Bear Pride returns to the Lisbon in May/June 2013
If you have been to Portugal, you'll know by now that most Portuguese men tend to be latino-looking, dark and hairy. Thus, it is not surprising that it's capital, Lisbon, has a large bear (and their fans) community. Lisbon is also becoming increasingly known as a LGBT travel destination for europeans and others. It offers plenty of bars, clubs and things to do, together with fantastic weather, tons of history and fantastic value-for-money. Put this two facts together and it won't come as a surprise that Lisbon is hosting more bear events every year. This time, Lisbon Bear Pride will take place in May and it's packed with things to do.

Plenty of parties & events from 29th of May to 2nd of June
This year, Lisbon's Bear Pride will last for a total of 5 days (yes, five!) and the partners of the event include some of the most prominent gay venues: Bar Tr3s, Trumps, Finalmente and Trombeta Bath. Please find below the full schedule:

Wednesday 29
16:00 – Welcome, Info and Ticket purchase/collection @ Bar TR3S
22:00 – Welcome Party @ Bar TR3S
02:00 – Welcome Bath @ Trombeta Bath

​Thursday 30
22:00 – 70’s/80’s Party @ Bar TR3S
02:00 – Bears @ Finalmente

​Friday 31
14:00 – Bear Bath @ Trombeta Bath
22:00 – Amateur Bear Strip @ Bar TR3S
(Candidates: sign up at Bar TR3S)
00:00 – Bears Clubbing @ Trumps
(DJ David Garcia from Spain)

Saturday 01
15:30/20:00 – Bear Pride Boat 2013 @ Opera Cruzeiros
(Welcome Drink, Snacks and Music included)
22:00 – Election of Mr. Lisbon Bear Pride 2013 @ Bar TR3S
(Candidates: send at least 3 pictures to: info@tr3slisboa.com)
00:00 – Topless Bear Dance @ Trumps
(DJ David Garcia from Spain)

Sunday 02
16:00 – Tea Dance @ Bar TR3S
22:00 – Bearwww Party @ Bar TR3S
02:00 – Bears @ Finalmente

To get your tickets and find out more about Lisbon Bear Pride visit their website. 

If you are in Lisbon check out our LisbonBeach Tours, including Praia 19 - Lisbon Gay Beach and our Gay Lisbon by Night tour.

Eliad Cohen returns to Lisbon this April
After having been in Lisbon a couple of times, Eliad and friends is returning this April. They will host a "Papa Party" in Trumps on the 26th of April. The event is part of the Papa Party international tour which is taking place in the many cities of the world.

PAPA Party is a popular international LGBT event
Founded by Eliad Cohen in 2010 during Tel Aviv Pride, PAPA has become one of the most well respected parties in the world. After conquering Israel and Europe with a groundbreaking party at Madrid Pride, PAPA embarked on its World Tour on 7 October 2012 in New York City.

Expect a fantastic night in Trumps
World-class DJs, exceptional performances, surprises throughout the night & and an incredible energy have made PAPA famous all over the world. So, on the 26th head on to Trumps and party!

PAPA Party World Tour website

Ursus is the newest gay bar in Lisbon
Ursus bar is the newest gay bar in Lisbon. It opened in late March 2013. Ursus is located in Príncipe Real, one of Lisbon's gay districts and it is walking distance to Woof LX, Woof X, Tr3s, CRU, Finalmente, Trumps and Construction.

Ursus is (not only) for bears
The owners of Ursus are in the bear community and Ursus is loccated next to other bear bars. Despite this, Ursus is a spot where everyone is welcomed. Ursus opens early(ish) (6pm) allowing you to enjoy a drink during the late afternoon. It is open until 4am.

For further information on Bear scene in Lisbon check our Lisbon Bear Guide.

MORE

Praça das Flores, 41-43
Website

The Conga Club parties have become a major LGBT event in Lisbon's nightlife. LisbonBeach went to check out the latest Conga party and all we can say is that we were not disappointed at all.

