The Bear-Naked Chef and the Scruffy Italian Launch a Gay Tour!

Bear-Naked Chef and Scruffy Italian Traveler

Ready to be part of the sexiest gay tour in Italy of the year? The Scruffy Italian, that is me, will be joined by one of the hottest chefs alive for the sensational Culinary holiday of the year, in Italy of course. Because, as Madonna says, Italians do it better!

The heel of the boot of Italy, Puglia, is without a doubt one of the sunniest and most lively parts of the country, famous for its food, beaches, breathtaking landscapes… and hot men! Join Italy Gay Travels, that is the travel company I run, this October for an exclusive Luxury Food and Wine Gay Tour.

Puglia is home to some of the best cheeses (does burrata ring a bell?) and wines in Italy. Primitivo and Negroamaro are the talk on everyone’s lips. On our Gay Tour for the Foodies you will become a connoisseur as well as getting a little tipsy too! Puglia is also one of the biggest producers of Olive Oil in the World: you will learn about the secrets of olive oil production (at the time of olive harvest) by the masters of the trade.

By Sergio – Full Story at The Scruffy Gay Traveler

LOCATION Gay Travel Resources

Scruffy Gios Does Gay Manchester

Gay Manchester - Scruffy Gios

Manchester is a city with a very special place in my heart. The recent events, so terribly evil and heartbreaking, shook me and left me astonished. My thoughts and prayers are with Manchester and all those involved.

As an openly proud member of the LGBT community I am sure you will all join me and keep living freely and openly and without hate and prejudice. And this is why I love gay Manchester: it is a shining city of love in these troubled times.

Have you ever visited this vibrant city in the Northwest of England? Greater Manchester is the second biggest urban area of England (after London, before the West-Midlands) with a very inclusive and open-minded attitude.

I visited gay Manchester for the first time for the celebration of its fun Pride in 2013, and I absolutely loved it: Manchester Pride, traditionally held at the end of August during a long bank holiday weekend, is one of the most attended in England, beaten only in popularity by London Pride. Since then I have been to Manchester a few times, and every time I discover some new facets of the city.

The core of the gay life of the city happens in the Manchester Gay Village, right in the centre of the city: it is a neighborhood full of bars, clubs and restaurants where the LGBT community gathers, around Canal Street.

By Scruffy Gios – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Northwestern England Gay Travel Resources

Other Gay Travel Events

Join Scruffy Gios for a Gay Yoga Retreat in Puglia

Scruffy Gios - Yoga Retreat

In need of a holiday with meditation, relaxation and fun? Book your place now in the Italian sunshine at the beginning of October (8-15 October 2017). We will spend a full week in a typical Apulian Masseria (farmstead) set within acres of olive groves and close to stunning beaches which are within cycling distance. This setting makes it the perfect spot to relax and tune out from the noise of our fast paced lives!

We will stay near Otranto, a gem within this area, known for its mix of East meets West architecture. Our exclusive Gay Yoga Retreat also allows you to experience more than just Yoga. You can hop on a bicycle and visit the amazing beaches nearby, explore the quaint towns and villages, trek through the natural landscape and dine in beautiful Salento cities.

Of course you are here for yoga! No matter what your level, you will be in safe hands. Our Vinyasa and Yen based yoga sessions will keep you feeling invigorated and transformed. Over the 7 days we will work on the chakra system (in ascending order) and incorporate a different chakra for each day of the retreat. Since there are only men in the class, we focus on a yoga that not only strengthens the body but also the mind. Plus, our top notch teacher, Caleb, a student of yoga masters Krishna Puthabi Joyce and Mr. Iyengar will guide you through the week ensuring you leave the retreat a different person! For more information about the style of yoga we will focus on and the yoga teacher please check the official page of the tour.

