I partied in the most LGBT-friendly country in Europe — it puts the UK to shame
When I asked my tour guide what he loved most about Malta, his answer caught me off guard.
After boasting about the island's rich history and the fact that its litany of enthralling attractions are all within an hour's drive, he casually added: 'And it's been voted the world's safest place for LGBTQ+ travellers.'
Now, gays love to travel. The only thing they love more than travelling is letting everyone who will listen know that they love travelling.
But I don't think I've ever seen any of the LGBTQ+ people I follow on social media posting thirst traps from Malta. Of course, that will all change when the UK's biggest LGBTQ+ festival Mighty Hoopla makes its international debut there later this year.
The location is a clever choice. For the 10th year running, Malta is top of the Rainbow Map, an annual chart that ranks European countries on their respective legal and policy practises for LGBTQ+ people.
I spent four days in Malta last summer, and I can see why it consistently takes the crown, while the UK continues to plummet. We're currently 22nd on the list; just over a decade ago, we were number one. https://www.instagram.com/p/DJn4sfAu1-h/
Granted, I was in Malta at a particularly gay time of year. It was Malta Pride 2024 and, despite marching at many British Pride events, this was the first time I'd ever branched out and flown overseas to celebrate our brave and magical community.
Everyone was welcome everywhere, which no longer feels the case here in the UK. At home, every Pride march I've attended comes with banners telling us we're going to hell. In Malta, there wasn't a single protester in sight.
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In the lead-up to Malta Pride, though, I wasn't sensing much hype. With less than 24 hours to go until the big day, walking through the capital, Valletta, I didn't see a single rainbow flag. Strange, I thought, for the safest place for LGBTQ+ travellers.
I also noticed a surprising lack of gay bars. According to Google, there was only one on the whole island, but 'we don't need them' was the consensus from people I spoke to in Malta.
Everywhere is LGBTQ+ friendly. There were, of course, bars where LGBTQ+ people seemed to hang out, but there was no clear advertising.
I spent longer than I should have, drinking more Margaritas than I ever thought possible, at Café Society – clearly one of the most popular bars in the city. Customers poured out onto the steps and the neighbourhood felt more alive than I've ever seen Soho. Once the most thriving LGBTQ+ hub in the world, it's now on its knees.
Still, I was intrigued by how Malta would celebrate Pride. Would anyone even turn up?
In fact, very inch of Valletta was full to the brim. It felt like everyone on the island and then some were there to take part, LGBTQ+ or not. The streets were lined with dancers, Cher's Believe blasted from speakers and I've never experienced a Pride filled with so much joy. I haven't danced or laughed as hard in years.
Drag queens from all over the world entertained locals with a free show right in the centre of the island, which was open to anyone (and drinks were half the price you'd find at a UK Pride).
Birmingham-based drag star Miss Penny, a legend in the UK and a regular at London's Admiral Duncan, brought her absolute filth to Valletta, dragging her adoring crowd with lines that for legal (and moral) reasons cannot be repeated here. @maltadaily.mt
Yesterday, Malta Pride painted the town in vibrant colours as thousands gathered for the Malta Pride March 2024 in Valletta, organised by Malta Pride and Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC). The march, a highlight of the annual Malta Pride festivities, kicked off at the iconic Triton Fountain at 6:00 PM with an inspiring opening ceremony that set the tone for an evening of celebration, unity, and advocacy. The parade made its way through the bustling streets of Valletta, with participants proudly waving rainbow flags, holding banners, and dancing to music from colourful floats. DJs kept the energy high as the procession moved towards the historic St. George's Square, where the festivities culminated in a spectacular concert. The march celebrated 20 years of Malta Pride, marking two decades of progress in the fight for equality and inclusion for the LGBTIQ+ community. #MaltaDaily ♬ original sound – MaltaDaily.mt
She kept us on our feet until 11pm, for free, before the party starters descended on Marrakesh nightclub – an astonishing open-air venue with floating trees and seven stages that feel like they're plonked right in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.
It was spectacular, packed with hes, shes, theys and everything in between — the friendliest crowd I've ever met on a night out. My face was dripping with sweat, but that didn't put anyone off having a chinwag about the one thing that united everyone there, no matter what country we came from or the language we spoke.
But what makes Malta the best place for LGBTQ+ travellers? I wondered why locals felt so much safer here than in other parts of the world.
Jelle, 63, moved to Malta from Amsterdam and said the island's size goes a long way to help.
