Porto — Wine and Old Town

Gay Porto is manageable, but charming. Instead of being spread out over a clearly demarcated district, the scene of the northern Portuguese city mixes with the generally very open nightlife culture of the old town. Those looking for queer nightlife usually end up in the center around the Baixa, where in the evening the alleys around Rua Cândido dos Reis and the Galerias de Paris fill with bars, small clubs and open-air drinkers. These streets are also home to most of the establishments that are explicitly aimed at a gay and lesbian audience. Because the mass tourism of some metropolises is missing, the atmosphere remains relaxed and personal.

The city centre between Avenida dos Aliados, Bolhão and Clérigos is ideal as an accommodation area, because almost everything is within walking distance from there. If you want to fill the day, you will find it at the Livraria Lello bookstore, the Ribeira waterfront promenade and a detour across the Douro to Vila Nova de Gaia to the port wine cellars. Porto is considered liberal and safe, because open hostility is rare; in more rural corners, however, discreet restraint does not hurt. May to September is the best time to visit, when the weather remains mild and the city is at its liveliest. In summer, Porto Pride is added. For a few days, he visibly brings queer life to the streets.