Italy

Italy Gay Beaches – The Nomadic Boys

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Italy Gay Beaches - The Nomadic Boys

Italy is one place that sure as hell confused the crap out of our gaydar! Almost every single guy here is well dressed with a charming smile and such perfectly chiselled speedo-ready-bodies…just head to any beach here and you’ll know exactly what we mean.

And they’re not shy: those sexy Italian studs love to show off (and do a pretty fine job of it in our humble opinion)!

We’ve travelled throughout Italy, from our romantic anniversary in Venice, the Amalfi Coast all the way to gorgeous Gallipoli in Puglia in the south. It’s such a rewarding destination for LGBTQ travellers, rich with culture, fine food, and, some of the hottest guys on the planet!

Along the way, we joined the throng of Italian-admirers and headed to the many Italy gay beaches and have summarised some of the best ones in this guide. One thing to note is that whilst public nudity in Italy is officially illegal, in 2006 nude tanning was legalised in designated areas, which has seen an increase in popularity in nudist-friendly beaches in Italy…remember that point we made above about how Italian men like showing off…

1. D’Ayala beach in Commenda near Taranto in Puglia

Spiaggia D’Ayala is the official name of this hidden gem. It’s the main gay beach in Puglia and also a nudie beach because it’s nicely cut off from the main road by the large “Pineta d’Ayala” forest. The beach is in the small town of Commenda, which is a 40-minute drive from the nearest big city of Taranto.

To reach it, on Google Maps search for “Spiaggia d’Ayala” and you’ll see it surrounded by a large patch of green, which is the large forest. Leave your car parked at one end of it, then walk in via one of the main paths which will take you to this 1km stretch of beach. The gay part is right in the middle, near the Lune Saracene Gay B&B.

At each end of this beach, there are beach clubs like Lido Posto 9 where you can rent sunbeds/umbrellas. Also nearby across the main road is the Toro Loco Beer House, which does delicious pizzas. Otherwise, D’Ayala beach is super remote with few facilities. Just you and Mother Nature…and a bunch of gay boys letting it all hang out!

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Italy Gay Travel Resources

Gay Rome – The Globetrotter Guys

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Gay Rome - The Globetrotter Guys

Rome is iconic, bustling, shrouded in history with grand monuments, has incredible food and interestingly, has a long standing history when it comes to homosexuality… It’s quite apt that our first visit to Rome was during Rome Gay Pride!

As a gay traveller coming to Rome, it has a fair amount to offer, perhaps not as much as other large cities, but it is sure to keep you entertained nevertheless. We spent a week in ‘gay Rome’ investigating the gay bars, upcoming events, the best things to do, top travel tips, where to eat and everything in-between to put together our Travel Guide to Gay Rome. We hope you enjoy.

Let’s get started…

Is Rome Gay Friendly?

Italy as a whole is considered to be gay friendly with an increasingly liberal attitude from the public. Of course, there are differences throughout the country and typically you will find that the more touristy an area, the more accepting they are.

It is fair to say that as a touristic and bustling city, we found Rome to be very gay friendly indeed. We encountered no problems whatsoever and during our visit experienced Rome gay pride which was well received and widely celebrated!

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Rome Gay Travel Resources

Venice Gay Bars – The Globetrotter Guys

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Venice Gay Bars - The Globetrotter Guys

When we first visited in 2019, we were very excited to find a gay bar in Venice and spent a lot of time researching and googling ‘gay bars Venice, Italy’.

For such a popular and trendy destination, we were surprised to find a serious lack of gay bars or gay clubs in Venice at all.

In fact, we found that the nightlife scene here is very relaxed, easy going and involves having many Aperols (which we love). With that in mind, it’s not so surprising that there isn’t really any gay nightlife in Venice…..or is there..

So where are all the Venice Gay Bars?

Venice is an incredible destination and it felt very gay friendly. That might be one of the reasons for there being no Venice gay bars on the islands – everyone is welcome everywhere.

This was definitely the case for us and we felt very much at ease to have a romantic weekend exploring Venice hand in hand.

However, if you are still looking for a gay bar or gay club in Venice, the nearest options can be found on the mainland.

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globtrotter Guys

Venice Gay Travel Resources

Bologna – Dolly Travels

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Bologna

Good morning, well, buongiorno from Firenze, as it is really early afternoon.

Yes!! Now I am truly back in my second home. However, Susan and I had a delightful 2 days in Bologna. Since we arrived there on Sunday, so many points of interest were closed. We did not want to visit museums, anyway. Bologna is a lovely place to walk.

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Greetings From Italia – Dolly Travels

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Greetings From Italia - Dolly Travels

The first two days we were in Italy, we spent in Venice. Venice is lovely, as always. We were very tired when we finally got to our hotel on Wednesday. We had to spend some time just finding the hotel. Nothing is easy to find in that city, as the streets wind around small canals. We crossed many bridges, and just when we found the street, it came to a dead end. It did take up again on the other side of a small canal. You would think I would be used to getting lost in Venice, as I have done that so many times.

