Europe Glbt Travelers

Attitudes toward gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) travelers are particular to each region in Europe. On the whole, countries in Northern and Western Europe tend to be queer-friendly, while Eastern Europe harbors enclaves of tolerance in cities amid stretches of cultural conservatism. Countries like Romania that outlawed homosexuality as recently as 2002 are becoming more liberal today, and can be considered viable destinations for GLBT travelers. Listed below are contact organizations that offer materials addressing some specific concerns. Out and About (www.planetout.com) offers a weekly newsletter addressing travel concerns and a comprehensive site addressing gay travel concerns. The online newspaper 365gay.com has a travel section, and the French-language site netgai.com (http://netgai.com/international/Europe">http://netgai.com/international/Europe">http://netgai.com/international/Europe) includes links to country-specific resources.

Gay’s the Word, 66 Marchmont St., London WC1N 1AB, UK (☎+44 20 7278 7654; http://freespace.virgin.net/gays.theword">http://freespace.virgin.net/gays.theword">http://freespace.virgin.net/gays.theword). The largest gay and lesbian bookshop in the UK, with both fiction and non-fiction titles. Mail-order service available.
Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St., Philadelphia, USA (☎+1-215-923-2960; www.queerbooks.com). An international lesbian and gay bookstore with mail-order service (carries many of the publications listed below).
International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), 17 Rue de la Charité, 1210 Brussels, BEL (☎+32 2 502 2471; www.ilga.org). Provides political information, such as homosexuality laws of individual countries.

Additional Resources.
Spartacus International Gay Guide 2008 (US$22).
The Damron Men’s Travel Guide 2006 . Gina M. Gatta, Damron Co. (US$22).
The Gay Vacation Guide: The Best Trips and How to Plan Them . Mark Chesnut, Kensington Books (US$15).

More Travel Concerns in Europe

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