World Travel Guide Search for a City   Destination Guides > Europe & Russia > Europe Europe .  Europe .  Climate And When To Go .  Travelling In Europe .  Red Tape And Visas .  Health .  Costs, Money And Banks .  Communications .  Festivals And Annual Events .  Gay Travellers .  Explore Europe EUROPE - GAY TRAVELLERS Gay men and lesbians will find most of Europe a tolerant part of the world in which to travel, the west rather more so than the east. Most countries have at least in part legalized homosexual relationships, and the only part of Europe covered in this guide where homosexual acts are still against the law is Romania. Laws still in the main apply to male homosexuality; lesbianism, it would seem, doesn't officially exist, so it is in theory legal everywhere. The homosexual age of consent is, however, usually different from the heterosexual one - on average 18 years of age as opposed to 15 or 16 years. In general, the Netherlands and Scandinavia (except Finland) are the most tolerant parts of the Continent, with anti-discrimination legislation and official recognition of lesbian and gay partnerships. Reactionary laws against "outraging public decency" or "promotion" of homosexuality exist in Russia, Turkey and the UK. Most cities of any size, at least in northern Europe, have a few bars or cafés frequented by gay men , and it's not hard to make contact with other gay people. In the major northern capitals, certainly, the gay scene is usually fairly sophisticated, with any number of bars, bookshops, clubs and gay organizations and switchboards, though things are usually firmly slanted towards gay men. The gay capital of Europe is perhaps Amsterdam, but there is plenty of interest for gay men in London, Paris, Copenhagen, and, to a lesser extent, Madrid and Barcelona. In southern Europe, things are less developed: the main cities may have the odd gay bar, but it may not advertise itself as such, and outside of the capitals there won't be many obvious places to meet at all. Lesbians can likewise usually find somewhere to meet with other gay women in northern Europe, albeit on a much smaller scale than gay men, while elsewhere, in southern and eastern Europe, word-of-mouth is about the only course open. We've detailed the best of the gay scenes of the major cities in the text; for further information, contact the organizations listed. International gay and lesbian contacts Damron Company , PO Box 422458, San Francisco, CA 94142 (tel 1-800/462 6654 or 415/255 0404 , www.damron.com ). Publishes a men's and a women's guide, and an accommodation guide and gay road atlas, all mainly on North America but covering major European cities too. Ferrari Publications , PO Box 37887, Phoenix, AZ 85069 (tel 1-800/962 2912 or 602/863 2408 , www.ferrariguides.com ). Publishes Ferrari Gay Travel A to Z , a worldwide gay and lesbian guide; Inn Places , a worldwide accommodation guide; the worldwide guides Men's Travel in Your Pocket and Women's Travel in Your Pocket . International Gay Travel Association , 4331 N Federal Hwy, Suite 304, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33308 (tel 1-800/448 8550 , www.iglta.org ). Trade group that can provide a list of gay-owned or gay-friendly accommodation, travel agents, etc. Madison Travel , 118 Western Rd, Hove, East Sussex NN3 1DB (tel 01273/202532, www.madisontravel.co.uk ). Established travel agents specializing in packages to gay- and lesbian-friendly mainstream destinations, and also to gay/lesbian destinations. Pinkstay   www.pinkstay.com . Austalian-based organization with information on everything from visa information to finding accommodation and work around the world. Silke's Travel , PO Box 1099, Sydney, NSW 1300 (tel 02/8837 2000 , www.silkes.com.au ). Long-established gay and lesbian specialist, with the emphasis on women's travel. Spartacus Gay Guide , Bruno Gmünder Verlag, Wrangelstrasse 100, 109977 Berlin (tel 49-30/6100 1120); at Bookazine Co, 75 Hook Rd, Bayonne, NJ 07002 (tel 1-800/548 3855); at Turnaround, Unit 3, Olympia Trading Estate, Coburg Rd, London N22 6TZ (tel 020/8829 3009); at Bulldog Books, PO Box 300, Beaconsfield, NSW 2014 (tel 02/9699 3507). International gay guide with information on meeting and cruising spots for gay men, but nothing much for lesbians. www.gaytravel.co.uk Online gay and lesbian travel agent, offering good deals on all types of holiday. Also lists gay- and lesbian-friendly hotels around the world.