¡Welcome to Barcelona!

Barcelona has always been at the forefront in the fight for equality among people. And its reputation as an open, tolerant city is one of the main factors that have established its image around the world. The architectural legacy of Gaudí and Catalan art nouveau, or modernisme, the uniqueness of the Gothic Quarter and the city's own marked identity, among other attributes, have established Barcelona's position as a major place of interest. A specific range of retail outlets, gastronomy, the trade-fair, meetings and cruise industries, among other attractions, have strengthened Barcelona's position as a tourist destination, and made it one of the Continent's landmark cities.

Gay and lesbian tourism is one of the areas that is experiencing major growth. This is partly due to the emergence of new travel operators specialising in this market, and the proliferation of specific travel offers. Barcelona is also one of the main European destinations for gay and lesbian visitors.

The city has a wide range of quality establishments and services catering to the gay and lesbian community: shops, bookshops, bars, restaurants, discotheques, hotels, and travel agencies, to name just some. Many of these are centred on the neighbourhood known as the “Gaixample”, in the Eixample district. However, you can find specialist establishments in almost all the city's neighbourhoods, all of them with recognised high levels of quality. In addition to this, Barcelona has an active network of gay and lesbian associations and companies and hosts a packed calendar of events such as the Gay Carnival, Gay Pride Day, the Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, the Eurogames will be held from 24th to 27th july 2008, etc...

Turisme de Barcelona has made a commitment to promoting Barcelona and making available more information about the city among the gay and lesbian community. The city's tourism promotion body has been a member of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) since the year 2000. Now, we are delighted to be able to present you with this guide, which will help you find the Barcelona you're looking for.

Welcome to Barcelona. You know you’ll feel at home.