The cavalcade of colourful canal boats packed with hundreds of extravagantly costumed homosexuals is like nothing most people have ever seen. On the first Saturday in August, thousands of people line the Prinsengracht and Amstel River to watch the world’s only pride parade on water. The street parties, club events and exhibitions of Amsterdam Pride draw more than 350,000 participants and visitors each year. With four distinctive gay districts in the city centre, rainbow flags on nearly every other street and the annual Gay Pride celebration, Amsterdam is the place to be for gays worldwide. Amsterdam has a long and fierce reputation of tolerance and respect for the rights of minorities, including those of gays and lesbians and homosexual couples can openly show their feelings for one another in public without fear in the Dutch capital. Other countries like Belgium, South Africa, Argentina and most Scandinavian countries followed shortly after. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to officially recognise same-sex marriages. It’s hard to imagine a more gay and lesbian friendly travel destination than Amsterdam.
