The Madrid Pride Festival is the most important one in Europe, and one of the biggest in the world. For example, in 2017, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the first celebration of pride in Spain, Madrid hosted World Pride. It brought together more than 2 million people, making it the largest Pride festival in Europe and second largest in the world. Here is our hand picked guide for enjoying Pride Month in Madrid 2023.

History of Madrid Pride

The first Pride Festival in Madrid was held on June 25, 1978; roughly 7,000 people participated. (The first Pride festival in Spain was actually held in Barcelona the year before). Since Madrid is such an open minded city that proudly considers diversity as one of its main attributes, the Festival quickly grew in popularity. Its relaxed attitudes, cultural attractions, vibrant nightlife and historical respect for LGBTQ+ rights has also made Madrid one of the top LGBTQ+ travel destinations. Through the years, locals and visitors alike increased the attendance of the Madrid Pride Festival.

In 2007, Madrid hosted the celebration of Europride, highlighting the city as a top LGBTQ+ friendly destination. The success of World Pride 2017 cemented the city as one of the top Pride Festivals and LGBTQ+ travel destinations.

Madrid Pride is not just a long weekend; it is an entire month of celebrations, events and smaller festivals that are not just attended by those in the LGTBQ+ community, but by all Madrid citizens and families.

Pride month in Madrid 2023

Pride 2023 officially begins in Madrid on June 28, 2023. The biggest day will be the afternoon of the first Saturday in July when the Madrid Pride Parade  will take place. The parade always runs from the Atocha train station to the Plaza de Colón.

In reality, Pride now runs the entire month of June. This year there will be many events, parties, concerts and experiences to celebrate Pride Month in Madrid 2023. Some of our favorites are:

For music lovers: Primavera Sound

Primavera Sound is one of the most important music festivals in Spain. For the first time, it will take place in Madrid over the weekend of June 7-11, as part of Pride Month. To kick off the festival, on June 7th there will be a free access concert at the Metropolitano Stadium; this is the new home of Atletico Madrid and is one of the most modern stadiums in the world. It is headlined by The Pet Shop Boys; the other performers are Jake Bugg, Confidence Man and La Paloma. It will finish with a Brunch Electronik on June 11th, which is also at the Metropolitano Stadium. The brunch isn’t free, but ticket prices start at a very reasonable 35€. Sunday afternoon electronic brunches have become a fixture of the Madrid club scene, so this one is bound to be quite the party.

The other days of the festival are full day events. They will take place at the Cuidad del Rock complex that was purpose built for large music festivals. It’s situated in Arganda del Rey, a municipality a little to the southeast of Madrid.

For cinema lovers: LesGaiCineMad

Lovers of queer films will love this event. The finest movies based on, or directed by, members of the LGBTQ+ community are shown for a week during this film festival, which is considered one of the most complete in terms of content. There will be screenings of short films, feature films, documentaries and dissident cinema. The exact dates of the festival have not been announced, but the organizers tell us it will be during Pride month in Madrid 2023. You can check their website for details. Note- the website is in Spanish, as are the films.

For art and history lovers: Inclusive Love at the Museum Thyssen-Bornemisza

The Museum Thyssen-Bornemisza is one of the three big art museums in Madrid that are must sees for any art lover. It is also the most progressive of the three museums and always has interesting special exhibits of contemporary artists, designers and precious jewelry (the Givenchy and Bulgari exhibits were particularly good).

One of the features of its permanent collection is an exhibit called Inclusive Love. It is tour of 16 artworks, created through the centuries, that:

“Surveys the collection through some of the themes, icons and people related to the sensibilities, culture and experiences of the LGBT community (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) which have always been present in art, though their presence has been invisible throughout the ages.”

The tour includes an audio guide that walks you through the exhibit. To learn more (the website includes a very detailed description) and to purchase tickets, you can click here: Inclusive Love at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

The Thyssen Museum is located in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Madrid: Las Letras (the literary quarter). This neighborhood is one of the oldest and most atmospheric in Madrid, particularly at night with its old gas lights and narrow, cobblestone paved streets. Las Letras comes alive during Pride more than any other, save Chueca. It has some excellent, vibrant restaurants and rooftop bars. A few that are particularly  worth visiting during Pride month in Madrid 2023 are Salmón Gurú, which was included in the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2022, Viva Madrid and the glamorous rooftop of the ME Madrid Reina Victoria.

For everyone: Mr. Gay España

This is one of the highlights of Madrid Pride and receives a massive amount of media coverage. The contestants represent the different Spanish regions; the winner will represent the country in international contests. Mr. Gay Spain highlights the different realities and personal stories of the finalists, who meet in the Grand Final on June 30. There contest features performances from both national and international artists.

To learn more about the events happening during Pride Month in Madrid 2023, click here: LGTBIQA+ Pride Festivities Madrid 2023

The best neighborhoods to stay to celebrate Pride

During Madrid Pride Month in 2023, there will be free concerts, shows and events in many neighborhoods of Madrid. As public transport can be very crowded during this month and taxis very hard, if not impossible, to find at night, we recommend staying in one of the neighborhoods where the Pride celebrations are focused. One excellent choice we mentioned above is Las Letras.

All of the neighborhoods in The Center: Malasaña, La Latina and Lavapiés, have very vibrant Pride celebrations. However, the center of it all is the neighborhood of Cheuca.

Chueca

It all started in Chueca. Decades ago a few businesses dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community began opening in the neighborhood; places like trendy bars, exciting new restaurants, bookshops and upscale fashion boutiques. It became not only a place where one can enjoy a lifestyle free of prejudice and exclusion, but one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan neighborhoods in Madrid. This is why it was inevitable that the first Pride Festival in Madrid took place in Chueca.

The heart of the neighborhood is Plaza de Chueca. It was given its name in 1943, named after Madrid musician Federico Chueca. Terraces line the square which, during Pride, are filled with people drinking, eating, sunning themselves and people watching. Some of the most interesting establishments on the square are the Bodega De Angel Sierra, an establishment that dates back more than a century and serves the famous vermouth of Reus. Escape Bar is a legendary place dedicated to lesbians. These establishments and the bar la Chuequita, make this square the Ground Zero for Pride in Madrid.

Nearby is Plaza de Pedro Zerolo, named in honor of the Spanish politician Pedro Zerolo, one of the most important activists in the LGBTQ+ community to fight in Spain for LGBT rights. He was one of the biggest promoters of the LGBT marriage law, approved July 3, 2005, and was as also responsible for the sexual identity law that recognized transsexual rights. 2023 Madrid Pride will officially start here on June 28, with a reading of “Pregón.” Following this, a giant rainbow flag is flown in the plaza during the course of Pride.

Luxury rental apartments in Chueca

Madrid Estate has a number of luxury apartments to rent in Chueca, both short and medium term. Here are just a few; please contact us to arrange a FREE CONSULTATION to learn about our entire portfolio of rentals.

Calle Pelayo

From 1 to 3 months: 4.000 €/monthly
From 3 to 9 months: 3.500 €/monthly
Security Deposit: 1 month of the rent
Cleaning fee: 380€

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Libertad

Real Estate for sale in Chueca

Chueca has some of the best real estate in Madrid, and is one of the most exciting, yet still elegant, neighborhoods to call home. Madrid Estate has a number of properties in Madrid that are available for those wanting to live in Chueca full time, or invest in a place where they can stay during future Pride Months and AirBnb for the rest of the year.

To learn more about properties for sale, arrange a FREE CONSULTATION TODAY.