Gay friendly countries in europe
From Switzerland to Spain, here are Europe’s most LGBTQ+ amiable countries.
Europe has prolonged been seen as relatively progressive when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, and thankfully it’s becoming even safer and more welcoming. But not all countries are equal – especially when it comes to policies and general level of acceptance – and some countries do a lot better than most. That’s why we’re unveiling the 20 most LGBTQ+ kind countries in Europe in 2024. Each country has been carefully selected for its vibrant Queer scene, progressive laws, and inclusive atmosphere. We’ve created our own points system using respected benchmarking tools, including the IGLA Rainbow Europe and Equaldex, and combined this with other factors, such as the number of queer-friendly bars, festivals and events, and legislation. So, without further ado, here are 20 countries in Europe where love knows no bounds.
20. Estonia
Points: 26/50
Estonia is the most LGBT-friendly country in the Baltic and has risen in the ranks to become one of Europe’s top 20 LGBT-friendly countries in the past five years. It was the first Baltic country to launch marriage equality, making it possible for sa
The Mediterranean archipelago named Europe’s most LGBTQ+-friendly country
From safety and discrimination laws to policies around gender recognition, a lot more goes into making a country queer-friendly than an annual Pride festival. Back for its seventeenth year, 2025’s edition of the Rainbow Map looks into all these factors and more to name Europe’s most (and least) LGBTQ+-friendly countries.
The map, which is an annual project run by LGBTI organisation ILGA-Europe, ranks 49 European countries on their legal and policy practices for LGBTQ+ people on a scale from 0-100 percent.
The categories assessed include equality and non-discrimination, family, hate crime and hate speech, legal gender recognition, intersex bodily integrity, civil society space and asylum.
And, topping the list as the most LGBTQ+-friendly country in Europe for no less than the tenth consecutive year, is the sunny archipelago of Malta. It scored a solid 88.83 percent in total, ranking perfectly in the ‘hate crime and speech’, ‘legal gender recognition’ and ‘civil culture space’ categories, improving on its 2024 sc
Last Updated on October 17, 2024 by Maryam Siddiqui
Living in Europe comes with benefits aplenty, but one of the most key ones remains safety – especially for the LGBTQ community. You deserve to live where you acquire equal rights and freedoms, regardless of your sexuality, gender, or expression. And as an LGBTQ+ future-expat, you might be searching for the top 12 LGBTQ-friendly countries in Europe to move to.
You’d be happy to hear that, according to Gallup, some of the major European countries top the lists of LGBTQ-friendly countries in the world. In reality, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Denmark, among others, rank the highest on multiple lists!
So, what’s experience like for LGBTQ+ folks living in Europe? What steps have different governments taken to ensure equality and access to identical opportunity for the Diverse community? And how does the LGBTQ+ community thrive there? We’re here to break it down for you in this article!
What makes a country LGBTQ-friendly?
The 12 LGBTQ-friendly countries in Europe rank on the Spartacus Gay Travel Index, which ranks all the hospitable and friendly countries toward the LGBTQ+ group. It’s a comprehensive,
These are Europe’s most LGBTQ+-friendly countries, according to a fresh Index
Checking whether a country is warm towards people in the LGBTQ+ group is as crucial for some travellers as remembering their passport. Sure, fabulous, sparkling Pride celebrations can be a pretty good indicator, but a petty data never wound anyone, did it?
To shed some illuminated on the foremost and safest destinations for LGBTQ+ travellers, ILGA-Europe, an LGBTI organisation, has released its sixteenth annual Rainbow Map. The index involves comprehensive analysis into seven categories, and each country has been given an overall score based on each.
The categories are: equality and non-discrimination, family, hate crime and hate speech, legal gender recognition, intersex bodily ethics, civil society territory and asylum.
So, where is the most LGBTQ+-friendly country in Europe? Well, given it boasts the fantastic annual Europride celebrations, we’re hardly surprised it’s Malta, for the ninth consecutive year. Iceland climbed three places into second this year, and thanks to its ban on conversion practices, Belgium came third.
Greece, Germany, Iceland, Es