With summer well underway and the UK deciding whether to reach its melting point or re-enter our 15th winter of the year, it's officially time to pack up and head somewhere with sand, sea and sweet custard tarts…

Portugal has long been a favourite destination for LGBTQIA+ travellers, with some of Europe's strongest legal protections for queer people. Same-sex marriage has been recognised since 2010, same-sex adoption since 2016, and conversion therapy for minors was banned in 2024. In ILGA's 2026 Rainbow Map, Portugal ranked among the top LGBTQIA+ friendly countries in Europe.