Going Out Gay in BCN
Barcelona is known for being a fabulous gay vacation destination. With legalized gay marriage, a ‘live and let live’ philosophy and a great scene, it’s no wonder many of the city’s residents and visitors are same-sex couples. In fact, Spain (rather surprisingly) has one of the most liberal same-sex marriage laws in the world, which also includes the right to adoption.
The city has quite a reputation for clubbing or discos of all kinds, and seems to excel in the gay club arena. The general schedule is dinner at 10p.m., drinks until 2a.m. and clubs until five in the morning. While the Spanish and Catalan’s seem to pull this marathon party-style off without a hitch, most people will find the night life exhausting, if not fantastic.
If you’re up for the all-night gay club challenge, here’s where to go: Salvation (http://www.matineegroup.com/) is a happening disco with a younger crowd while Metro (http://www.metrodiscobcn.com/) is more of a mix and much larger. Of course, there’s also Arena (http://www.arenadisco.com/). It pays off to go to Zeltas before Arena as the bartender there gives out free passes.
While on the clubbing topic, be careful! Barcelona is really a pretty safe city, and walking home at 4a.m. is usually OK in most neighborhoods. If you have a long walk, grab a cab, or wait until the metro opens at five in the morning, and hop on for an entertaining ride home with the rest of the folks who’ve been out all night. Enjoy!