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Apulia Gay Travel Resources

Other Gay Travel Events

Hang Out With Scruffy Gios for Pride in Southern Italy – Scruffy Italian Traveler

Italy Gay Pride - Scruffy Gios Italy Gay Pride is on its way! So, what are you doing the last weekend of September? Join me for an amazing 4-day beach party in one of the most beautiful places in the world! We are hosting the biggest party of the year on the wonderful coast of Gallipoli, in Puglia, Southern Italy! Yes, Italy Gay Pride is coming! And it is going to be a big bold celebration in Gallipoli, the Ibiza of Italy! This year, for the first time, from 21st – 25th September 2017, Italy Gay Travels and I will be hosting the highly anticipated Italy Gay Pride Summer Party. A 4 day sensational Summer Party in one of the most beautiful undiscovered gems of Italy: the bay of Gallipoli (not in Turkey)! Are you ready to celebrate with me? Book now and join the fun! Italy Gay Pride Summer Party gives you the chance to discover one of the trendiest holiday destinations in Italy. A destination that, as you know, is very familiar to me! Puglia, an amazing region in Southern Italy, is the talk on everyone’s lips! It is no surprise the gay community in Italy and around the world are flocking here. Gallipoli, and Puglia as a region, is developing a reputation for openness and tolerance. For this reason, Italy Gay Travels is confident that everybody can feel safe and be themselves in this beautiful stretch of Paradise.

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at the Scruffy Italian Traveler

Apulia Gay Travel Resources

Other Gay Travel Events

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Hang Out With Scruffy Gios for an Italian Bike Tour – Scruffy Italian Traveler

Sergio Scardia - Puglia I am so excited to announce that Kendall (the blond hair chap in the picture with me) and I have started up a business of gay travels to Italy, aptly named Italy Gay Travels. This Gay Bike Tour around the heel of the boot, Puglia, is our first love child :) Many more will come, I promise! If you don’t have any plans yet for the first week of June (4-11 June 2017) or September (3-10 September 2017) take a look at our holiday program. Don’t think twice: spaces are limited. Fill in this form and book your place for the Gay Bike Tour now! As you know I am originally from a beautiful part of the world: the heel of the boot of Italy, Puglia! We have designed this All Gay Bike Tour to let you discover the southernmost tip of Puglia, known as Salento. Fast becoming the gay destination of South Italy, this area is rich in culture, food, awe inspiring landscapes, white sandy beaches and gay nightlife for good measure! Our all gay bike tour is set at an easy level that suits any level of biking skills. Furthermore you will have the opportunity to discover the beautiful countryside of Puglia, from one coast to the other.

Gay Bike Tour with Gios and Italy Gay Travels

You will spend  5 nights with us in Lecce, the great Baroque capital of Southern Italy, also known as the Florence of the South. Lecce is strategically located right in the heart of Salento, the southern area of Puglia, just a few kilometers away (or an easy gay bike ride) to many beautiful small towns and hidden gems. Every morning we will get on the bike and have unforgettable adventures. Think sunsets over beautiful towns (including Otranto), wine tasting in the countryside and swimming in beautiful sandy beaches.

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at the Scruffy Italian Traveler

Puglia Gay Travel Resources

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Polignano Puglia – The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Polignano Polignano a Mare is the town where Domenico Modugno, was born. He interpreted the most popular Italian song in the world, Volare Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu. In fact, in Polignano you can find Blue flags everywhere. Those flags do not only recall the famous song and its singer, but also indicate that environmental organizations reward its blue sea among the cleanest in Italy. Polignano is small town south of Bari, in my beautiful Puglia. As many other locations along the Adriatic Sea, it has a coastline of cliffs and caves. Despite the man lived in the area since Neolithic times, the landscapes that are intertwined in the urban environment remain extremely suggestive. A Walk in Polignano The best way to start a visit in the beautiful Pulignano? But With a nice cocktail of course! La Casa del Mojito features professional cocktail makers, therefore able to create the perfect taste for your holiday. Just ask what you need and they will satisfy any whim. Glass in hand, walking here and there, you can discover the historic center. The buzzing nightlife of Polignano happens right here.

