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Every summer, Germany’s largest gay festival, Christopher Street Day, transforms Berlin into a giant street party, with thousands of gays and lesbians parading from Kurfürstendamm down the Straße des 17. Juni to Siegessäule. At night, the party continues in the city’s many gay clubs and Kneipen.

Berlin’s oldest and best-selling gay newspaper is named after the Victory Column, Berlin’s landmark. This colourful monthly magazine includes all sorts of useful information, a round-up of what’s on, small ads and interviews from the city’s gay scene.

Berlin’s best-known advice centre for gays offers help and advice of all kinds. Apart from psychological support in relation to Aids, safe sex and coming out, its counsellors offer help in finding accommodation, give support to those in troubled relationships and provide legal advice. Mann-o-Meter is also a good starting point for gay visitors to Berlin who wish to find out abut the gay scene – and, last but not least, the café is also a good place to meet people.

“SchwuZ” in Kreuzberg is one of the best venues for gay parties in Berlin. At weekends, this is where a young crowd hangs out, dancing, chatting, drinking and enjoying the entertainment. The parties are often themed – details can be found in gay magazines such as Siegessäule or Sergej .

One of the traditional pubs in Berlin, in the centre of the city’s gay heart in Motzstraße, Tom’s Bar is not for those who are shy and timid; Tom’s Bar is a well-known pick-up joint. Below the (rather dark and dingy) Kneipe is a darkroom.

Germany’s oldest openly gay bookstore stocks the entire range of German and international gay and lesbian publications. Its knowledgeable bookshop assistants will track down rare or out-of-stock titles at your request. The bookshop also hosts frequent literary readings.

Connection is perhaps not the best, but certainly one of the most popular gay discos in Berlin. Late at night, this is where gays mainly from the scene meet and dance to house and techno rhythms. In the basement under the club is a labyrinth of darkrooms.

A long-time favourite among Berlin’s scene, the Café Berio is an old-fashioned café that has been turned totally gay. In the summer its terrace is a great place to have breakfast whilst people watching.

The small Gay Museum is situated in Kreuzberg. It documents, through temporary exhibitions, the high and low points of gay and lesbian life since the 19th century. Next to the museum is an archive, a small library and a venue for cultural events.

This famous – and infamous – dance venue for young gays has been extremely popular for many years. The Sunday night club “Café Fatal” is legendary, when old German chart hits and dance tunes are played.