Travel with Pride this June

When: Saturday 27 June – Saturday 4 July

Just like the Olympics, the Gay Games are held every four years, and this year, it’s Spain’s turn to host the XII Gay Games, a 7-day event hosted in the medieval coastal town of València, a 2-hour flight from Paris, if you wanted to make your trip a Rainbow Crawl.

The Opening Ceremony on Saturday 27 June kicks off the proceedings, followed by all your favourite sporting events: track and field athletics, cheerleading, beach volleyball, Dodgeball, DanceSport, swimming, diving, rugby, the Rainbow Memorial Run and a whole lot more. If you’re more of a spectator and less of an athlete, don’t worry. There’ll also be cultural events covering exhibitions, photography, literary meetings, fashion, music and film, all for and by LGBTIQA+ athletes and artists.

Stick around for the Closing Ceremony on Saturday 4 July, and party on well into the night.

Travel tip:

Sporting a fancy Garmin watch to track your performance at the games? Or perhaps you’re bringing along your new Canon SLR to capture all the action. If that’s the case, consider whether adding valuable items cover to your NRMA travel insurance policy is right for you. This optional cover can help ensure those extra-special items are covered for their full replacement value if they’re lost, stolen or destroyed while you’re away (subject to any terms and exclusions of your policy).

When: Saturday 4 July

If you skip the closing ceremony in Spain, you might just make it in time to join more than 35,000 to people celebrate Pr!de in London.

The march starts at Hyde Park Corner, not far from Buckingham Palace (feel free to wave at the King), proceeds up Piccadilly, past Trafalgar Square (that’s the one with Nelson’s Column and the lion statues) and finishes at Whitehall, not far from Westminster and Big Ben. Along the way and all around London — including the queer district Soho — there’ll be plenty of rainbow entertainment all day.

If you’re planning to make a day of it, dress appropriately — that may be less, that may be more — as long as it’s superb. There’ll be a lot of people there, so make sure you’re alert in the throng of people, and have a fabulous time.

When: Friday 24 – Saturday 25 July

Berlin is known as the rainbow capital, and July is their Pride Month. Every year there’s a new theme and motto, and this year’s is ‘Taking a Stand is Hot’; a call from organisers to continue advocating for equal rights.

But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of celebration, colour and movement, and it culminates with Christopher Street Day. Commemorating the Stonewall riots in New York’s Christopher Street, there’ll be performances and speeches at the iconic Brandenburg Gate on Friday 24 July.

Then on Saturday, the parade works its way through the queer district Schöneberg and finishes at Brandenburg Gate for a large rally. Check out the stages, with entertainment and lots to see and do, but expect a lot of people – we’re talking hundreds of thousands by the way. Keep hydrated, safe and have fun.

Travel tip:

Unfortunately, terrorism is an ongoing threat at many public events and hubs, including some tourist locations and events in Germany. Always consider official warnings and follow the advice of local authorities to help stay safe.

When: Saturday 25 July – Saturday 8 August

End your tour of pride on a high with a 90-minute flight from Berlin’s Pride rally to join WorldPride in Amsterdam.

WorldPride is an annual global celebration for the LGBTIQA+ community, and it’s no coincidence that Amsterdam is hosting in 2026; can you believe it’s been 25 years since the first same-sex wedding took place there? It’s fitting then that the theme this year is ‘Unity’.

It kicks off — like all good rainbow celebrations do — with a Pride March through the centre of Amsterdam on Saturday 25 July and wraps up in Vondelpark.

But that’s not all, of course, there’s a 2-week program to follow, brimming with events. Highlights include Street Parties hosted across 10 different streets between Friday 31 July and Saturday 1 August, plus the world-famous Canal Parade (which is what it says on the tin) on 1 August; the Unity Concert on 4 August; and Wedding Party XXL on 6 August, a huge celebration with symbolic wedding vows and blessings in the chapel.

It finishes on Saturday 8 August as it began, with a parade. This time it’s the WorldPride March, which will be bigger and more colourful (if that’s possible) with lots of international participants finishing at Museumplein for the Closing Concert. There’ll be music, dancing, performances, and happy tears and laughter.

Travel tip:

At the risk of sounding like an over-protective parent, always be alert to potential risks while you’re out partying, such as drink spiking. Never leave food or drinks unattended, and if you’re travelling with friends, take care of one another.

We hope your pride celebration abroad is memorable for all the right reasons. Enjoy, stay safe, and if you’re considering getting cover for your trip, be sure to check our guide on understanding travel insurance.