Outside the USA?
Remember this is very subjective. Do you speak French, Spanish, German?
Toronto, Canada. Not sure which neighborhood is THE anchor for the gay community. But the winter weather isn't as bad as one might imagine. Although Toronto has its smudgy areas, if you squeeze your eyes it's sort of like Manhattan in some places, only clean. It's also the most diverse city -- culturally and racially -- in Canada (OK, Canucks and Quebecois may slam me for saying that, but that's my personal opinion.)
Paris (almost anywhere except the outer slums where the population is mostly Muslim. Not that Muslims are bad people. It's simply that you'll encounter more injustice regardless of who you are in those areas.)
Madrid. Big gay community strewn throughout the city. But the place is fucking enormous and the winters can be almost as cold as Cape Cod . . . but it's a dry cold.)
Berlin. Either you like Berlin or you don't. It is, however, the most gay friendly city in all of Germany. It's also the porn center of northern Europe. although Prague is close on its tails. The extremes seem to be the leather/fetish crowd and/or some of the most remarkable drag queens in the world. Personally, I find German kulture to be somewhat kold. But the men are gorgeous and very friendly. Can't say the same thing about the women . . lesbian or straight. But the men are gorgeous. Did I just say that? The men are gorgeous.
Amsterdam. Yup, there be a big gay community in down town central Amsterdam. But there's a lot of other shit going on as well. It may be an "open" city, but crime is at an all time high, especially if you're a rube without connections who decides to take up roots and replant himself there. If you don't speak Dutch or German you'll quickly realize that you'll always be an outsider, regardless the size of your shoes. Also, sometimes it's a clean city. Sometimes the place is trashier than midtown Manhattan after VJ Day. (Does anyone remember VJ Day?)
Rome: Just buy a plane ticket and go already! While you're on the plan read the International Damon Gay Guide and take a taxi to a hotel that it recommends. However, pick pockets and small time crime seems to be a popular pass time with everyone. But there are plenty of gay police, although they don't identify themselves as such. Still, you'll most likely get lucky reporting your lost wallet to a stunning city policeman.
Florence: This is just a beautiful place to visit. You don't have enought money to be gay here. Move along.
The Italian and French Rivera: It's hard to tell who ISN'T gay or at least bisexual. The workers in the service industries (waiters, bartenders, hotel employees) all seem to have arrived from Africa, Greece, Turkey, and the Middle East to work and fuck in same sex communal peace. Lots of Arab Emirate money (but in the closet). And there are some French, Italians, and Germans, too. But a cohesive gay community is difficult to ferret out.
Barcelona: Major gay friendly city. L'eixample (le shamp) neghborhood, specifically the south L'eixample is where I live and the gay community is firmly entrenched. Although on any given day you would be hard-pressed to recognize it. For most of us who live in the L'exiample the gay community doesn't exist until after 10:00 PM when the place is transformed from what appears to be a regular heterosexual neighborhood (which it still is) into par-tay central (which it is). And the wealtheir new gay residents are buying what scarce property is available towards the north between L'eixample to Passeig de Gracia (think Left Bank in Paris, but no river). And we have almost as many immigrants from Muslim countries living in peace among us. Go figure. Caution: Stay away from el Borne, a neighborhood south of the City Zoo. It's full of drunken, upper-middle class, mostly straight 'Mericuhn tourists and temporary residents trying to act like the Lost Generation a la Paris 1920's. Ain't pretty. Lots of frat boys and girls puking in the streets.
Sitges: There is Costa Brava north of Barçelona and Costa del Sol south of Barçelona. Ignore the Costa del Sol because it's rife with straight Brits (I'm actually very fond of Brits) who behave exactly like southern California high school students on the weekends in Tijuana. The UK vacations along the Costa del Sol indulging in sexual mischief they'd never try at hom. Much puking and seeking of lewd behavior (sigh, if it were only just sex) among the heterosexual set happening along the the Costa del Sol until there are no more beaches and you reach Málaga. However, Sitges (only 30 minutes by train from BCN) is still relatively unspoiled and for such a scenic Spanish town terraced from the beaches to the terra firma above, it's a sublime place where there is a great straight community dominated by a much larger gay community -- although it's seasonal. Sitges is the gay destination for all the other Western European countries. It's sort of like a gay Spring Break that lasts from early April to the end of September. If you're young, go there. If you're a dirty old man (like me) go there. It's a bit pricey for 'Mericuhns, but not for Europe. You will find a bar and an enclave of gay subculture to satisfy any taste. Bears are especially prevalent. Bars catering to those between 18 and 30 are the most hedonistic places I've ever been, and I lived through the halcyon years of 1970's gay San Francisco. Not only is Sitges a lovely place, but the food is good, too.