'It's such a small country, you can't be anonymous and so there can't be any harassment,' she says. 'If I mention my husband's name, everybody knows him. That's why it's so tolerant and fantastic for LGBTQ+ people.'
Perhaps that's the secret: community.
Everyone LGBTQ+ is recognised as someone's child, a sibling, or their neighbour; they're untouchable. I can't begin to imagine living with that level of empowerment, but for four days, I got to experience it first-hand. More Trending
In the brief time I spent in Malta, that sense of community was abundantly clear at every turn. It breaks my heart that I live in a city that feels ever more fractured, with animosity towards LGBTQ+ people only increasing.
Mighty Hoopla will be launching its first overseas festival in Malta this September.
If the line-up hasn't yet convinced you to buy a ticket, I would jump at the chance to experience Malta when it's bursting with love for the LGBTQ+ community — especially at a time when it sometimes feels so lacking back home.
MORE: The sunniest city in Europe is an 'underrated gem' — with return flights for £44
MORE: Europe's 'fairytale' country is so tiny it could fit into the UK 1,521 times
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Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Daily Record
Air India slammed over 'broken planes'
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The vlogger, who travelled in economy class, was impressed by the speedy check-in and the "great service" they received from "extremely friendly and very nice" cabin crew members. They also noticed improvements with the on-flight food, which they described as "tasty" and "delicious", and found their seat and headrest to be comfortable. However, there were a number of areas they found to be "pretty outdated" aboard the aircraft, which had been part of Air India's fleet for 10.4 years by this point. They noted: "Even the magazines aren't very well kept". Expressing displeasure at the "very poor hygiene" standards that quickly became apparent when they took their seat, the travel reviewer showed footage of stains on the torn seat cushions, as well as on the fold-out tray table. He remarked: 'Air India has to improve on this." On top of this, their remote control socket was broken, and their in-flight entertainment screen wasn't working. A glance around the cabin showed he wasn't alone on this front. Unfortunately, there were yet more grim finds awaiting him in the "old and dirty" bathroom, which he claimed had "no amenities" or even tissue paper. The air freshener also didn't seem to be working. Calling upon Air India to update and refurbish their older planes, he asserted: 'It's only been half an hour into the flight, and it's already dirty". Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Broken seats In April of this year, as previously reported by the View From The Wing travel publication, an Air India passenger making the 7,500-mile journey from Chicago to Delhi claims she was told 'there was a technical issue" with her business class seat, which "wouldn't recline". Instead, she says she was offered two economy seats, which she was allegedly pressed to take. Although she allegedly made it clear that she wished to keep the broken business class seat and have a partial refund, she was informed this wasn't an option. She claims staff continued to press her to take the economy seats, and handed over a form for the seat reassignment. 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According to Noel, staff initially didn't mind him taking a review video, but when the technical difficulties began, it allegedly became clear that his camera was no longer welcome, forcing him to be more "discreet". While inspecting the toilet, Noel was alarmed to find "liquid matter on the floor", and also wasn't majorly won over by the in-flight entertainment, where advertised content such as games, music, and even the flight map, wasn't available. Unfortunately, Noel's reading light was out of order, meaning he couldn't even read the newspaper he'd been handed at the beginning of the flight. He also advised future travellers to bring along a power bank, as neither the 3-pin plug nor USB were working. Flights deemed safe despite poor reputation Mr Jones noted that, before the airline was acquired in 2022, the overall reputation of Air India was "exceptionally poor", but regulators in the US and Europe continued to allow the airline to take passengers. He said it was important to note that the airline would not have been able to if any "significant safety lapses" were found. The expert said: "Prior to privatisation, Air India's reputation was exceptionally poor. But it's important to remember that the airline was still deemed safe by European and American regulators, who permitted the airline to operate flights to the US, UK and Europe. "If these bodies had found significant safety lapses then this would not have been permitted, as we saw over the last five years with Pakistan International Airlines which was banned from flying to these destinations until their safety record (and that of the Pakistani regulator) improved."