Conga Club is an Alternative Party
In the words of their creators, the Conga Club was "Born in the blazing summer of 2011. The Conga Club soon became one of the best parties of Lisbon's alternative nightlife circuit. Originally conceived by 5 friends to create a monthly party to stir up the city with boiling DJ's & emerging performers. Being creative, innocent and free means everything to us! Viva la Conga!". The creators were inspired by the brazilian singer Gretchen and her single "Conga Conga Conga" due to her ability to defy a conservative environment and fight for equality. Conga Club initially hosted its parties in Etílico, a space in Bairro Alto. There has also been a Conga Party in Construction and another in Ritz Club. Despite that, most Conga Club Parties take place in Faktory Lx. 
 
Conga Club Let's Dance Party in Faktory Lx
Conga parties are hosted once a month usually. The only way to know when and where is the next one is to follow their Facebook page. The latest Conga Club Party took place in Faktory Lx - located within LX Factory. This is an area where old warehouses have been taken over and re-developed with the creation of businesses, restaurants, bars and a fantastic library. The theme of this party was "Let's Dance" and it was inspired by David Bowie. We arrived early (1am) to miss the queues and were soon pleasantly surprised by the space. It is large enough, with 2 levels, each one with its dance floor and a very simple, yet cosy interior design. The space quickly got full with a fun-eager crowd. The music was very danceable and it ranged from alternative retro pop to more commercial hits. All in all, the atmosphere was perfect. There was a very friendly and positive vibe, with everyone enjoying themselves. We had so much fun that we didn't even expected to see the sun shine through Faktory Lx windows. This was at 7am and it was the closure time of the party. On our way out, we were greeted with jello-shots and headed home to recover. 

We hope the Conga Club organizes many more parties and we can't wait for the next one. If you happen to be in Lisbon, in a weekend with Conga, make sure not to miss it.

The cruise operator Atlantis has chosen Lisbon as one of the ports where it’s ship will stay overnight during an Amsterdam to Barcelona gay cruise. This is expected to bring nearly 2,000 LGBT travellers to the city.

Atlantis Gay Cruise Operator choses Lisbon
Atlantis is one of the largest operators of Lesbian & Gay Cruises in the world. Their 2013 schedule includes an Amsterdam to Barcelona cruise which will take place from the 5th to the 15th of September. The itinerary will include the following ports during their journey : Bordeaux, Bilbao, La Coruna, Cádiz, Ibiza and Lisbon. Only the ports of Ibiza and Lisbon have been chosen as overnight stops. The Lisbon stopover is scheduled for the 10th of Sepember. This means that cruise passengers will have the opportunity to spend half a day and the night in Lisbon. This will allow them to get a feel for the city and its LGBT nightlife.

Celebrity Constellation will bring 2,000 LGBT tourists
Atlantis will use the Celebrity Constellation cruise ship for this trip. The Celebrity Constellation has a capacity of approximately 2,000 passengers and 1,000 crew members. Thus, it is expected that Lisbon will welcome nearly 2,000 LGBT tourists on the 10th of September of 2013. This will be on a Tuesday which is traditionally a slow night for Lisbon, with most bars open but clubs are usually closed. Hopefully, some of the best clubs in Lisbon –  Construction, Trumps and Finalmente - will choose to be open on this Tuesday night. This will allow the cruise guests to enjoy even more Lisbon’s LGBT nightlife.

LisbonBeach hopes that the Atlantis cruise guests enjoy their visit to Lisbon and help share the potential of Lisbon as a LGBT tourism destination. 

We have added the Celebrity Constellation stopover in Lisbon to our guide of 2013 Lisbon LGBT Events.

For further information regarding this cruise please see Atlantis Cruise Operator.

Lisbon now offers the gay traveller another lodging option. Mekos Male-Only Lodge is a naturist guest house located near Meco beach. 

LisbonBeach had the opportunity to meet Luis and Antonio, the couple behind this new project. If you are searching for a naturist accommodation option for your Lisbon holiday then read on to find out about the Mekos Male-Only Lodge project:

Tell us about the Mekos Male-Only Lodge project.
Mekos is a 100% masculine and clothing-optional space in the form of a guest house (rental accommodation) for short and medium term stays on a self-catering regime.

