The 5 top gay tours to do in Barcelona for LGBTQ travelers

Barcelona: the city of Gaudí, golden beaches, and guys who seem to look straight out of a Calvin Klein ad.

When Seby and I first landed in this vibrant Catalan playground, we knew we were in for something special. This city isn’t just a destination, it’s a feast for the senses.

From the jaw-dropping architecture to the endless flow of sangria, Barcelona swept us off our feet like a handsome stranger on a steamy night out in Eixample.

We wandered its streets, danced in its clubs, and ate our weight in tapas. And not once did this city let us down.

This post is about the places we went, the things we did, and the moments we’ll never forget. Whether you’re here for a dose of culture, a splash of beach time, or a pinch of something fabulous, Barcelona has a little bit of everything. And trust us, you’ll leave with a suitcase full of memories… and maybe a pair of booty shorts you swore you’d never wear again.

From its fiery culture to the stunning beaches, we've put together a list of tours in Barcelona for gay travelers that we think will make you fall in love with this city.

1. Gay night tour of Barcelona

A little night music, a few drinks (or a lot), some draaag…

This tour is so much fun to join in on! If like us, you can't ever say no to a party, then this gay nightlife tour of Barcelona is a must.

We partied until dawn, bouncing from lively bars like Moeem, to sacrilegious spots like La Chapelle, which has walls covered in Christian artifacts…! With crosses, Virgin Mary statues, and rosary beads galore, we thought we'd walked into a Madonna fan club!

Of course, it wouldn't be a complete gay night out without a stop at a drag bar. After the tour finished, we headed to Believe – our favorite drag bar in Barcelona. With stunning queens, stellar performances, and wit so quick that we could barely protect ourselves, this club stopped us from believing in life after love! For if life exists outside of this club, then we don't want to know about it.

The tour kicks off at 10 pm. We got picked up from our hotel by our handsome guide who took us to the sprawling gay scene in Gaixample. Spotting hundreds of couples of varying genders running around, laughing and enjoying the night, brought smiles to our faces.

2. Gay tapas tour of Barcelona

Loosen up those belt buckles and get your tapas on!

This private tour of Barcelona takes you around to the best restaurants in the city. Tucking into the delicious tapas that the Eixample neighborhood has to offer, we fell in love with some brand-new eatery spots. There's also a vegetarian option, so don't feel you can't do this tour if you don't eat meat.

The entire tour takes around 3 hours and is completed on foot. All the locations we visited are close together though, so there's no need to worry about getting indigestion between stops!

In total, we visited about 3 tapas bars, each with its unique style and flavors. Our guide was super chatty. As well as telling us all about the different dishes we ate, he told us about the gay life in Barcelona and what it was like growing up gay in Spain.

What we loved most about this tour is that we went to places like Casa Jaime, which is very local, authentic, and gay owned. Forget all those restaurants along Las Ramblas offering “genuine paella and Sangria”, which are just full of tourists being charged top dollar. This tour takes you to the real deal, where all the locals hang out and you're likely to be the only foreigner in sight! For more inspiration, be sure to check out our guide to the best gay restaurants in Barcelona.

Our good friends, Auston and David of the TwoBadTourists gay travel blog offer a range of excellent gay tapas tours in both Barcelona and Madrid.

3. Discover the city of Gaudi with a gay local guide

The golden rule of buying a home is similar to that of a perfect holiday – location, location, location.

The Modernist House Tour proves just that. We never had much appreciation for a building's architecture before, yet this experience changed all that!

While we didn't get to go inside all the buildings, we got to see some of the hidden gems of the city and learn about all the fascinating histories that lay behind them.

This tour introduced us to the fantastic work of Gaudi, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and Domenech i Montaner. These men helped create the magic of Barcelona today, combining neo-Gothic design and rigid facades.

We lived for Gaudi's signature building, the Casa Milà (also called “La Pedrera“) – a building shaped like ripples in a body of water and decorated with an ornamental exterior! This structure broke down barriers in the world of architecture with its one-of-a-kind appearance. We got serious envy when we learned about the family who once lived in this 92-room paradise. It was commissioned to be built by Roser Segimón and Pere Milà – both were known for their seriously flamboyant and lavish lifestyle that would put even us to shame!

The highlight of the trip has to be the final stop – saving the best for last! Gaudi's unique and magnificent Sagrada Familia. Having been inspired by the churches of Italy plans for the design of the monument we know today quickly morphed into something quite incredible. At the end of the tour, we had time to wander inside, which allowed us to fantasize about renewing our vows under the stunning rainforest-like interior rooftop.

For the best gay city tours of Barcelona, check out Gaily Tours who also offer tours across the rest of Spain.

4. Gay tour of Sitges from Barcelona 

‘Let's go to the beach, beach, let's go get away!'

We love a gay beach. And if it's a gay nude beach, then that's even better. This tour is all about visiting the magnificently stunning Sitges, which has to be one of our favorite gay beaches in Europe.

Getting to chill out on the warm sands and indulge in some Public Display of Affection with your (same-sex) partner, surrounded by like-minded individuals who don't give a flying fudge what we're doing, is just so refreshing and liberating! Playa de los Muertos is the official gay nude beach of Sitges, but it's a fair distance from the main town. We prefer the more mixed Balmins beach, which is clothing-optional, but much easier to reach and just as gay!

But this tour is not all about soaking up the sun on the beach. We also visited the picturesque town of Sitges, watching local villagers set up their stalls, shoo-ing away the pesky seagulls, and haggling over prices for those must-have fridge magnet souvenirs.

We dotted around between the restaurants and bars, finding nothing but chatty fellow gay travelers, great food, and a sunny atmosphere. Oh, what we wouldn't give to live here! For more, check out our comprehensive gay guide to Sitges.

Read more travel adventures like this in our book!

We've published our very own gay travel book called, ‘Out in the World'. It has all our practical safety tips, first-hand advice, and travel stories from some of our favorite destinations.

We hope it inspires you to have a fun and safe trip!

Click on the book to order:

For more inspiration:

• Use our detailed gay travel guide to Barcelona to plan your trip
• Learn more about Gaixample with our guide to the best gay bars in Barcelona
• You'll want to know all about the best gay shops in Barcelona
• Read about what it's like to experience Pride in Barcelona
• Want more Vitamin Sea? Read what we rate as the best gay beaches in Barcelona
• Don't miss our top 10 best gay pride events in the whole world
• Read our guide to the best gay saunas in Barcelona
• These are the best gay pride events to experience in Spain
• For more fun in Spain, these are our favorite Spanish cities for partying

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