Perfect European Island Getaway For LGBTQ+ Travel
30 years ago, people would have spoken about 2025 being a progressive haven where they could be themselves and love themselves without any fear of prejudice or repercussions. Unfortunately, every day, it seems we take big steps back. So what does that mean for travel?
According to the LGBTQ+ edition of the Expedia Summer Travel Outlook, LGBTQ+ travellers take at least 3 trips annually, and that must be true because I travel A LOT! I make it a goal to be out of the country every six weeks if possible. However, I often find myself returning to the same locations because, although I love to explore, I also want to feel safe. Traveling to a new location can already be stressful without having to worry about being shunned or, worse, attacked for my skin tone or queer identity. One place I've visited repeatedly that always makes me feel at home is Malta.
Popularly known for its amazing filming locations – Gladiator, Game of Thrones, etc. – and historic landmarks like the Ġgantija Temples, Malta has quickly become one of my favourite places to travel in Europe. Yes, it has an incredible food scene, but also for how accepting the country is of LGBTQ+ travellers. So here are my recommendations for you and your chosen family if you want to visit the great island:
According to the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map 2024, Malta has been named the most LGBTQ+ inclusive country in Europe for nine consecutive years.
Location is everything.
Malta is a small island that might deceptively lead you to believe you can stay anywhere, but you would be wrong. The best places to stay as a tourist are St. Julian's, Valletta, or Sliema. Everything is just a bus ride away in these locations, or a simple hop on a ferry to the surrounding smaller islands. Hotels I would recommend for LGBTQ+ travellers in these locations are The Hilton and The Westin Dragonara, as their staff are trained in how to treat and respect individuals from all walks of life.
Make time for a beach day.
Malta is full of gorgeous rock pools that might make you think there are no real beaches around, but don't be fooled. Away from the main locations, there are beautiful beaches that will take your breath away. Golden Bay Beach is perfect for LGBTQ+ travellers, and it's not too far from the historic landmark Għajn Tuffieħa Tower if you want to add a touch of culture to your beach day.
Book things in advance.
Just because it's a small island does not mean the queues are small too; always book in advance. Malta has incredible artworks, such as St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, home to an iconic Caravaggio painting. Structures like these attract a lot of people, leading to long queues. However, if you book your tickets online, you can skip right to the front, which will help you avoid the intense Maltese heat.
Explore the surrounding islands.
There's so much to do in Malta that you might think you can skip the ferry to places like Gozo... don't. Gozo is home to one of the most historic landmarks in the world, the Ġgantija Temples. The Ġgantija Temples are even older than the Pyramids in Egypt. Dating back to 3600 BC, this UNESCO-listed structure must be seen to be believed.
And of course...EAT
According to the 2025 LGBTQ+ edition of the Summer Travel Outlook, LGBTQ+ travellers put good eats over everything else, and Malta will not disappoint those needs. The Maltese kitchen feels like home. Due to its location and history, Malta has a great blend of Italian, Arabic, British, and North African cuisine – basically, all the countries that know how to make a hearty home-cooked meal that will make you miss your grandma. Here are my favourite restaurants that are great for LGBTQ+ travellers: Osteria Donna Carmela: incredible Italian kitchen with some of the best views in all of St Julians, so make sure you ask for a table outside!Toro Toro: guided by the legendary chef Richard Sandoval, Toro Toro brings the vibrancy of South American cuisine to a little island in the Mediterranean.Two Buoys: Two Buoys is an LGBTQ+ owned restaurant in the heart of St Julians that brings a little taste of Down Under to Malta, perfect for any time of the day.De Mondion: You always have a night to treat yourself on holiday, so why not do it with a Michelin star restaurant De Mondion, based in the extremely beautiful Mdina.
Add Malta to your European travel list today – you won't be disappointed.
