Zurich's reputation as a gay destination means the parties are pretty mean all year round - like the Street Parade in August swiss-image.ch/Stephan Engler

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Zurich, Switzerland: chic, cheesy and downright sexy

It may be known for banks and big business, but this Swiss city is far from a drab financial centre. In fact, hit the old town, the lake or the trendy west side and there’s not a suit in sight.

Laid-back, open-minded and oozing wealth from every manicured street, Zurich’s gay scene is as chic, cheesy or downright sexy as you want it to be.

It’s definitely the kind of city where gay PDAs won’t raise eyebrows, and there will be no awkward hotel check-ins or pushing of twin beds together.

The scene is mainly situated on Limmatquai, along the river, and in the narrow winding streets leading off it. And Zurich West, the Shoreditch of the city, is rapidly becoming a gay hotspot with huge industrial spaces being transformed into superclubs and bars, like Labor Bar.

In the centre, T&M (www.gaybar.ch/tundm) is one of the top clubs, with mega-tacky Europop, a dodgy dark room and a great mix of mainly gay boys out for a good time, while Lotus Club (www.lotusclub.ch) sees well-heeled young trendies, mainly boys and straight girls, dance to electro.

As usual, there’s more for boys than girls, and places aren’t particularly mixed. But when the lesbians do get together on the first Sunday of every month at Tanzleila (www.tanzleila.ch), you can be sure they’ll be dancing well into the early hours.

And of course, Lake Zurich, the Kunsthalle gallery and the fascinating Old Town – which hid Lenin and gave birth to Dadaism – make Zurich a great place to spend a culture-packed day, before heading out for a night of homo hedonism.

Great for straights: Zurich’s thriving gay scene means a sense of fun pervades the whole city. It also means you’ll get some first-class bars which are open to everyone. Dipping your toe in the gay scene pond? Start with Barfüsser (www.barfuesser.ch) – allegedly the oldest gay bar in Europe, which has gone from a post-war leather bar to an ultra-modern lounge and sushi joint. In the industrial chic of Zurich West, Labor Bar (www.laborbar.ch) is the trendiest spot in town.

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Get there: Swiss flies from £150 return, www.swiss.com

Where to stay:

Minted: Park Hyatt. Doubles from £250, zurich.park.hyatt.com

Skinted: Plattenhof. Doubles from £139, www.plattenhof.ch

Antwerp, Belgium: a sparkling gaycation

Just a hop, skip and butch little jump from London on the Eurostar, Antwerp feels worlds away from the stress of Soho.

Home to the diamond trade, a fashion school and the HQ of Dries Van Noten, it’s no surprise the queer scene is all style and sparkle.

Gay people in Belgium have been able to marry since 2003, leaving them free to pursue more pressing issues, such as where to find the perfect brogues to match those skinny jeans. It’s fitting the gay bars and clubs provide them with a well-dressed backdrop. Expect plush velvet and Philippe Starck chairs.

In such a small city, there’s no real gay “village” and the scene is spread across different areas. But if you had to find the heart of gay Antwerp it would be Het Roze Huis (The Pink House), a community centre with a cafe-bar.

Since 1994, it has been a meeting place for the LGBT community and its Den Draak bar is a hit with local lesbians. Bars range from men-only Rubzz (rubzz.com) to Que Pasa (www.cafe-que-pasa.be), a drag club, while there’s a lesbian party every second Sunday of the month at the Red and Blue Club called Cafe de Love (www.cafedelove.be).

Antwerp’s cobbled streets, designer boutiques super-cool nightlife make this a unique place for an upmarket gay city break.

Great for straights: Antwerp’s sense of style means that its glitzy scene is suited to heteros too. Start the day at POPI cafe (www.popi.be) – a cute cafe-bar fit for anything from breakfast to late-night parties. When night falls, it’s time for the ridiculously trendy club, Cafe d’Anvers (www.cafe-d-anvers.com). Not strictly gay, it attracts crowds of hip homos to the heavy electro and warehouse-chic decor.

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Get there: Eurostar goes via Brussels from £59, www.eurostar.com

Where to stay:

Minted: Hotel Julien. Doubles from £162, www.hotel-julien.com

Skinted: Diamonds & Pearls. Doubles from £84, www. hoteldap.com

Seville, Spain: man-made magic

It may be famous for its cathedrals, bullfights and oranges, but Seville also boasts a small but perfectly formed gay scene.

You’ll find a handful of boy bars by the Guadalquivir river, but the main gay area is in nearby Plaza Alameda de Hercules – a large square lined with bars and cafes.

The Seville scene is more about bars with dancing and naff disco lights than large-scale clubbing. Most places are mixed, though there is a women-only bar, Noveccento (www.noveccento.com). It’s also not unusual for same-sex couples to dance together in the most traditional of flamenco establishments.

Drag is also big news here and most of the gay bars will host shows (try Itaca, on Calle Amor de Dios, or Hercules Mitico, on the Plaza Alameda de Hercules).

