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Being gay in Poland is no easier than being gay in any deeply Catholic, formerly Communist, state - in other words, it's no walk in the park. But modern Warsaw is the most open city in Poland when it comes to the acceptance of homosexuality, and many gay and lesbian Poles will also tell you it's also the place with the most gay and gay-friendly clubs. Below, we've gathered a selection of the best clubs and cafes, and even hostels and hotels for the gay or lesbian traveller, as well as some Polish websites of various GLBT organizations and communities.
For general information about the history and current laws and statistics on homosexuality in Poland, see our Gay Krakow page.
Above: Warsaw's Tolerance Parade in 2007
Warsaw's gay and gay-friendly venues:
Bars and Clubs
Tomba Tomba:
ul. Brzozowa 37
Tomba Tomba is probably the most popular gay venue in Warsaw, and we have a hunch why: it might have something to do with the giant jacuzzi in the cellar, where complete strangers tend to climb in (often naked) and enjoy a few drinks. Though the Polish government has tried to shut it down numerous times, luckily Tomba has survived and continues to prosper. Keep an eye out for special events.
Rasko:
ul. Krochmalna 32a
A club known for its warm atmosphere and clientele (not to mention the wild decor and wall paintings), Rasko is a laid-back place to have a few drinks and occasionally enjoy a drag queen show.
Utopia:
ul. Jasna 1
A club for (mostly) men with one of the toughest door policies in town, Utopia is a heaven of gorgeous faces, equally smart decor, and some of the best DJs that keep the party going, not to mention a VIP room.
Klub Paradise:
ul. Wawelska 5
Paradise is one of the most popular dance clubs, jamming dance music all night and with a large outdoor area open in the summer. It's a bit out of the centre, but reachable by bus or taxi.
Toro:
Marszalkowska 3/5
Another one of Warsaw's most popular gay bars, Toro hosts frequent events like disco parties and shows which last all night.
Barbie Bar:
ul. Zurawia 6/12
It's a bit hard to find (the entrance to the bar is behind the building) but once you're in you'll find a friendly club with good music and laid-back people.
Fantom Club:
ul. Bracka 20a
Yet another hard to find spot, Fantom is a club and sauna for men only, with dark rooms, video rooms, and themed parties on Sundays.
Przychodnia:
ul. Prozna 8
Similar to Fantom above, Przychodnia ("Clinic") is a bar and sex club for men.
Kokon:
ul. Brzozowa 37
Kokon is an energetic bar with a small dance floor and generally diverse crowd.
Galeria:
Plac Mirowski 1
The occasional drag queen shows make this little bar worth coming to.
Lodi Dodi:
ul. Wilcza 23
This small bar in the very centre of the city now has a cinema and darkroom downstairs.
Bastylia:
ul. Mokotowska 17
Small gay-friendly cafe
Accommodation and Tours
Friends Guest House:
ul. Sienkiewicza
+36 (309) 323334
gaystay.net/Friends/Warsaw/
Friends Guest House, also with a location in Krakow, was the first gay owned and operated guest house in Poland, and is still the only one in Warsaw. The guest house has three rooms in one building located right in the very centre of the city, close to the Central Train Station, and a stone's throw from stores, cafes, and the Old Town.
Gay Warsaw Tour:
From the people at Warsaw Tours: www.tours-warsaw.com
A gay tour of Warsaw that not only takes you to the best clubs, but also treats you to a day of spas, sightseeing, and a chance to meet local activists.
Polish GLBT Organizations and Websites:
Culture for Tolerance: www.tolerancja.org.pl
Campaign Against Homophobia: www.kampania.org.pl
Poland's gay portal: www.gay.pl
Lesbian and feminist portal: www.lesbijka.net
GLBT portal, events: www.innastrona.pl
Lesbian Coalition (LBT): www.porozumienie.lesbijek.org
Positively homosexual portal: www.homiki.pl
Women for Women: www.kobiety-kobietom.com
Independent lesbian and bisexual portal: www.lesbijka.org
GayGuide Cracow: www.cracow.gayguide.net - A guide specially catering to the gay or lesbian traveller. Also available for Cracow, Prague, Sofia, and Budapest.
If you know of other particularly gay-friendly places in Warsaw, please let us know; and feel free to post your comments about gay Warsaw on this page below. We encourage different viewpoints and want to hear your thoughts about the gay cause in Warsaw (though we won't tolerate abusive or hateful comments). For more information about pro-gay organisations and events in Poland, visit www.tolerancja.org.pl. You can also download a PDF of the Campaign Against Homophobia's "Situation of Bisexual and Homosexual Persons in Poland - 2005 and 2006 Report" here. We've included a few Poland-specific GLBT websites above, though many are only in Polish. We hope they'll be a helpful resource; if you know of any other helpful websites, let us know as well! | | | |
 | | "Hi guys,
I am staying for 2 nights in warsaw, Novotel city center, from 11 till 13 november. Want to meet some nice guys for date.
