Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 17
Marriage: registered parthership
Gay scene: An annual Gay Pride Festival takes place in Dublin, Cork and Galway as well as the gay and lesbian Film Festival every August bank holiday in Dublin. A lively gay scene has developed in Dublin and Cork and be sure to check out the infamous drag shows in The George bar in Dublin
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16 (17 Northern Ireland)
Marriage: registered partnership
Gay scene: The gay scene in the U.K. is by no means limited to London, Brighton and Manchester. From Southampton on the South coast all the way up Leeds in the North and Glasgow in Scotland you will find cities and communities with a thriving gay scene.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman
Gay scene: Homophobia and prejudice toward gays and lesbiansare still widespread among the society. The people in the Ukraine are suffering from the catastrophic AIDS epidemic. Especially the harbour city Odessa is completed overwhelmed with this problem.
Ukraine is a country with great hospitality and friendly, welcoming people. With patience and some discretion, gay travellers will find Ukraine an interesting, unque and beautiful destination.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: partnership law
Gay scene: The cities Zürich, Geneve, Lausanne, Bern and Basel have a gay scene. Tourist destiantions in Alps have in contrast little to offer.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 15
Marriage: Same-sex marriage
Gay scene: Sweden has become fifth European country to recognise same-sex marriage and the first country in the world to allows gays to marry in church.
The situation for homosexuals in Sweden is two-sided. On one hand there is a great liberal spirit for which the country is renowned around the world. This tolerance is visible in everyday life in larger towns. But in the countryside living an openly gay life is much harder.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 14
Marriage: same-sex marriage, adoption allowed
Gay scene: Particulary in major cities opnely gay communities are developing at a meteoric rate. Please note that a place is not necessarily gay just because it has rainbow flag in the window. For years gay have secured for uorselves the best resorts out of the many seaside places (Ibiza, Sitges, Canary Islands).
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 15
Marriage: registered partnership
Gay scene: The Slovenians are generally held to be tolerant and progressive, homophobia regularly emerges and many prominent people continue to hide their homosexuality.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 15
Marriage: not allowed
Gay scene: Gay scene is slowly emerging, especially in the capital city.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 14
Marriage: constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman
Gay scene: Any public display of homosexual desire or behaviour on the street, in parks or non-gay clubs still can be dangerous.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: unrecogniyed
Gay scene: Being gay has become relatively safe in Moscow and St. Petersburg where the gay commercial scene is a little developed. In other cities is the gay life at underground or at worst non-existent.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 15
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: Nevertheless, cultural attitude are slowly boginning to change and small gay and lesibian scene is emerging, especially in the capital, Bucharest. Young Romanina s become more liberal-minded and westernised.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: same-sex marriage
Gay scene: In strictly catholic Portugal the parliament approved the homosexual marriage proposal at the beginning of Jan. 2010.
Gays and lesbians are highly accepted and take part inPortuguese society, often mixing with heterosexuals in bars and clubs. Portugal is currently becoming increasingly popular as a gay destination.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 15
Marriage: not possible
Gay scene: Every year more and more clubs, discos, saunas, etc. appear on the scene. The gay scene is mainly located in Warsaw, in other large cities had an emerging gay scene.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: same-sex marriage
Gay scene: The Norwegian scene is concentrated in the cities of Oslo, Bergen and Troudheim. Here you can find exclusively gay bars. The atmpsphere here is, however, so gay-friendly that gays and lesbians are socialising more and more with straight people.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: same-sex marriage, adoption allowed
Gay scene: The social climate for homosexuals is most agreeable in urban aglomeration of western part of country (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, etc.). The gay scene is well represented in this area. In 2001 Netherlands had the worl premiere of becoming the first country where the civil marriage was instituted for people of same sex.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 18
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: Discrimination against gay men and lesbians does not exist, according to the law. Homosexuality is however social taboo - as a result the gay scene is hiden.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: There are no official gay places in Monaco
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: Constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman
Gay scene: The publis still looks away from gay men, either choosin to pretend they do not exist or avoiding the subject in entirety. Assaults ans other forms of violence do occasionally occour but can be avoidedwith discrete behaviour.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 18
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: On the social level hovewer, thing have been improving. Malta now has an active gay lobby and visibilityof gay issues in the media is on the increase and is generally given positive coverage.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: unrecognized
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 13
Marriage: registered partnership
Gay scene: A small gay scene does exist, but it is difficult to find.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman
Gay scene: While there is increasing visibility of gay community and social acceptance of homosexuality in Latvia, some public opinionpolls remains relatively negative. The Church takes a leading role in anti-gay sentiment.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 18
Marriage: unrecognized
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 14
Marriage: not allowed
Gay scene: Gay scene is extreme lively on northern and central parts of Italy (Milano, Bologna, Roma). In many clubs you require "club pass" in order to gain access which can be purchase on site.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 14
Marriage: same-sex marriage
Gay scene: The Icelandic gay community is small but very active. For homosexuals Iceland has one of the most advanced systems of jurisdiction in the world.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 14
Marriage: registered partnership
Gay scene: Gay scene is slowly emerging, especially in the capital city.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 17
Marriage: not allowed
Gay scene: The Greek Orthodox Church play a very strong role in family life, making homosexuality a real problem for many young Greeks.
