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Best Gay Bar in the World
Roscoe's Tavern | The Week | The Abbey | The Round-Up Saloon | Club Mañana | Royal Vauxhall Tavern
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TripOut Gay Travel:
London
Gay Friendly Rating:
Very welcoming; this place is gay-tastic!
Historic, trendsetting and quirky beyond belief, London still swings as an international gay mecca. Need to spice up your summer? Skip 4th of July in the U.S. and head to London Pride!
London Fast Facts:
- Gayborhood Most of the homo-happenings are focused around Soho in the middle of the West End, although Vauxhall in the south has sprung up its own little scene with a cluster of pink facilities. And frankly, gay parties pop up all this sprawling city!
- If you're out drinking, bear in mind pubs and bars close at 11 generally, unless they have a later licence. Most nightclubs in the West End get busy around midnight and are open until 4. You can guarantee there will always be somewhere to carry on the party at any time if you're a hardcore raver.
- Travelling is easy in London, as it has one of the best-connected subways in the world. ¼4.70 will buy you a daily travel card, which allows you to hop on and off the London Underground (the tube) and buses. Route maps can be picked up at any station, but bear in mind the last trains are at 1am. Buses run 24/7 and are generally quite safe, but sit on the lower deck at night time for safe keeping.
- Black taxis are as much a London landmark as Big Ben but are relatively expensive compared to other cities. Mini cabs prowl outside nightclubs and will rip you off if they think you look gullible. Any more than ¼10 to get somewhere in Central London is daylight robbery.
- For club and bar listings, and a pretty high standard of editorial, pick up Boyz, QX and the Pink Paper magazines in bars, shops and cafes around town. The new issues are out every Thursday with the weekend's shenanigans listed.
- The West End boasts a vast array of plays and musicals. It features many of the Broadway hits, such as Spring Awakening, Chicago and Jersey Boys, at a fraction of the New York seat prices. Line up early mornings for cut-price tickets at the TKTS booth on Leicester Square.
The Visit London Ltd. is a member of the IGLTA, the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association, which supports and promotes LGBT travel around the world.
London Top 5
Don't leave town before checking out...
Recommended In London:
Hotels & Inns
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Courthouse Doubletree by Hilton London - Regent Street 19-21 Great Marlborough Street
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Griffin House 22 Stockwell Green
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Radisson Edwardian Berkshire Hotel 350 Oxford Street
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Regent Palace Glasshouse Street
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Saint Martins Lane Hotel 45 St. Martin's Lane
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The Langham 1c Portland Place, Regent St.
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The Soho Hotel 4 Richmond Mews
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Travelodge
Restaurants
- Balans 60 Old Comtpn Street
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Bocca Di Lupo 12 Archer Street
- Cafe 1001 91 Brick Lane
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Carluccio's St. Christopher's Place
- Cocoon 65 Regent Street
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El Cantara 45 Frith Street
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Gaucho 25 Swallow Street
- Masala Zone 48 Floral Street
- Mint Leaf Suffolk Place
- Questo 26 Romilly Street
- Sketch 9 Conduit St
- The Edge 11 Soho Square
- The Ivy 1 West Street
- Veeraswamy 99 Regent Street
- York & Albany 127-129 Parkway
Bars & Clubs
- Ghetto 1 Falconberg Court
- Green Carnation 5 Greek Street
- Heaven The Arches
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Ku Bar 30 Lisle St
- Profile 56-57 Frith Street
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Royal Vauxhall Tavern 372 Kennington Lane
- The Candy Bar 4 Carlisle Street
- Too2Much 11 Walkers Court
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Village 81 Wardour Street
- XXL The Arches
Shopping
- Alfred Dunhill 2 Davies Street
- Fortnum and Mason 181 Piccadilly
- Hamleys 188-196 Regent Street
- Laden Showroom 103 Brick Lane
- Liberty Great Marlborough St.
- Paxton and Whitfield: Cheesemongers 93 Jermyn Street
- Penhaligon's 125 Regent St
- Rokit 107 Brick Lane
- Selfridge's 400 Oxford Street
- St. Christopher's Place St. Christopher's Place
- Tiffany & Co 25 Old Bond Street
Sights & Activities
- Afternoon Tea at The Ritz Hotel The Ritz Hotel
- Cologne Market Runs along the Southbank Centre and London Eye.
- Debenham's Department Store 334-348 Oxford Street
- Geffrye Museum Kingsland Road
- Harrods 87-135 Brompton Road
- Hayward Gallery Southbank Centre
- London Zoo Outer Circle
- Notting Hill
- Oliver! Theatre Royal
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Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical Shaftesbury Avenue
- Saatchi Gallery Duke of York's HQ
- Selfridges & Co 400 Oxford Street
- Tate Modern Bankside
- The Dali Universe County Hall Gallery
- The London Eye South Bank

London: A Traveler's Delight