Regards
" | Mark
United States
Nov.11.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hated Tomba,Tomba ...the big secret is in Stare ... head to the new palce in Stare Miasto - all inclusive... you'll love the artwork ( just ask for the club Dziubek is in... Usta Marianne, plenty to enjoy ;)" | Nasty, but nice
Poland
Nov.08.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "looking someone for practice my spanish
and other things:-)
i'm 41 live in warsaw" | michalski
Poland
Oct.30.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I'm in Warsaw until Oct 23. Willing to have a drink, go out with someone who knows the area. Email me wopdi@hotmail.fr" | Jerome
France
Oct.21.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I'm an italian boy of 37 years old.i'm in poland near lodt and I'm looking for a old friend who like rules plays and so on.." | gian
Italy
Oct.19.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hey i will be in warsaw between 23-25 october 2009. need to meet some guys to hang out and enjoy. i will stay in a centrum hotel. i can host. here is my email martin.danube@gmail.com " | martin danube
United States
Oct.03.2009
rates this page 2/5 |
| | "Hi Guys
Visitin Warsaw October 23-26. . on my own. want to make the most of my short visit. What's #1 gay place for friendly encounters. .bars/ sauna? cafe? what do you think?" | Doug
United States
Oct.02.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hy i'm french and i am in watsaw untill januarye. i'm looking for men to drink,.... my e-mail is ilador@msn.com come on. I'm 21" | Wawa
France
Oct.01.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hi, boys!
I would gladly meet someone and make friends in Poland, in capital or ... I'll stay in Poland beginning from mid September for almost a year." | Michael
Ukraine
Sep.06.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "il be in warsaw for few days aroudn sept 21 first time wld like a friendly person to show me around and maybe dinnerand I speak english //am older man...60's but young at heart lol" | dave
Canada
Sep.05.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "I AM IN WARSAW.. I AM FROM ARGENTINA" | JEREMY
Argentina
Aug.21.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hi! I'll be visiting a friend in Warsaw from the 10th of June to the 15th, so would enjoy meeting older lesbians to talk about your experiences. Unfortunately, I have no Polish but speak English and Dutch." | Shelley
Netherlands
May.25.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "Hi guys,
Jamaican visiting Warsaw 1-4May and looking for fun etc" | Meric
Jamaica
Apr.25.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Hi, Im in Warsaw from today till 24 th :) So if anyone cute would like to hang out then just email me :) Im free in the evenings :)" | Raul
Estonia
Apr.19.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "And here is my mail :) sharukh@wp.pl" | Pawel
Poland
Apr.16.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "If U will be in Warsaw just let me know ;) I can show U some places :)
I'm 21 and quite good speaker of English :)" | Pawel
Poland
Apr.16.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "hi, I'm italian and I will be in warsaw from 14 to 24 April. I'm looking for some interesting guys to have some fun with." | marco
Italy
Apr.04.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "hola bear mexicano!
yo estoy en Varsovia el 29, también de pelo en pecho" | Fernando
Spain
Mar.26.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Ill be in warsaw 29 30 31 Im a bear from mexico would You like to have some funm and make agood friendship" | Sergio
Mexico
Mar.11.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "When in Warsaw Toro club!!! If you like to dance to great music or chill out at the downstairs bar (Vodka Specials 10zl.)this is the place.Great 2 floor club and bar off Marszalkowski street. Taxi from centrum around 30 zl. It's worth it!!" | Joe NYC
United States
Mar.03.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "hi 21 year old chinese guy. arrived myself today. you want to hook up and have some fun? tell me how I can contact you " | openminded
Spain
Mar.01.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hi guys,I'd like to meet some interesting people, who could show me around. So, help me, I'd be very glad...
Kisses and hugs :)" | Jealous86
Azerbaijan
Oct.20.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Hülye buzik! Dunába veletek!
Greetings from Hungary!" | Horace
United States
Sep.10.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "As a fluent speaker I would like to correct the post where they say the poles refer to gays as "pervert". The correct translation of the Polish word is pedophile...The word "gay" is international for a reason. " | Edgar
Canada
Jun.15.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "A 21 chinese guy looks for guys around the same age in warsaw who speaks english...
" | justcasper
China
Mar.01.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Nice american boy looking for a nice polish boy....." | William
United States
Feb.29.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "i tried to be straight before, but i hurt a girl because iam a natual gay. i start my new life from gaysinglehunt dot com. i met my bf there" | Jacek
United States
Jan.13.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "My friend & I visited KLUB 7 in Krakow
it had been recommended by a drag Queen in market sq. We arrived at a metal fire door & pressed a buzzer. A flap opened & a good looking young man said you know this is a club for perverts. We paid 5 Zloties & were RELUCTANTLY allowed into the club which is in an old cellar. It was a dump & we wanted to meet all the perverts. Some people stared at us. We did attempt to break the ice, After 2 hrs it became very smokey (we don't smoke) & we had not seen any perverts yet. We left it was a dump & its sad that Polish gays use the term Perverts. We loved Krakow & ignored the Gay scene. We are off to Warsaw on the 17th & will not bother to visit anything Gay. Our home cities of edinburgh & glasgow have nicer Gay Places" | Mike Asher
United Kingdom
Sep.26.2007
rates this page 1/5 |
| | "There once was a man named Duncowski. His luck with the ladies was nasty. But in the Kitsch can, he met a nice man, and now his other half is quite husky..." | DJ Analog
United States
Aug.03.2007
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I used to be Hetero but it was so boring. Now I'm gay! Hooray!" | Big D
United Kingdom
Jul.25.2007
rates this page 5/5 |
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