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at the Scruffy Italian Traveler

Apulia Gay Travel Resources

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Laos Gay Islands: Si Phan Don – The Scruffy Italian Traveler

The Scruffy Italian Traveller The Gay Islands of Laos are amazing! Si Phan Don, also known as the “Four Thousand Islands”, is an archipelago on the Mekong river where to enjoy a heavenly and relaxing holidays! Are they Gay Islands? Well, if for Gay we mean Happy, Queery, Laid Back, then yes, these are definitely Gay Islands 🙂 There are different ways to get to Si Phan Don: the archipelago is just an hour bus or car ride from the border with Cambodia. I organized my trip from Siem Reap, in Cambodia, after the visit to the astonishing Angkor Wat. I left Siem Reap on board of one of the many minibuses organizing the crossing border. Crossing the Border Cambodia – Laos In 5 or 6 hours car ride you arrive into Laos. The border crossing is a a folkloric experience. We had to get off the bus, walk to the custom border, form an orderly queue, pay the fees (legally and illegally due) for the visa to the agents, and then wait. And wait. And wait. Wait for? Oh what a question! Wait for the time needed to get a visa and a stamp on passport of all the people (no more than 30 of us) eager to enter beautiful Laos. It was a very hot (and long!) afternoon. The whole process (that could potentially take no more than 15 minutes in total, for all of us) took more than 4 hours: as I already knew, the discretionary military power is very strong… But hey we managed it in the end!

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Laos Gay Travel Resources

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Join Sergio at European Gay Ski Week – Scruffy Italian Traveler

European Gay Ski Week Sergio Scardia Gay Europe: Where do the best men in the Old Continent gather in Winter for a fantastic holidays on the snow? At the European Gay Ski Week 2017 of course! As you know, I love the beach… but I also love snow, fun, and of course the boys! I have been to the Best Gay Ski Week in the Gay Europe Scene twice already: my first time was in 2013, and last year (you can read a detailed report here). And I am looking forward to be part of the European Gay Ski Week once again this March: 18 – 25 March on the French Alps. I have already booked! And you? What are you waiting for? Get the opportunity to meet me!

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at the Scruffy Italian Traveler

Southeast France Gay Travel Resources

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Gay Winter Holidays – The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Scruffy Gios - Sergio Scardia Yes we are at the start of the cold season in the Northern Hemisphere, and it is so freezing that a getaway to the warm countries is in order soon… where should we go? To welcome 2017 in the way it deserves, I prepared a selection of my favorite hot spots to visit this long gay winter season: 5 places around 3 continents. Plenty of options for everybody! Here are the Scruffy suggestions for the best holidays in this very happy new Gay Year! Gay Winter Holidays: Gran Canaria There is only one place in Europe, very convenient and affordable, where is Summer all year around: it is Gran Canaria! You know I love Maspalomas Beach very much: the perfect place for a dip in the Ocean any time of the year. The Yumbo Center oganizes a great New Year’s Party, and in general all winter is packed with people escaping the cold season from Northern Europe. If you are looking for a bit of gay winter action Gran Canaria is definitely the best option. Between February and March the island of Gran Canaria is the stage of a few big events: The Carnival of the city capital of the island, Las Palmas Carnival, Maspalomas EuroCarnival which takes place in the Yumbo Center, Maspalomas Bear Carnival Immediately after… so many events, so much fun! Check out the Scruffy Guide to Maspalomas to find out more about Gran Canaria and its gay life!

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveller

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The Amalfi Coast -The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Amalfi Coast Last Summer I spent a weekend in this stunning part of Southern Italy, and I fell in love with it! Although not far from Puglia, the region where I live (a mere 3 and a half hours drive), I barely knew the area. I had visited it once with my parents when I was a kid, but I didn’t have much memory of it: it was such a surprise to discover how beautiful it is! I slept in Maiori, the perfect starting point for many different day trips around along Amalfi Coast. First of all, where is that? Amalfi Coast is so called after the name of one of its best known towns, Amalfi. It is a stretch of coastline about 50-kilometers long in Campania region (the most famous city of it being Napoli, or Naples). It runs from Vietri sul Mare, a picturesque town worldwide famous for its ceramics, up to Meta, hilltop village just outside Sorrento. Amalfi Coast runs at the base of the Lattari mountains, which makes the view of the coastline very dramatic. Driving through the so – called “road of 1,000 bends” is an experience itself. Very tortuous, the road passes through lemon terraces (being the lemon the most characteristic fruit of the area, well known for the limoncello productions) and traditional villages. The road is so narrow that during summer months traffic jams are inevitable! For this reason, if driving is not your favorite thing, you should probably avoid to drive on this road, preferring to take one of the buses that link the coast. It will also be a pleasant way to enjoy the stunning cliffs on one side and the astonishing azure sea on the other.

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Campania Gay Travel Resources

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