Germany
The Federal Republic of Germany with its 16 states can be considered the geographical center of Europe. It’s surrounded by France, Luxembourg and the Benelux states in the West, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and Austria in the South and Poland, Czechia in the East. According to the Spartacus Gay Travel Index, Germany ranks among the top 15 LGBTQ+-friendly countries in the world and is known as a very welcoming and gay-friendly country, particularly in the bigger cities. LGBTQ+ visitors looking for welcoming destinations should visit Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Cologne, as these are considered to be the biggest and gay-friendliest cities of Germany. In fact, the cities, towns and municipalities of Germany organize more than 60 annual gay pride and LGBTQ+ events all around the country.
Why Visit & When to Go?
The best time to visit Germany will depend on what places and activities you’d like to experience. Although, given the cold winters, the spring, summer and autumn months are going to the better times to explore the nature of Germany. From May to September, visitors have the best chances to catch longer dry, warm and sunny episodes to go hiking in the Central German Uplands, to go camping and swimming in the North Sea or Baltic Sea or plan a city trip to the German cities with their rich cultural heritage and gay pride festivals. In winter, when most parts of the country are regularly covered in snow, several central German ski resorts and the winter sports areas of the German Alps are open to enjoy skiing, snowboarding and other winter-related activities. Besides winter sports, many German cities and towns know how to brighten up the dark time of the year with their world-famous Christmas markets located across the country.