What is the story behing Mekos Male-Only Lodge?
We are a couple and we have been together for almost five years. One of us worked for years in the financial field, while the other continues to work in medicine. This project was born following a series of factors, including sudden unemployment of one of us, the desire to work self-employed, the desire to leave the city and enhance our quality of life, and finally, last but not least, the need to fill a gap in the provision of such accommodation aimed at the male and nudist market. Whilst searching for the ideal space for our project, we found this house and soon fell in love with it. It has modern lines, however, it was somewhat rundown due to the abandonment it suffered.  
We are now still recovering the house and it has become both our residence and the Mekos Male-Only Lodge.

Tell us about the guests you hope to host?
At start, our target market was mainly male couples. However, we began to notice an interest by Mekos from single men. Despite that, some singles were hesitant about coming alone, so we created the Singles' Weekend @ Mekos, an event in line with what might be called slow-dating, as opposed the fast-dating where participants take turns every 5 minutes. The name says it all and does not require more than filling out a confidential form to easily create a cohesive group that can share the facilities, have fun and build friendships.

What rules do you have in the guest house?
The aim of Mekos Male-Only Lodge is to be a place where everyone can stay in a healthy and masculine environment, regardless their sexual orientation and with respect for everyone's preferences. It's just a matter of sense and sensibility. Without any false moralisms, we do not want Mekos to be seen as a cruising space. As our maximum capacity is 6 guests, we believe that an atmosphere of tranquility and respect will always prevail between our guests.

Where is Mekos located and what can be found in the surrounding area?
Mekos is located in the municipality of Sesimbra, in a quiet rural area with the sea on the horizon. We are 6km from the town of Sesimbra and another 6km from Aldeia do Meco. All essential services and shops are in a range from 2 to 4km. We are only 30km south of Lisbon, and therefore Mekos also serves the capital's public wishing to break with the routine and stress of the urban day-to-day. We are also able to serve international tourists, who from Mekos can explore Lisbon, Sintra, Évora and Tróia, for example.

How should we book  a stay in Mekos Male-Only Lodge?
To book you can contact us at mekos.ph@gmail.com, mentioning your travel dates and number of guests. You can also use the phone numbers (+351) 917536504 or 969832258. To confirm the booking, we ask for a 20% deposit, with the remaining 80% to be paid 15 days before the arrival date.

What else would you like to tell us about Mekos Male-Only Lodge?
At the moment we have a 2-bedroom apartment for 1 to 4 people, with kitchen, and an independent bedroom for 1 or 2 people, equipped with fridge, microwave and some small appliances. We also have a salt-water pool consisting of a jacuzzi with a waterfall, a 10mts main tank and a water-solarium We have a small gym, mountain bikes and a complete and qualified massage service. We have some reservations about installing television service, but guests have at their disposal a vast DVD collection. We also organize photo shoot sessions within the themes desired by the models.

You can find further details and updates on their website or in the Mekos Male-Only Lodge Facebook page. You can also contact Mekos Male-Only Lodge on mekos.ph@gmail.com.

Algarve is emerging as a Gay-Friendly Holiday Destination
The Algarve region, in the South of Portugal, has for many decades been an important holiday destination. Every year, tourists flock to Algarve in search of Sea, Sun and loads of fun. Unlike areas of the South of Spain, the Algarve has not reached an extreme level of urban development. There are still large areas that feel natural and untouched by mass-tourism. In the recent years, the region is targeting mostly high-end tourism markets focusing on those are searching for excellence experiences that include sun, sea, golf, gastronomy, history and  wellbeing.  Gradually, LGBT tourism is also rising in the Algarve. Our friends at AlgarveGay have quickly realized this and have created a guide for the gay tourist detailing what to do and where to go. Read on and discover how you can enjoy a fantastic gay holiday in Algarve. 

Algarve has fantastic Beaches with many being Naturist
There are tons and tons of fantastic beaches in the Algarve. On top of that, many of them are Naturist beaches. This means that you can bare it all and enjoy the sun. Most of these beaches are very frequented by gay men, although they are not exclusively "gay-beaches".  Have a look at the section of the AlgarveGay guide about beaches where you can a full list, including details on how to get to each one.

Nightlife with more Gay Bars and Clubs
Clubbing is usually an important part of the whole holiday experience. Thus, it is no surprise that you can find some outstanding clubbing experiences in this region. Further to that, the Algarve also offers several gay nightlife venues including bars and clubs and even a gay sauna. The number is still limited but it is definitely growing. Check the section regarding Gay Bars & Clubs in AlgarveGay for full details.

