Torremolinos is one of the most popular holiday destinations on southern Spain’s Costa del Sol. The town is known for its beautiful beaches, picturesque streets, great restaurants, and vibrant parties. Hosting the third largest Gay Pride Parade in Spain, Torremolinos is considered a top gay holiday destination.
The best gay hotels in Torremolinos are centrally located, in the gay districts of La Nogalera, Pueblo Blanco, and El Gato Beach. These hotels offer everything a visitor could dream of: sea-views, an adult-only environment, elegant spas, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and tasteful interiors. La Nogalera is often referred to as a “gay village”. During the day, visitors relax in the town’s charming cafes, which serve tasty breakfasts and lunches. At night, the area’s bars and nightclubs come to life with friendly gay crowds that come for the great cocktails and music. Pueblo Blanco is a charming labyrinth of narrow alleyways with whitewashed houses. Here travellers can find the best al fresco dining options, and the most stylish gay bars. El Gato Beach, meanwhile, is a central gay beach located in front of El Gato Lounge. It is much-loved for its lively atmosphere, all-day music and zingy cocktails.
Torremolinos has long enjoyed a reputation as being a welcoming place for gay locals and travellers alike. In fact, the first gay bar opened here as far back as 1962. Partying, music, and sexual freedom became the norm, and the town became a safe haven for Spanish and international gays. The bar, located in La Nogalera, is considered the epicentre of what later grew into the gay neighbourhood. Today, Spain is a liberal country and La Nogalera is filled with gay bars, saunas, restaurants, and some of the best gay hotels in Torremolinos. Apart from La Nogalera, the gay scene is spread along the coast, especially around El Gato Beach. With its epic gay parties, Torremolinos is the perfect place for gay visitors to socialise with fellow travellers of various nationalities in an inclusive and fun environment.
Torremolinos Gay Pride takes place between the last week of May and the first week of June. It lasts nine days, and consists of themed parties, exhibitions, films, concerts, and festivals scattered all over town, particularly in La Nogalera’s bars and on El Gato and Eden beaches. Highlights include high heels races and best dressed competitions. The main parade takes place on Saturday evening, and it travels along Rafael Quintana and Europa streets, Isabel Manoja and Manantiales avenues, Costa del Sol square, and Palma de Mallorca avenue. The parade ends in La Nogalera square, where performances and live music acts take place. On the closing day, a massive beach party is held on El Gato Beach. Since more than 40,000 people attend the event each year, the best gay hotels in Torremolinos fill up quickly, so advance booking is highly recommended.
Torremolinos is famous around the world for its incredible gay parties. Because of the amazing climate, travellers visit the town to relax and party year-round. Delice Dream is an exclusive Spring Break Party that used to take place in Barcelona and Sitges before arriving in Torremolinos in 2019. Held at the Ritual Hotel between the end of April and the beginning of May, and lasting nine days, Delice Dream is considered one of the premier gay parties in Europe. Tickets are best booked in advance online. Wonder Gay Festival is a week-long Summer Circuit Party taking place between the end of July and the beginning of August. It features daily pool parties and day and night beach parties at Eden Club, where international DJs keep people dancing late into the night. Tickets to individual events as well as weekend passes are available for purchase. Los Alamos Beach Festival is an amazing event that brings together top names in electronic music and a diverse and friendly crowd. Held in Estepona, it is easy to reach from Torremolinos and is favourite of in-the-know party-goers. Taking place around July to August, the festival brings together house music, rap, and reggaeton’s biggest names. Finally, MAD.BEAR Beach is a summer meeting of international gay bears, with a wide choice of beach and club parties.
Similarly to the best gay hotels in Torremolinos, the best gay bars are located in and around La Nogalera, El Pueblo Blanco, and El Gato Beach. What makes Torremolinos’ bar scene stand out is the fact that many of the best bars are within walking distance of each other, making bar hopping easy. During the day, Eden and El Gato beach clubs are the places to hang out. They offer great music, refreshing beach-side drinks and food. Arcos Bar, located in La Nogalera, is a popular English-style bar with a spacious outdoor terrace and indoor lounge area. Vanilla Cafe, meanwhile, is open every day between 9am and 10pm and serves delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and cocktails. Nearby Codigo Bar puts on great cabaret and drag shows, while Men’s Bar is popular with bears.