Greece is inexpensive (except Mykonos Island), uncomplicated and safe.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: allowed (registered partnership)
Gay scene: Gay scene has a very good infrastructure.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 15
Marriage: allowed (registered partnership)
Gay scene: The French are very open minded when it comes to sex. Many locations are openly for gay.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: registered parthership
Gay scene: Genereal attitude towards gay and lesbians is tolerant, at least in big cities and among younger people. Every major city has a more or less active gay organisation, which almost all are part of the state-supported national organization SETA.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 18
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: In Estonia there is neither legal anti-discrimination legislation for gay and lesbians. Society is generally open and accepting towards gays, yet walking hand in hand on streets is still unusual.
In summer the scene get busier and very international. Tallinn fils up with tourists all over the world.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 15
Marriage: registered partnership
Gay scene: Denmark is a very open-minded and tolerant country, even more so than its liberal Scandinavian neighbours. The national association of gays and lesbians was founded in 1948. Most gay visitors head for Copenhagen, due its lively gay scene and relaxed atmosphere.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 15
Marriage: allowed, cannot adopt childrens
Gay scene: Czech society is liberal, the number of gay bars, clubs, etc. is permanently groving. Prague`s gay scene is comparable with western european cities.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 17
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: In 2004 Cyprus joined the EC, making life easier for the gay community. Newertheless Cypriat society remains conservative.
The situation in the north part, controled by Turkish military, remains unclear althoug we made several attempts to obtain clarification from the Turkish authorities.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 14
Marriage: unregistered cohabitation
Gay scene: Peoples in larger cities have a legely open-minded attitude towards homosexuality while people in rural areas often view it negatively. Outsaid the capital city there are very few official gay facilities. Croatia is paradise for naturists. In summer gay men meet at the numerous of gay beaches along the Adriatic sea.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 18
Marriage: constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman
Gay scene: Even in the capital, Sofia, homophobia is wide spread in several social groups. A gay scene has yet to develop. A conservative basis exist an only the younger generation is more tolerant.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: Discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibed by law.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: Gay scene exists only in Minsk. There is one gay club there - 6A club and a number of in-doors gay and lesbian parties in different venues.
The police conduct umprovoked actions in bars frequented by homosexuals. Belarusian LGBT organizations have never been registered by the state and operate illgally.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: same-sex marriage, adoption allowed
Gay scene: Belgium is a very open-minded and liberal country. The most interested cities for gays are Brussels, Antwerp and Gent. Even in a smaller cities and towns will find gay-friendly establishments.
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 18
Marriage: registered partnership
Gay scene: Gay scene is most developed in Vienna with annual rainbow parade at end of June..
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 16
Marriage: civil union
Gay scene: A small gay scene does exist, but it is difficult to find
Homosexuality: legal
Legal age of consent: 18
Marriage: unrecognized
Gay scene: Even trhough the Albanian society has undergrone some major changes in the last couple of years, the public attitude towards gays is still thoroughly determined by the homophobic propaganda spread under the Stalinist dictatorship Enver Hoxha.There is no gay scene in this country.
