Dublin among the world's most LGBTQ+ friendly cities. It was only beaten in the rankings by Lisbon
First place went to Lisbon, Portugal, which has long held a reputation as an open and tolerant city with a rich queer scene and progressive laws. However, Dublin's second place was both a surprise and a delight - its position is not accidental, but is linked to Ireland's targeted efforts to promote LGBTQ+ rights.
A targeted strategy for greater inclusion
The growing inclusivity of Irish society is largely due to an initiative by LGBTQ+ Ireland called 'Making Ireland the best place in Europe for LGBTQI+ people'. The strategy, planned for the period 2023 to 2027, covers a wide range of activities - from research and education on LGBTQ+ issues to actively tackling the rising tide of anti-trans sentiment in the country.
The initiative aims to create an environment where queer people feel not only safe, but most importantly welcome - and Dublin is becoming the flagship of this approach.
Europe leads the way, but the US and Australia are not missing out
Third place in the Big 7 Travel rankings goes to Porto, Portugal. Another European capital also made the top ten - London (4th), followed by Madrid (5th) and Berlin (6th). Among non-European cities, San Francisco (8th), Toronto (9th) and Sydney (10th) scored the highest.
The ranking takes into account not only the legislative framework and the security situation, but also the availability of queer venues, the atmosphere of the city and the existence of active community organizations.
Where to go on holiday during Pride?
As part of Pride Month , travel platform Expedia has also published its selection of urban and seaside destinations that are ideal for LGBTQ+ travellers. And cities such as Dublin and Lisbon also feature - destinations that combine minority-friendly attitudes with a diverse cultural offering.
At a time when LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms are being curtailed in some parts of the world, rankings like these are an important signal to queer travellers - whether they are looking for a place to live or just a holiday destination where they will feel welcome. Dublin is thus not only a city with history and pubs, but also a symbol of a new European openness.
