Germany's pulsating capital city is renowned for its gay nightlife, from intimate bars to late-night techno joints. Berghain, the eye-opening dance club in a former East Berlin power plant in Friedrichshain, is essential. Kreuzberg and Schoeneberg are the two happening LGBTQ oriented neighbourhoods, but expect an open-hearted welcome wherever you go. Don't miss the many world-class collections on Museum Island. Berlin's Pride celebrations each summer are truly legendary.
The smell in the air isn't just marijuana, available legally from the city's celebrated coffee shops, but a sweet reminder of the famous Dutch celebration of all sexualities. Pride here always involves Amsterdam's beautiful canals and is a must-visit. There are museums aplenty - the refurbished Rijksmuseum is one of the world's finest - while those keen on bars will be spoilt for choice. On a more sombre note, Amsterdam's Homomonument commemorates LGBTQ people who've been persecuted.
If you haven't been: go. If you've been before: go again. This fabulous party island also has some of the Mediterranean's finest beaches, where the fashionable arrival time is late afternoon. Try Sa Trinxa at Playa de Ses Salines for laid back pan sexual sunbathing featuring an impeccable DJ and a beachside grill. When it comes to clubbing, there are those who say that anyone who hasn't danced at Space on a Sunday morning hasn't truly lived.
This gorgeous whitewashed idyll has been welcoming discerning LGBTQ travellers for decades. It's easy to see why. Mykonos, the most sophisticated of Greek islands, is more laid back than Ibiza, yet has plenty of dedicated bars open all hours after open-air dining on freshly caught fish in Mykonos Town. Head out to Elia for the finest of the beaches and bare it all if you dare. Ferry connections for Lesbos and day trips to Delos, sanctuary of the god Apollo and remarkable for its phallic monuments, are available.