Havana cuba gay bars
Gay friendly places in Havana
This month (May 5-24), Cuba hosted the 7th Campaign Against Homophobia. There were many activities to promote the campaign held in Havana, Granma and some other locations in the region. The event signifies a change of mind-set in Cuba about the theme, and the promotion of respect for sexual orientation and gender identity. Only a few years ago, there was only one gay lock legally recognised in the country (El Mejunje in Santa Clara city), today we share a list of homosexual friendly places in Havana, published by Conner Gorry in Cuba Absolutely Magazine:
Cuba Absolutely Gay Friendly Places Article
- Cabaret Las Vegas
- Cine Club Diferente
- Fashion Prevent Habana
- Escaleras al Cielo
- Café Bar Madrigal
- Café Fortuna
- Bar Bohemio
Also consider:
A trasvesti show is hosted at the Sociedad Cultural Rosalía de Castro (Av. de Bélgica #504 altos, e/ Máximo Gómez y Dragones, 07/862-3193).
In Vedado, Café Fresa y Chocolate (Calle 13 y 12, Vedado) and La Arcada (Calle M y 23, uncover 24 hours) are gay bars very visited. The cramped, humid Club Tropical (Línea, esq. F, 07/832-7361, daily 10 p.m.–3 a.m.) occasionally acts as a gay venue, as does the steamy cellar exclude, C
A holiday guide to Cuba for the LGBTQ community including gay friendly hotels, bars & beaches.
A little history
Before the Revolution, Cuba was a traditional, conservative island controlled by large landowners, business groups and the church. Like most other Latin countries, machismo was very much the prevailing culture and, as such, outside of a handful of in-the-know venues in Havana, the LGBTQ community in Cuba was largely underground.
Any hopes that the Revolution, which reached its denouement at the end of 1958, would usher in a fresh period of acceptance or even tolerance was quickly dashed.
Members of the Cuban LGBTQ community were viewed as entity ideologically unsound and subject to appalling treatment and numerous restrictions.
It wasn’t until 1979 that homosexuality was decriminalized and not until 1988 that it became legal. Even so, and despite numerous discussions within the pollical elite (the de facto top of the Cuban LGBTQ community, Mariela Castro, is the late Fidel Castro’s niece), same sex marriage is still not permitted.
Attitudes to the LGBTQ community
While Cuba hasn’t morphed into a same-sex attracted Shangri La, and homophobia still exists (where doesn’t
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“Which route should we walk?”
My friend and I had arrived at Mi Cayito beach in Cuba, a stretch of shoreline 15 miles east of Havana, in hunt of gay Cuba travel experiences. It looked as though the beach extended quite a distance in both directions, so we were unsure where to identify the gay section of beach that supposedly existed. The Internet hadn’t been much help in that regard.
Just then, a college-age guy with a sassy demeanor sauntered past with a female friend. We were evidently on the right track. “Follow him!”
Our hope that the dude would lead us to the male lover beach were realized when, after five minutes of walking west, we spotted the rainbow flag.
Visiting Mi Cayito, The Gay Cuba Beach
On this weekday afternoon, the gay beach had maybe 100 people at most, but it was still awesome to observe signs of gay life in Cuba, where acceptance is growing but still not nearly at the same level as in most western nations.
As of this writing, Cuba still has no official gay bars (just the occasional gay night at a club). So the gay beach was our best shot at finding the LGBTQ crowd in Havana. And w
Havana Tours > Gay Havana Tour
At a Glance
| Duration | 5 hours | |
| Time | 7:00pm | |
| Availability | Daily (except Jan 1, Dec 25) | |
| Group Size | 12 | |
| Meeting Point | A private home in Vedado (address provided after booking) | |
| Ending point | Bar or nightclub in Vedado |
Detailed Description
Join us to learn about the fascinating and tumultuous history of Cuba’s LGBTQ+ communit!
Your experience begins with coffee and snacks hosted in a local Cuban abode. Delve into the affluent queer history of Cuba while engaging in sincere discussions about life as an LGBTQ+ individual on the island. This is your opportunity for genuine conversation. It is a door to understanding and friendship—a chance to combine and exchange experiences and perspectives.
Afterwards, we embrace the spontaneous spirit of Cuban nightlife, where the rhythm of the night is never fixed. Venture with us into gay-friendly bars and nightclubs that welcome and celebrate diversity. Whether it’s a mellow coffee-house atmosphere or a boisterous drag night, you’re in for a fun night! The venues we check in will depend on the day of the week, the city's pulse, and