They even provide you with a gift box with socks and condoms – all the true necessities for the gay nomadic boy…! Ideal for when you just need some quiet time, the sauna is a sanctuary for all those who work hard, and play hard, but now just want to put their feet up and have a snooze. From the artsy design of the rooms, complete with stencils of spacemen on the walls, to the rooftop bar that overlooks the city, this hotel ticks all the boxes. When you're in need of a timeout from the craziness, there is a fabulous sauna. There is a constant hive of activity buzzing throughout the halls, from families to cute couples. There are over 200 rooms in the hotel, so expect it to feel busy at all times. Close to all the famous landmarks of the city, this hotel is sophisticated, whilst still feeling super modern. Perfect for the savvy, Insta-obsessed gay traveler, the 25hours caters to quirky millennials who have their eyes glued to the horizon. With an underground train station known as the S-Bahn, navigating between places was quick, efficient, and super cheap. For big, dancing clubs, we had to (to quote the Pet Shop Boys) ‘Go West!’ Traveling around the city couldn’t be easier though. We found the east to have more traditional bars and clubs, with more mature crowds. With a variety of bars and clubs on either side of the city, we loved sampling pieces of each scene. Nicknamed ‘The Bermuda Triangle’, gay folk have been known to become lost for hours when they spend time around the clubs and bars in this district. We never ran into any issues when booking hotel rooms or dining out in restaurants.Īll smiles (except Seby when he's hangry!) in beautiful and gay friendly Cologne Cologne gay areaĬologne is so fabulous that it couldn’t just have one gay scene, it has to have two! With an older scene on the east side of the city, known as Heumarkt-Mathiasstrasse, which generally also sees an older crowd and a newer, more urban scene in the west, you’ll need to visit both to get a true sense of how gay Cologne really is.
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The city is bursting with queer-centric spaces, so everyone here is pretty much used to the LGBTQ presence. Of course, exercise caution wherever you go, but don’t feel the need to be overly discreet in Cologne. We found it perfectly safe to venture out in public whilst holding hands. Plus, with two gay scenes, on either side of the Rhine river, and a young population, there is nothing but acceptance for our homosexual family here! There is Cologne Pride in June, Carnival in February, and to top it all off, the Heavenue Gay Christmas market in December.
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There are plenty of LGBTQ events throughout the year, so like it or not, locals are all too aware of the big gay presence that Cologne holds. To put it simply, the locals are welcoming to all people, as long as they themselves are friendly and laid back. The people of Cologne are well known for their liberal attitudes, open minds, and something called joie de vivre, which basically means ‘joy of life'. This could mainly be due to the number of caffeine millennials are drinking these days though…ġ2 Gay map of Cologne How gay friendly is Cologne?
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It's also a university town, so expect to see lots of young crowds in their early 20s, wandering around with big eyes filled with dreams and aspirations. With art, literature, and music bursting from every street corner, anyone with any creative inclination would find it hard not to be inspired. Yet, it is pulsing with so much life and so much modernity that it doesn’t for a second feel like you are stuck in the past.Īn artistic city, Cologne is in many ways a cultural hub. With its unique architecture, quaint shops, and ancient buildings, it feels like a place from a bygone era. Simply walking through the Old Town is enough to convince you of the wonders Cologne has to offer. Under the constant shadow of the Kölner Dom, Cologne (Köln in German) is a city shrouded in mystique and wonder.
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Our gay travel guide to Cologne has everything you need to know about the city's exciting gay scene including the best gay bars, clubs, saunas, restaurants, hotels, and more.