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
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Air India condemned over several failings before horror crash flight
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The airline has received high praise for its response to the disaster, which comes three years after it was acquired and privatised by Tata steel. Prior to this, Rhys Jones, a luxury travel expert and editor of Head for Points, told The Mirror, Air India's reputation was "extremely poor" despite it being cleared by European and US regulators. Previous incidents aboard Air India planes have seen window panels break off and passengers complain of dirty interiors. Window panel chaos Back in 2018, chaos erupted during a 30-minute Air India flight from Amritsar to Delhi, when intense turbulence resulted in the inside part of a window panel becoming dislodged. Panic spread across the packed cabin, filled with 240 passengers, while a cabin crew member bravely pushed the panel back in, all while comforting a distressed passenger. Footage of the terrifying incident was shared widely on social media at the time and shows some overhead oxygen masks being deployed. Three people were left requiring hospital treatment, as per The Times of India newspaper. A source told the publication: 'Passengers were naturally terrified.' He continued: 'The turbulence on Flight AI 462 was such that the head of a seated passenger, who possibly did not have his seat belt fastened, hit the overhead cabin because of a bump. "The person suffered injuries. Two more had minor injuries. The inside of a window panel came off. The outside window did not break, and there was no depressurisation.' 'Dirty' conditions One year ago, after the Tata group took over the airline, a Dubai-based travel influencer, who vlogs via the YouTube channel Living Jet Setters, reviewed a flight they took aboard a 787-8 Dreamliner, to see if improvements had been made. The vlogger, who travelled in economy class, was impressed by the speedy check-in and the "great service" they received from "extremely friendly and very nice" cabin crew members. They also noticed improvements with the on-flight food, which they described as "tasty" and "delicious", and found their seat and headrest to be comfortable. However, there were a number of areas they found to be "pretty outdated" aboard the aircraft, which had been part of Air India's fleet for 10.4 years by this point. They noted: "Even the magazines aren't very well kept". Expressing displeasure at the "very poor hygiene" standards that quickly became apparent when they took their seat, the travel reviewer showed footage of stains on the torn seat cushions, as well as on the fold-out tray table. He remarked: 'Air India has to improve on this." On top of this, their remote control socket was broken, and their in-flight entertainment screen wasn't working. A glance around the cabin showed he wasn't alone on this front. Unfortunately, there were yet more grim finds awaiting him in the "old and dirty" bathroom, which he claimed had "no amenities" or even tissue paper. The air freshener also didn't seem to be working. Calling upon Air India to update and refurbish their older planes, he asserted: 'It's only been half an hour into the flight, and it's already dirty". Broken seats In April of this year, as previously reported by the View From The Wing travel publication, an Air India passenger making the 7,500-mile journey from Chicago to Delhi claims she was told 'there was a technical issue" with her business class seat, which "wouldn't recline". Instead, she says she was offered two economy seats, which she was allegedly pressed to take. Although she allegedly made it clear that she wished to keep the broken business class seat and have a partial refund, she was informed this wasn't an option. She claims staff continued to press her to take the economy seats, and handed over a form for the seat reassignment. After sitting in her original business class seat, the passenger allegedly found only a broken tray table. She also learned that her seat opponent had accepted a downgrade from first class, on account of a broken seat. Two rows of business class had also been cleared out, apart from the crew rest seats in the cabin that were curtained off. This alleged series of events was told by the woman's daughter, who uploaded a screenshot of the seat reassignment form to Reddit. Claiming that her mother had been "scammed", she wrote: A few hours in, several of the crew/attendants get in the seats, cover themselves with blankets, and go to sleep. "Then on her flight back home there were no issues with her seat but she watched them run the exact same play on the woman in front of her in line with the form, technical issue, etc – she tells her and multiple of the passengers get to talking about it and corroborate similar happening to them on other flights. Same situation occurs with rows of empty business seats that the crew takes over midway through the flight." 'Technical snag' In a more recent review filmed back in May, aviation vlogger and content creator Noel Phillips documented his "awful" flight aboard Air India's "Filthy Boeing 797", showing followers sights such as a "grimy" window button, and a hair left behind by the previous seat occupant. They also spoke about how the power went out, and how passengers were told they'd been a "technical snag", after learning the flight would be delayed by 45 minutes. In one part of the video, a baffled Noel, who was travelling business class, shared: "So a passenger across the aircraft has got to their seat, and there's like a massive bit of metal sticking out of the seat. Okay, they've fixed it with a bit of gaffer tape, so that's all good, I suppose." According to Noel, staff initially didn't mind him taking a review video, but when the technical difficulties began, it allegedly became clear that his camera was no longer welcome, forcing him to be more "discreet". While inspecting the toilet, Noel was alarmed to find "liquid matter on the floor", and also wasn't majorly won over by the in-flight entertainment, where advertised content such as games, music, and even the flight map, wasn't available. Unfortunately, Noel's reading light was out of order, meaning he couldn't even read the newspaper he'd been handed at the beginning of the flight. He also advised future travellers to bring along a power bank, as neither the 3-pin plug nor USB were working. Flights deemed safe despite poor reputation Mr Jones noted that, before the airline was acquired in 2022, the overall reputation of Air India was "exceptionally poor", but regulators in the US and Europe continued to allow the airline to take passengers. He said it was important to note that the airline would not have been able to if any "significant safety lapses" were found. The expert said: "Prior to privatisation, Air India's reputation was exceptionally poor. But it's important to remember that the airline was still deemed safe by European and American regulators, who permitted the airline to operate flights to the US, UK and Europe. "If these bodies had found significant safety lapses then this would not have been permitted, as we saw over the last five years with Pakistan International Airlines which was banned from flying to these destinations until their safety record (and that of the Pakistani regulator) improved."