"Gay people in Belgium have been able to marry since 2003, leaving them free to pursue more pressing issues, such as where to find the perfect brogues to match those skinny jeans"

Sleep late, eat lots, explore the old town with its gorgeous gothic cathedral, and maybe even catch a homoerotic bullfight.

The scene is calmer, quainter and way less generic than Madrid or Barcelona, making it the ideal place for a gaycation with a difference.

Great for straights: If you’re a fan of Pedro Almodovar’s films (such as Bad Education, left) you’ll love the drag culture here. El Barón Rampante (sol.com/bar/baron) is a good place to start – it’s a very Sevillian mixed/gay bar, all dark wood and terracotta seen through a haze of cigarette smoke. There’s not too much loud music, so it’s perfect for rowdy late-night conversations.

Or for something more overtly trendy, try the roof terrace at the gay-friendly EME hotel (emehotel.com). It’s Seville’s equivalent to Shoreditch House, with amazing views of the cathedral and Giralda (the Moorish bell tower), beautiful people and the best mojitos in town.

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Get there: Ryanair flies from £50, www.ryanair.com

Where to stay:

Minted: Gran Melia Colon. Doubles from £110, www.gran-melia-colon.com

Skinted: Hotel Simon. Doubles from £46, www.hotelsimonsevilla.com

Berlin, Germany: It’s no Hoxton (and that’s a good thing)

Berlin’s been branded the “Hoxton of Europe”. But unlike east London’s gay scene, queer life in the German capital manages to be arty, subversive and super cool without disappearing into pretentiousness.

It’s edgy, with fashion, decor, DJs and drag queens all putting the “ü” into unique. It’s all about spontaneous squat parties, underground dive bars and warehouse raves where quite literally anything could happen.

Berlin’s legacy as a pre-war hotbed of hedonism continues today. After surviving a brutal regime of discrimination, the city is supportive and accepting of its gay community. There’s even a museum (the Schwules Museum) chronicling the history of homosexuality in Berlin.

The coolest gay venues in Berlin are hard to find, not because they have to be, but because there’s something spine-tinglingly exciting about having to ask a gang of hot guys with faux-hawks where they’re going tonight. The scene is mainly located in the Schöneberg, Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg areas, which also happen to be the hottest hangouts for students, fashionistas and creative types.

A great place to start the night is Drama bar (dramabar.de) a quirky, kitsch venue with a rowdy mix of guys and lesbians. Close by on Mehringdamm is Schwuz club (schwuz.de) where the “Search and Destroy” night plays dirty indie rock that puts London to shame. Mega Dyke (megadyke.de), as the name suggests, runs some pretty major lesbian parties including Girl Toxic, which promises to be “100 per cent politically incorrect”.

Gay guys dig the industrial stylings of the warehouse party at Berghain club (berghain.de). For a more mixed crowd head to Irrenhouse (myspace.com/irrenhouse) where drag kings, go-go boys and queer performance artists do their thing to heavy house music.

Great for straights: With the gay and straight scenes colliding in the trendy areas, it’s easy to cross the divide. Drama (see left) is a friendly place to start, and the street it’s on (Mehringdamm) makes for a brilliant night out, stuffed with restaurants and non-gay clubs. After that, it’s up to you whether you’re up for Schwuz or Mega Dyke nearby.

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Get there: Air Berlin flies from £129, www.airberlin.com

Where to stay:

Minted: Ackselhaus. Doubles from £110, www.ackselhaus.de

Skinted: ¬Mövenpick Doubles from £66, www.¬moevenpick-berlin.com

AND THE BEST OF THE REST

Bangkok

From lady boy bars to ultra hip hangouts, the Thai capital’s gay scene is as diverse as its population. The land of smiles is famously open-minded and the city’s gay clubs and bars, spread out across this sprawling city, are some of the best.

Toronto

Relaxed and unpretentious, T.O’s queer scene outshines New York’s with its dive bars, arty performances spaces and sleek, designer clubs. The Village, at Church and Wellesley, also has a thriving lesbian community and ‘Slacks’ is one of the best girl bars I’ve been to outside LA.

Philadelphia

Famous as the birthplace of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, Philly has one of the most culturally diverse gay scenes in the US, and a thriving African American queer community. The ‘gaybourhood’ comprises tree-lined cobbled streets, brick townhouses and a great array of shops, cafes, clubs and eateries.

Munich

Not as edgy as Berlin, but a gay time can be had in this Bavarian city all the same. The scene is focused in the Glockenbachviertel area, where a great mix of old-school German (think bratwursts and beer) meets stylish and modern. The annual Christopher Street parade on 11 July this year, is always a blast and the famous Oktoberfest has a great fun ‘gay Sunday’ this year on October 20th.

Zagreb

The Croatian city is one to watch as a gay destination. There is still a lot of prejudice and previous Pride celebrations have been cancelled by the police or government. But this year’s festival on 15 June was a great success and the scene is starting to become more open and integrated. The city has just one official gay club, two bars and two saunas – all situated in the central part of the city. It’s a beautiful place to visit, and the more support the scene is shown from gay tourists, the better.