Gay Cuba

Yes — same-sex marriage is legal in Cuba. See the Legal Status panel on this page for the specifics. Cuba decriminalised same-sex relations in 1979 and in September 2022 approved by referendum a new Family Code that opened marriage, civil unions, adoption and non-commercial surrogacy to same-sex couples, making it one of the most legally progressive countries in the Caribbean. The 2019 constitution bans discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, employment discrimination has been illegal since 2013, and a 2025 law allows legal gender and name changes without surgery; the state has provided gender-affirming surgery free since 2008. What Cuba does not allow is independent organising. The state's CENESEX runs the official anti-homophobia events; when it cancelled the 2019 Havana march, activists who marched anyway were arrested, and independent LGBTQ journalists face harassment and travel bans. The history is heavy, from the UMAP labour camps of the 1960s to police sweeps of gay venues in the late 1990s, and Fidel Castro apologised for it in 2010. Havana's Vedado district has a small, lively scene, and Santa María beach is the gay beach.

The cities listed on this page have the most active LGBTQ+ scenes in Cuba, typically anchored by the capital and the largest tourist cities. Each city page links to verified LGBTQ+ venues and upcoming events.

Yes — gay-friendly and gay-popular hotels are listed on each city page in Cuba. International chains in central districts are reliably welcoming; independent boutique options are flagged where the community has verified them.