GLBT Travelers - Best Pride in Europe?

My partner and I enjoy travel but have never "done" Pride anywhere larger than our native city of Dublin. I am hoping to rectify this for 2012 and was wondering what European cities FT'ers consider to have the best Pride events?

I'm looking for some where there's a big parade and special club events after. Extra points for cities where the parade goes the the heart of the city, and debit marks for anywhere where the after-parade entertainment is just the usual venues packing in more punters.

All opinions welcome!

London Pride is the only one I have attended personally. The parade lasted about two hours and there was a huge crowd afterward on and around Old Compton Street that lingered well past 10:00.

I've heard Madrid Pride is the largest in Europe, and I'd love to attend it someday.

Berlin Pride is quiet a spectacle, called Christopher Street Day (CSD) over there.

Of course there also is the rotating Europride, this year in Rome.

I've heard Madrid pride is pretty fantastic and I'll be going this year July 1-3 weekend (along with seanp7), so we will report back. Madrid is great under normal circumstances, so I can't imagine pride not being memorable.

London has EuroPride and WorldPride next year to mark the fact that it also has some sporting event happening in the summer, so I expect London would be particularly good next year. It's had its ups and downs (like most Prides) but it seems to have settled quite well with a big parade through the centre of the city and then various options around a political rally, bar-hopping in Soho, big circuit parties and places to get up to no good, all of which will be very busy on Pride day.

Thanks for the tips! I like Madrid, London and, most of all, Berlin. I figure that Madrid in July may be uncomfortably hot and London next year even more crowded than usual, so CSD in Berlin looks like a good option.

Good choice, and and bmi are offering good rates at the moment to Berlin from DUB (if you are after *A miles)