Why Germany Is LGBTQIA+ Friendly, By Those Who Have Travelled There

Places

Why Germany Is LGBTQIA+ Friendly—By Those Who Have Travelled There

As a third wave of the pandemic pauses overseas vacation plans, this writer rewinds to a memorable trip he took with his partner, Mohit Rai, to Germany. By Rahul Gangwani

Down a nostalgic trip in Germany

This famous quote by Michael Zadoorian holds even more significance today because of the times we are living in. An overseas vacation has become a big luxury thanks to the pandemic. So, when I got a small window of opportunity to travel outside the country a few months ago, I grabbed it without a second thought. It was also my first trip in 15 months, so it became even more special. I took the holiday with my partner and favourite travel companion, Mohit Rai. We decided on the itinerary just 15 days before taking off, and Germany was one of the few places allowing quarantine-free travel then, so we zeroed in on it. I believe that it’s better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times. And considering that neither of us had visited Germany before, our trip had an added layer of excitement.

Travelling with a like-minded soul is the best thing one can ask for. Mohit and I treasure our holidays for this reason. It’s a few days of us connecting on a different level and experiencing things that will stay with us forever. We are hectic travellers and not the sit-by-the-beach-all-day kind. Germany, with its dynamic culture and cities, seemed perfect for us. We landed in its financial capital, Frankfurt. It was the perfect city to begin our holiday.

As travellers, we try to pack in a lot. During the day, we do all the touristy stuff, and our evenings are all about exploring the best bars the city has to offer. The skyscrapers of Frankfurt are fascinating but no lesser is the majestic old town square, Römerberg. Our favourite part was the river cruise we took—on a big vessel with no other passengers. It seemed funny at first, but we made the most out of it.

we understood German hospitality. There’s a certain misconception about Germans. Most people think of them as stand-offish and rude, but we found the locals to be extremely friendly. From going out of their way to help us with directions, to offering suggestions on things to do, they greeted us with warmth. One of the bars we visited was hosting a bingo night. A flamboyant drag queen was on the mic, but, to our dismay, the game was being hosted in Dutch. This is when a couple sitting in front of us offered to translate everything being said by the host. The presenter soon realised we weren’t locals and conducted the rest of the game in English! Talk about inclusivity. Cologne aces it.

From Cologne we made a day trip to Düsseldorf. Both Mohit and I have a keen interest in fashion. So, we wanted to check out the fashion capital of Germany. Apart from introducing us to the fantastic style sense of its people, Düsseldorf gave us one of the most enjoyable afternoons of our trip. The Düsseldorf Altstadt is famous as “the longest bar in the world.” It has around 260 pubs and bars next to each other, and the vibe is simply intoxicating. We had one too many that day, to say the least.

Our next stop was Berlin, the city we were most excited about. In David Bowie’s words, it’s “the greatest cultural extravaganza one could imagine.” The energy of the city hits you the moment you set foot in it. In Berlin, we had 100 hours of non-stop adventures. Our days were spent exploring some of the best museums in the world, and in the nights, we did what you must do in Berlin: let your hair down and dance the night away. We discovered the best underground clubs, where DJs play exceptional techno music and folks dress up in their best. Berlin, with its liberal attitude and culture, also makes you feel empowered and bold. You can be who you are and do what you want to.

After the whirlwind that was Berlin, we reached our last spot: Munich. Two days of admiring the best architecture, guzzling beers in gardens, and eating the best German food, we couldn’t have asked for a better city to conclude our vacation.

Our Germany trip ticked all the boxes, and we can’t wait to visit the beautiful country again.

Getting There

Many airlines, including Vistara, Air India, and Lufthansa, fly from Delhi and Mumbai to Frankfurt Airport. The best way to hop cities within the country is by train.

Stay

Mandarin Oriental, Munich (doubles from INR 50,893) employs modern interior design with Oriental accents to make for a beautiful place to stay in a remarkable city.

TheRitz-Carlton, Berlin (doubles from INR 34,352) is located on the famous Potsdamer Platz, in the Berlin Mitte neighbourhood.

Hilton Garden Inn, Frankfurt City Centre (doubles from INR 11,109) lets you stay in the downtown area, in the heart of the city and just one kilometre away from the new old town.

Maritim Hotel Köln (doubles from INR 10,602) has 454 rooms that offer breathtaking views of the Cologne Cathedral or the Rhine River or the lobby.