Australia: Sydney and Melbourne (sp? this is hard of an old 'Mericuhn faggot to write who speaks Spanish 24/7. My ability to spell -- even with a spell checker -- is just a memory). Go to Bondi Beach, the gay part, set up your beach umbrella and just drool. Many heterosexuals also inhabit the gay part of the city beaches, but the gay community has its own gay beach safety patrols in matching Speedos who are not picky -- they'll save anyone from drowning. Melbourne is less spectacular, but worth mentioning because they have an earnest and genuine gay community that is very friendly. Caution: A 12 year-old Australian can out drink the most alcoholic of tourists. He'll also be able to arrange a taxi to haul off your sorry derrier when you passs out. Australians are a swell bunch. They still revel in their right to get drunk. That may be the reason Australia is the only country left where you'll find action in almost every public restroom and truck stop on the continent. Straight truckers and station (ranch) workers seem to be quite at ease having sex with men if the fair sex isn't readily available. They are also famous for beating the shit out of you, too. I have a good friend who turns coin by taking foreign gay tourists with a fetish for glory holes on a 7-day excursion along the by ways of Australia's notorious "cottages." He actually makes a tidy profit pandering to this particular old-fashioned crowd. On the bright side, Australia is very accepting of gays and gay rights. (I'd avoid Perth, but so do most people. It's pretty, but small and very isolated.) The only problem with Australia is that it's at the end of the world (32-hour flights from the USA). But it's a nice end of the world.
Brazil: Sao Paulo and Rio de Jinero. But first you must learn Portuguese, the language of 4,000 irregular verbs. The language barrier, alone, is why most gay 'Mericuhns find themselves disappointed after vacationing there. 'Mericuhns are famous for expecting for everyone to speak 'Mericuhn before they'll give up their 'Mericuhn dollars. And it is true that for some it might be easier to learn 12th Century Classcal Martian than Portuguese. However, the most beautiful music in the world eminates from this country of beautiful, primarily mixed-race people. The general population is living proof that hybrid vigor and beauty is a solid maxim in human genetics. Other than Italy, where else will you find naturally blonde, green or blue-eyed men and women with supple, flawless shades of brown skin? Remarkable.
Buenos Aires: Only in the last 15 or so years has BsAS, specifically the Federal Capital (CAPA), has the gay community crept out of the closet and coalesced. This is my Squeeze's home town. Among most South and Central Americans BsAs is famously known as big dick central (¡lo más pijas grandes del mundo!) I blame it on the 10 million southern Italians who immigrated to Argentina from about 1900 to approximately 1966. It seems everyone's mother or father was born in Calabria, Italy. But the gay community is the fastest growing in the Southern Hemisphere. The food sucks, except for the traditional chunk-of-cow a la parilla. From Peña to Malabia along Avenida Santa Fe is where you'll find most gay venues, shops, restaurants and "Taxi boys" (who work Marcelo T. Avelar, the street that parallels Ave. Santa Fe. Parque Rosales livens up at night with the most stunning transvestites working for a Peso anywhere in the world. Berlin has serious competition in this particular area. And the Mayor of Buenos Aires has a gay community ombudsman who helps coordinate international advertising for tours and lodging among the gay-owned, gay-friendly businesses. There are many straight venus who cater specifically to the gay tourist. It's also a nice place to live, once you get used to the lush Rioplatanse dialect. Oddly, I know many lesbians originally from 'Mericuh who have relocated to BsAs and none of them can't stand each other. At first glance, BsAs is a sprawling dump. But once your eyes adjust you begin to realize you are surrounded by nothing but faded elegance.
And I understand Cape Town, South Africa is nice. But like Australia, it's a Hell of a long way to go just for a blow job.
Cheers.