisine, and its proximity to gay bars always guarantees an overwhelmingly gay clientele. A third option is PÕE-TE NA BICHA (Travessa da Água da Flor 36), a decent and somewhat traditional place with a rather naughty name -- it may mean "get on line (or queue)" or with "bicha" also being slang for "gay," you may interpret that however you wish...

BARS


For post-dinner drinks the entire city invades the narrow streets of boho Bairro Alto, with the corner of Travessa da Espera and Rua da Barroca already being dubbed "the pink corner." Gays, hags, straights, whatever, mingle with drink in hand outside CLUB DA ESQUINA (Rua da Barroca, 30-32) and SIDE (Rua da Barroca, 33) opposite it. Next to "Side" is SÉTIMO CÉU (Travessa Da Espera, 54), a very relaxed and recommended gay bar, usually playing Brazilian, electronic, or chill-out sounds. Here too, there is space to sit inside, but everyone prefers to hang by the door. Further up the street is PORTAS LARGAS (Rua Da Atalaia, 105), one of the city's oldest bars, and now almost exclusively gay. That's where everyone kills some time before they take a few steps into Fragil, one of the trendiest spots in the city that we now dare to declare "straight-friendly." An alternative to Fragil is 106 (Rua De São Marçal, 106), a small welcoming bar further up the hill that is especially popular on Sunday nights.

CLUBS


When things die down by 4AM, it means the real clubbing is about to get started. One of the immediate choices is Lux, the city's most fashionable club which seems to always reserve a section of its dance floor for alternative lifestyles. Trumps, gay bar in Lisbon Those preferring a strictly gay scene head to Trumps, the country's largest gay club. It consists of two dance floors -- one playing House; the other well-known pop sounds and the occasional gay anthem. The summertime foam parties here can be quite wet and wild.
More dancefloor fun can be found at FINALMENTE (Rua Da Palmeira, 38) which is also known for its drag shows, as well as at Bric-a-Bar, usually spinning high-energy sounds for those not interested in the darkroom upstairs.

SAUNA


Those looking for a sauna, the best choice in the city is TROMBETA BATH in Bairro Alto.

LESBIANS


For the ladies, the lesbian club in the city is Maria Lisboa, although it's also popular with gay men. Before heading there, many choose to meet for drinks in CHUECA (Rua da Atalaia, 97), a small Bairro Alto bar named after Madrid's gayest neighborhood. Not too far away is PUREX (Rua das Salgadeiras 28), where the music is louder but just as welcoming for a chat and a drink.

GAY EVENTS


If you happen to be in the city in June, there is the usual gay pride march and related events. In September, be sure to catch Queer Lisboa, the Lisbon Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, one of the largest in Europe, screening over 100 gay-themed films from around the world.
And taking place two or three times a year, the Lesboa Party is a night for gay women to come out and dance, although it's really become one of Lisbon's hottest regular parties for gay and straight, male or female.