LGBT: Berlin

In less than a century, Germany has gone from a place of intolerance to one of the most progressive countries in all of Europe. Today, laws discriminating against sexual orientation are deemed unconstitutional and 87 percent of Germans believe homosexuality should be accepted by society. Around 300,000 Berliners identify as gay or lesbian, and the city is often cited as one of the most gay-friendly destinations in the world.

There are a number of gay neighborhoods spread around Berlin’s various districts. Schöneberg is the city’s main LGBT area, located in West Berlin with a variety of bars, restaurants and shops owned and operated by the LGBT community. Prenzlauer Berg, which used to have a reputation for its wild nightlife, has recently reemerged as a family-friendly LGBT community. Some of the other famous gay districts are Kreuzberg, Mitte and Friedrichshain.

Berlin is also host to many LGBT festivals, the most notable of which is Christopher Street Day, held all across Europe in memory of 1969’s Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village. Almost every German city holds a festival for CSD, one of the largest of which is the Berlin Pride Celebration. The city’s three other major gay festivals are the Lesbian and Gay City Festival, Folsom Europe and Easter in Berlin.

To learn more about LGBT tourism in Berlin, visit the official Berlin tourism site.