You can also stay up-to-date with gay events and parties in Algarve by following AlgarveGay on Facebook.

Gay Cruising in Lisbon
As you may already know Portuguese people are in general quite softer and gentler than other Southern Europeans such as spaniards or italians. Having said that, the Portuguese gentler ways don't mean that there isn't some serious cruising action taking place in Lisbon. Read on to find out how, when and where do Portuguese guys cruise.

Cruising indoors in Lisbon
If you happen to looking for some place to get some action then there are plenty of options. Have a look at our Lisbon Gay Guide where Lisbon saunas and sex-clubs are listed. There are several sauna options. All of them are located in the gay areas of the city or otherwise central districts of Lisbon. Most saunas in Lisbon are relatively small but they can definitely be packed with lots of action. Trombeta Bath is Lisbon's most modern sauna. It is located in Bairro Alto and its very clean and popular among tourists. Another Sauna worth mentioning is Saunapolo 56. This is also very modern and clean and it's main feature is that it is not only for gay men. Saunapolo 56 is a sauna for gays, lesbians and swinger straight couples. There are different themes for each night so it is worth to check their site before your visit. Another option for cruising are bars and clubs that offer a dark-room. In Lisbon, you have the following venues with a Woof X, Bar Sétimo Céu and Construction Club. A less conventional option for cruising would be gyms which can be very cruisy in Lisbon. Bar Cru regularly organizes cruising, fetish and naked parties so it's also a place to try.

Outdoors Cruising in Lisbon
Lisbon enjoys warm weather for most of the year, which means that a bit of outdoors action may be just around the corner. The largest and best place for cursing outdoors is Lisbon's Gay Beach, known as Praia 19.  This is a naturist beach and thus being naked is common and accepted. The beach is located within a Nature Reserve and there are extensive areas of dunes and forest. Cruising can take place basically everywhere in the beach, from the sea onto the dunes and the woods. Beach 19 is a safe place to cruise , just make sure you don't stay after dark.

In the city itself there are several areas where gay cruising takes place. The Príncipe Real park is particularly cruisy on Friday and Saturday nights from 2-3am onwards to the morning. The area is somewhat safe, but do exercise caution and good judgment. We would not recommend cruising in any other park of Lisbon as it may not be safe.

Lisbon keeps on becoming an even more gay-friendly touristic destination. In 2013, Lisbon will host many gay parties and events, All of these events are in addition to the already fantastic gay-scene of the city. Check our Gay Lisbon Guide for details on bars, clubs and saunas in Lisbon. 

 If you are planning your holidays, make a note of this dates and events. This page will be permantly updated as more events are confirmed.

Carnival Parties 
- 08/02 - Uniform Party @ Tr3s
- 09/02 - Pink Party @ Tr3s
- 10/02 - Carnival Party @ Tr3s
- Parties also in Construction Club, Trumps, Bar CRU

Easter Parties & Events:

- WinterAction 2013:
- Construction Club
- 28/03 DJ BINOMIO ( madrid )
- 29/03 DJ MAE ( sevilla )
- 30/03 DJ IVAN GOMEZ ( barcelona )
- DJ JOHN A. ( resident )

- Bear Easter Parties 2013:
- Tr3s Lisboa
- 28/03 - Surprise Party
- 29/03 - Amateur Bear Striptease
- 30/03 - Easter Bunnies Party

PAPA Party:
- 26/04 - Trumps

Lisbon Bear Pride
- 30th May to 2nd June
- Full details and schedule can be found here

Arraial Pride & Lisbon Parade
- 29th June

Conga Club Parties
- Check website for dates (all throughout the year)

Summeraction 2013
- August

Atlantis Gay Cruise
- 10th of September
- Full information available in here.

QueerLisbon
- September

And more to come. Make sure you come back and check again our calendar of gay events in Lisbon.

Are you planing a trip to Lisbon? Are you already in the city? Then check out our Gay Lisbon Map. LisbonBeach offers you the most complete and up-to-date map of Gay Lisbon venues, including Bars, Clubs, Stores and Cruising spots.

Find out more about each of these spots on our Lisbon Gay Guide.