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Perfect European Island Getaway For LGBTQ+ Travel
30 years ago, people would have spoken about 2025 being a progressive haven where they could be themselves and love themselves without any fear of prejudice or repercussions. Unfortunately, every day, it seems we take big steps back. So what does that mean for travel? According to the LGBTQ+ edition of the Expedia Summer Travel Outlook, LGBTQ+ travellers take at least 3 trips annually, and that must be true because I travel A LOT! I make it a goal to be out of the country every six weeks if possible. However, I often find myself returning to the same locations because, although I love to explore, I also want to feel safe. Traveling to a new location can already be stressful without having to worry about being shunned or, worse, attacked for my skin tone or queer identity. One place I've visited repeatedly that always makes me feel at home is Malta. Popularly known for its amazing filming locations – Gladiator, Game of Thrones, etc. – and historic landmarks like the Ġgantija Temples, Malta has quickly become one of my favourite places to travel in Europe. Yes, it has an incredible food scene, but also for how accepting the country is of LGBTQ+ travellers. So here are my recommendations for you and your chosen family if you want to visit the great island: According to the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map 2024, Malta has been named the most LGBTQ+ inclusive country in Europe for nine consecutive years. Location is everything. Malta is a small island that might deceptively lead you to believe you can stay anywhere, but you would be wrong. The best places to stay as a tourist are St. Julian's, Valletta, or Sliema. Everything is just a bus ride away in these locations, or a simple hop on a ferry to the surrounding smaller islands. Hotels I would recommend for LGBTQ+ travellers in these locations are The Hilton and The Westin Dragonara, as their staff are trained in how to treat and respect individuals from all walks of life. Make time for a beach day. Malta is full of gorgeous rock pools that might make you think there are no real beaches around, but don't be fooled. Away from the main locations, there are beautiful beaches that will take your breath away. Golden Bay Beach is perfect for LGBTQ+ travellers, and it's not too far from the historic landmark Għajn Tuffieħa Tower if you want to add a touch of culture to your beach day. Book things in advance. Just because it's a small island does not mean the queues are small too; always book in advance. Malta has incredible artworks, such as St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, home to an iconic Caravaggio painting. Structures like these attract a lot of people, leading to long queues. However, if you book your tickets online, you can skip right to the front, which will help you avoid the intense Maltese heat. Explore the surrounding islands. There's so much to do in Malta that you might think you can skip the ferry to places like Gozo... don't. Gozo is home to one of the most historic landmarks in the world, the Ġgantija Temples. The Ġgantija Temples are even older than the Pyramids in Egypt. Dating back to 3600 BC, this UNESCO-listed structure must be seen to be believed. And of According to the 2025 LGBTQ+ edition of the Summer Travel Outlook, LGBTQ+ travellers put good eats over everything else, and Malta will not disappoint those needs. The Maltese kitchen feels like home. Due to its location and history, Malta has a great blend of Italian, Arabic, British, and North African cuisine – basically, all the countries that know how to make a hearty home-cooked meal that will make you miss your grandma. Here are my favourite restaurants that are great for LGBTQ+ travellers: Osteria Donna Carmela: incredible Italian kitchen with some of the best views in all of St Julians, so make sure you ask for a table outside!Toro Toro: guided by the legendary chef Richard Sandoval, Toro Toro brings the vibrancy of South American cuisine to a little island in the Buoys: Two Buoys is an LGBTQ+ owned restaurant in the heart of St Julians that brings a little taste of Down Under to Malta, perfect for any time of the Mondion: You always have a night to treat yourself on holiday, so why not do it with a Michelin star restaurant De Mondion, based in the extremely beautiful Mdina. Add Malta to your European travel list today – you won't be disappointed.
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Croatia's Game of Thrones filming sites face threat from Trump tariffs
By Antonio Bronic DUBROVNIK (Reuters) -The fortresses and cobbled streets of the ancient Croatian town of Dubrovnik are often crowded with tourists eager to visit the locations from the Game of Thrones television series or the Star Wars: The Last Jedi film. But comments by President Donald Trump this month that he will impose a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States have alarmed the entertainment industry and some locals in Dubrovnik who fear directors may no longer film there. "There have been huge disruptions because of the tariffs that Trump plans to introduce," said Croatian film producer Igor Aleksandar Nola, adding that budgets had already been hit by global economic upheaval. "Part of the financing coming from banks and investment funds for audio-visual arts has been on standby because of the uncertainty," Nola told Reuters. Central European countries and the Balkans have been used by Hollywood for years for their dramatic scenery, mix of architectural styles and cheaper filming costs. If a movie or series is a hit those locations can become hugely popular with visitors. "The film and Game of Thrones have changed Dubrovnik for sure," said tourist guide Ivan Vukovic. About 1,000 tourists join a Game of Thrones tour every day, he said. New souvenir shops were opened and jobs created for tourist guides and locals assisting in film productions out of season. "All of this created a big economic boom," Vukovic said. Trump did not provide details about the timing of tariffs, leaving executives wondering how they could be applied to the film industry. Participants at the Cannes Film Festival, which opened on Tuesday, continued a cautious business-as-usual approach after the initial shock by the tariff announcement. Mate Frankovic, the mayor of Dubrovnik, which receives about 1.4 million tourists a year, said he did not expect the crisis to last long or seriously affect film productions and tourism in Dubrovnik. "I honestly cannot imagine a single serious U.S. film and large production without including a major European city," he said.