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Cinque Terre – Dolly Travels

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I promised I would write about Cinque Terre, the five villages on the Ligurian coast that are part of the Italian Riviera. Susan and I spent three lovely days in Vernazza, the fourth of the five cities. We were so busy having fun, I neglected to write while we were there. Now, as we wait for a train that will take us back to Florence, I find I have time to write.

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Gay Venice – The Globetrotter Guys

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Gay Venice - The Globetrotter Guys

Venice is one of those places that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.

It’s a unique set of archipelago islands, with only boats and gondolas for transport and many beautiful bridges connecting what used to be over hundred individual villages.

Once we had set foot into the city, we immediately fell in love with its charm and felt like we had escaped into some sort of romantic film set.

What’s more, when travelling to Venice, gay travellers like ourselves should feel very welcome. Whilst it may not have a big gay scene, Venice felt safe, gay friendly and put us straight at ease. We had no issues, or even looks, walking around hand in hand and being openly affectionate.

We spent two nights on our ‘gay Venice’ trip and managed to cover plenty of the city whilst still having a relaxing and enjoyable time.

In this guide we have shared our itinerary of how to spend two days in gay Venice as well as a look into gay friendly hotels in Venice, the gay scene, gay rights in Italy and local attitudes.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Venice Travel Resources

 

Rome With Kids – 2TravelDads

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Rome With Kids - 2TravelDads

Planning Rome with kids feels like a daunting task. We haven’t taken the kids to Italy yet, but our friends Frank and BJ have taken their son and have written their recommendations for how to plan a trip and the top sights to see with kids in Rome. They share what experiences in Rome are the most engaging for small kids and how they pulled off an epic visit to the Eternal City.

Europe is filled with a rich history, wonderful cultures, stunning architecture, fantastic food, incredible languages… The list can go on and on. When we travel all together as a family, we like to introduce Milo (and ourselves) to different cultures, foods and historical sites. That being said, one of our favorite countries to visit in Europe is Italy. My family is Italian, and this being Milo’s first time in Europe, we had to visit Italy so he can meet all of his cousins there.

When travelling anywhere with kids whether it’s for a long period of time or even just a few days, it’s important to pack light, and smart! When you visit Rome with kids, you really need to be practical and bring along only the essentials.

By BJ Barone – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Rome Gay Travel Resources

 

Trans Travel: Invisible in Rome – Daily Beast

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trans travel

I usually get butterflies in my stomach before a big adventure, and my 2016 study abroad trip to Rome is no exception. Most of it is the usual mix of nerves and excitement—I wouldn’t travel if I didn’t love it—but there’s another element as well.

This would be the first time I am outside the country as a transgender person.

When you do a quick Google search of “trans travel,” you tend to end up with a list of things that could go wrong: getting held up at the airport, harassed by strangers, more airport horror stories, getting killed. And these are things I know I should be aware of, but none of this is new information. What I’m worried about is the unknown. What is Rome’s queer community like? Are transgender people on their radar? Should I tone down my femininity? Google doesn’t say.

The flight goes about as well as it can—thankfully no horror stories here—and before I know it I find myself in my university’s Rome Center, filling out my Declaration of Presence. Nome? Noah. Sesso? Female.

From there I make my way down the narrow cobbled streets to find my apartment, the wheels on my suitcase getting trapped between the stones (sanpietrini) when they aren’t clattering embarrassingly loudly in the quiet residential area. By the time I reach my vine-covered apartment I’ve worked up a good sweat in the humid June heat of the city. I’ve also realized that it’s going to be impossible to wear my chest binder here. I’m not supposed to wear it more than eight hours, certainly not while exerting myself in the heat, and I already know I will probably walk more than I have in my life.

By Noah Deans-Gravlee – Full Story at The Daily Beast

Rome Gay Travel Resources

 

Visit Italy’s Lake Como – The Gay UK

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Lake Como - Pixabay

Almost everything I thought I knew about was wrong, so I was pleasantly surprised. I went to Lake Como, Italy in June, imagining it as a small and sleepy luxury resort town. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Como is everything but small and offers the best of Italy’s beauty, culture, history and much more.

Como appeals to all types of travellers, history and architecture buffs, who want to see Roman, middle-ages and renaissance buildings, majestic gothic cathedrals and churches, hike in the mountains surrounding the lake, visit world-class museums and foodies who want to try local cuisines and the best Michelin 3-Star restaurants in the world. Although not one of the biggest wine regions in Italy, there are several wineries around Como and local wines are served at most restaurants there.

The lake is located in northern Italy’s Lombardy region, about fifty-two miles north of Milan, close to the Swiss border. At fifty-six square miles, the lake is shaped like an inverted letter “Y”, surrounded by dozens of ancient villages along its shores. Each quaint village has its own rich history, distinct characteristics and offers unique sites to visit.

By Vic Gerami – Full Story at The Gay UK

Lombardy Gay Travel Resources