Scotsman
14 hours ago
- Scotsman
Claire's whirlwind trip to Dublin and Galway
17 years after hit film P.S I love you hit our screens, Claire Hannah visited Ireland's Dublin and Galway and found the destinations have lost none of their allure Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It's a tale of two cities.. Dublin and Galway in 48 Hours. By the time I hit the massage table at the spa at Radisson Blu Hotel in Dublin, I'd been in Ireland just under two hours, but was wishing I'd got there sooner. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It had been a 4:30am alarm to get to Manchester Airport for the flight, but my bleary-eyed-ness and the hustle and bustle of the airport melted away as my therapist Showmiya got to work on my back… I swear she had magic hands! This was the perfect start to my mission. 48 hours, two cities, two hotels, and a very important pint to pull in between. I think you can tell where I'm going with this, I am in Ireland after all! Day One: Dublin Delights and Dancing Feet As soon as I met my up with my fellow holidaymakers at the arrivals hall at Dublin Airport, I knew this was going to be a fun trip. Hugs all round and excited chatter as we boarded the minibus for the drive to Dublin city centre. It was when the driver started talking, I KNEW I was in Ireland, that unmistakeable accent, telling us the history of Dublin, along with explaining how it had become a mecca for tech companies. He pointed out the European headquarters of Google, TikTok, Facebook, Microsoft, and many more, before our final stop at the hotel. I have been to Dublin before, back then I stayed in a hostel near the famous Temple Bar. Nothing wrong with hostels and I had an absolute ball, but stepping into the Radisson Blu was very different. You know when a place feels expensive, but in a good way? That. Big comfy chairs, lovely stone floor, plants, but not too many, and smiley staff. Fancy, but not in an 'ooh, I'd better not touch anything' kind of way. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad My room wasn't quite ready to check in, but as we were going to the spa, I'd grabbed my swimming cossie out of my case, ready. After my magic massage, I floated to the relaxation lounge with its subdued lighting, herbal tea on tap, a cocktail glass full of fruit, and a comfy lounger. But it didn't end there. My new travel buddy Cat and I went down to the thermal suite. A room full of steam and heat with a bright blue hydrotherapy pool, so we were straight in the water. Bliss, but sadly was short lived, we knew we had to grab lunch, so it was quick blast in the steam room and sauna, before getting dressed (over my swimming cossie) and hot footing it to the new restaurant. Velvaere Spa Thermal Suite | Radisson Highlight here was, obviously, the food, but also an ingenuous app the hotel has created which you download and point at spots in the hotel courtyard, and it recreates what it used to be like. With a scan of a QR code, I was walking behind a Viking, seeing old church walls, and an old Irish police station, before, fed and watered, I got to check into my room. What a treat.. huge comfy bed, stylish and contemporary, with the lovely touch of the Celia Aherne book 'P.S. I Love You' as a welcome gift (can you believe it's 17 years since the film came out?), but no time to read it, just a couple of hours to relax, before we were being taken out, to breathe Dublin in. The Radisson Blu is a hop, skip and a jump from Temple Bar, but this was not our venue for the night. Instead, a short taxi ride away was The Lansdowne Hotel, where we were served Beef Stew, cooked in Guinness. Traditional, hearty and delicious, and down my neck in no time. We were all then ushered downstairs to what seemed like a secret underground theatre, for 'The Irish House Party'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Reception at Radisson Blu, Dublin | Radisson This was brilliant, four unbelievably talented musicians on a small round wooden stage, one of them a dancer who'd toured with Michael Flatley, with the fastest feet I've ever seen, but despite all this talent, they didn't take themselves seriously at all. Cracking jokes, taking the mickey out of us all, getting us women to sing like men, the men to sing like women, and then came a really poignant section. A history lesson about why Irish women used to dance with brooms. Years ago, women there weren't allowed to go out dancing, so they'd dance at home with a broom, swirling around it like it was a dance partner. This stuck with me, both funny and really moving. The perfect night in Dublin, a blend of culture and craic, and a little bit like a mad Irish wedding, I went to bed with sore cheeks from laughing. Day 2 -The Road to Galway, with a pit stop for the perfect pint The next morning it was destination Galway, a drive of between 2 and 2.5 hours from Dublin, but with a very important stop to make on the way. Sean's Bar in Athlone, which is officially the oldest pub in Ireland, maybe the world. It was everything you'd expect an Irish pub to be, sawdust on the floor, rich earthy smell, and people at the bar looking on in shock when we walked in with our cameras and waited our turn to be shown how to pull the perfect pint of Guinness. