That’s what everyone said to us about gay Bologna and the surrounding region of Emilia Romagna. After a week’s fill of freshly made tortellini, ragu, lasagne, tagliatelle, tortelloni, passatelli, cannelloni, lasagne… we can totally see why!
Bologna is also famous for its long corridors of porticos, the result of a large student population over centuries.
It all began in 1088 when the University of Bologna was founded. The city quickly attracted thousands of students who still today descend on the city each year.
As the student population continued to grow in Bologna over the last 10 centuries, business owners realized they could extend the upper floors of their properties outwards to accommodate more of them.
Followers of UK/Canada Drag Race will relate…one of our favorites drag queens always inspired a sort of spiritual gay wanderlust to the Italian fashion capital.
And for good reason. Gay Milan is world famous for its fashion. It’s a global capital when it comes to its runways and catwalks. What we didn’t know is that Milan also has a pretty epic gay scene – the largest and best in all of Italy and one of our favorites gay friendly cities in Europe.
Hop off at the Puerto Venezia metro stop, dolled up with rainbows, and head up to the streets around Lecco – gayness is everywhere! On weekends these streets come alive as the LGBTQ community comes together and creates a fabulous street party. That’s why we love it. Few gay scenes we’ve experienced have such a vibe outside of Pride.
Whenever we come to Italy, our gaydar is always in a state of flummox! Every other guy here is ripped to perfection and dressed immaculately. Personal space isn’t an issue with Italians – it’s easy to misconstrue innocent friendly warm gestures. Not that we’re complaining!
We always welcome a trip to the bel paese. We love it and always leave wanting to return – from our first year anniversary in Venice, our gay road trip in Puglia, the glorious Amalfi coast, exploring historical Rome, and partying in the exciting gay scene of Milan. The Italian cities and countryside simply tick every box.
But, when it comes to LGBTQ rights here, it is lagging behind its West European neighbors. For example, Italy has not yet introduced LGBTQ+ equality (although civil unions were introduced in 2016) and anti-discrimination laws have not been applied nationwide. This is not to say that this beautiful country is in any way a dangerous place for queer travelers – quite the contrary! This place offers so much for LGBTQ travelers and welcomes them with open arms. So what is gay life in Italy really like?
Everywhere you step you stumble over an ancient artifact that dates back millennia… We’ve never been so spellbound and intrigued by a city before. It completely captivated us.
We had such a romantic time together in gay Rome. The rich history is just made for that – I arrived in the city one day earlier than Seby (due to family commitments) so went to meet him at the airport – he arrived on a late flight over. I brought him to our Airbnb in downtown Rome, dropped our bags, and went for our first stroll in the city at around midnight to the famous Trevi Fountain. Even at that time, this world-famous fountain is busy, but the atmosphere around it is truly magical.
When we say Rome is romantic, we really mean it. It’s a great place to explore with a loved one. However, if you’re looking for gay parties and nightlife, this city is rather limited. There are a few places to go out which we highlight below.
Did you know in Germany they used the word ‘Florenzer’ for a gay guy? It certainly piqued our interest enough to take a trip to Florence. But how did it come to be?
Well, the year was 1476 – and the city of Florence was awash with scandal. Four men were accused of having an affair with a male rent boy – and one of those men…. was Leonardo di Vinci! Oh, y’all wanted a twist? Yup, the world-famous artist could have gone to jail for “being caught in the action“! But Florentians turned a blind eye.
Artists like Michelangelo, Donatello, Sandro Botticelli. and Benvenuto Cellini, were well-known gay guys, and due to the renewed interest in Plato’s writings, homosexuality was viewed as just another part of life in gay Florence. And, thus, the slang term was born!
Visiting Gay Florence
To this day, this beautiful Italian city still attracts the creative type – making it the perfect gay destination. Now is also the perfect time to visit, because, until December 31st, there is a promotion called Destination Florence Plus offering discounted hotel rates and an extra discount on experiences once the room is booked. This portal is the official tourism platform of the town, totally non-profit and we love it because they only select local providers offering authentic experiences.
Venice, the city of many canals, beautiful bridges, narrow streets, amazing architecture, and cute balconies. And don’t forget the romantic gondola rides. Plus, the oh so delicious Italian food. Get ready for this one-day itinerary!
This picturesque city was already on my travel bucket list for a long time, and I’m so happy that I could finally see it with my own eyes. Yes, Italy has plenty of beautiful and romantic cities, but Venice is for sure one of the Italian cities you have to visit at least once. No place on earth is like this!
Spend a Day in Lesbian Venice
In this one day in lesbian Venice itinerary, we will you all about the top things to do here. One day is enough time to see the highlights this picturesque city has to offer.
But if you have more time, there are also many other stunning places, like the islands Burano and Murano, that are great to visit. We will tell you all about it. Plus about the transportation in Venice, where to stay in Venice, the best time to go, where to eat, and much more.
Before you go, it’s good to know the city is located on over 110 small islands, which is why there are many canals and bridges!
The city is a pedestrian-only city, so you won’t find any cars, busses, or other motorcycles. The way to get around is by foot or boat.
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!
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!
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