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I'll be honest, I'd never been a fan of Guinness until my first trip to Dublin, and now I enjoy it, (with a splash of Vimto, something to horrify the Guinness purists), but home poured, from a can, so I was mega excited to be given a lesson in pouring from the experts. The barman handed me a pint glass, then gave me the rundown: 45 degree angle until the Guinness reaches just past the letters, let it settle, then top it off. Proud to say, I nailed it, got the nod of approval from the barman, who presented me a certificate with my name on it, confirming I had 'crafted the perfect pint of Guinness.' I've never felt as proud. Just over an hour after leaving Athlone we arrived at Radisson RED Galway, a hotel with a completely different vibe to Blu. Blu was classy and calming, but as soon as you step into Red, it hit you with fun. A bright red grand piano in reception, edgy art, and a funky bar. Even checking into my room, I noticed a difference with the toiletries. The packaging for the shower cap bore the words 'Do not wear in front of the mirror', so yep, of course, as anyone would, I did. Claire Hannah at Sean's Bar | Claire Hannah Galway is a party city, and Red is placed about a ten-minute drive from the hustle and bustle, but given a couple of hours to explore, I hopped into an Uber to check out what the city had to offer. This is a city buzzing with energy and fun, pubs spilling out onto the pavement, colourful streets, and buskers everywhere (it's where Ed Sheeran started out, but more on that later). It's also home to beautiful shoreline if you head up the prom to Salthill. I love the sea, so this is where I went, and really felt like I'd stepped into a seaside postcard. Gorgeous crystal blue water, with a golden sandy beach, with some brave souls swimming. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten my swimming cossie, so had to give that a miss, but glad I didn't miss Salthill. For our last night we were invited to the rooftop restaurant at the hotel, Lena's. The hotel is eight storeys high, so we were treated to stunning views over Galway Bay, and an even more stunning sunset from the outdoor terrace. A much more chilled night than Dublin, but equally as enjoyable. I was with quite a few content creators, so when the food and cocktails arrived, no-one was allowed to eat or drink anything until they'd taken a picture or video. 'STOP EATING THE FOOD!' became our new catchphrase. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After breakfast in the morning, we were treated to a whistlestop walking tour of Galway (just about fit into our 48-hour deadline), and while I know 'walking tour' might not scream excitement, it was worth it. Our guide was part story teller, part historian and part comedian, filling us in on why water is no longer part of a water feature in Eyre Square (pranksters used to pour washing up liquid into it, filling the square with bubbles), the history of Vikings in Galway, showing us the original city walls, and telling us how when Ed Sheeran was a teenager, he used to busk on the streets of The Latin Quarter, and we all know what happened with him! And with that, my time on the Emerald Isle was over… time to board the minibus for the drive to the airport and the flight home. The verdict Two cities, a perfect pint, culture, lots of laughing, and wonderful Irish music and dancing. If 48 hours is all you have in Ireland, this is how to do it. I might be back in England now but my certificate is framed on my wall. I came, I poured, I nailed it! P.S Ireland, I love you. We stayed at: Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin. Rooms from £151 per night. (NB the Velvaere Spa costs extra and is strictly over 18s, enquire at the hotel). Hotels in Dublin City Centre | Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Dublin Radisson RED Galway. Rooms from £103 per night. Welcome to Radisson RED Galway | Radisson Hotels Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad More details here on the Irish House Party
