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

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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

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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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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

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Vientiane, Laos – The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Vientiane, Laos I stopped in Vientiane on my way to Malaysia after a tour around Cambodia and Southern Laos in December last year. I arrived in the big Laos capital after spending a few days in the beautiful area of the 4 thousand Islands in the Southern part of the country, where I chilled and relaxed while enjoying its beautiful outdoors! Vientiane lays on the big, beautiful, and quite Mekong river, as quite as the life of the city itself. You can spend plenty of time walking along the Mekong, sipping a drink, stopping for a cafe in one of the many bars and restaurants facing the riverside, having an ice-cream, and still not getting tired of it! As you can imagine, due to its position, Vientiane is a very hot city during the day, which makes this kind of refreshments even more enjoyable! The best moment to enjoy the Mekong river is the sunset: find a nice spot along the riverside, possibly further from the chaos of the city center, and enjoy the best moment of the day! The sun sets down just in front of the river, such a romantic view!

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at the Scruffy Italian Traveler

Laos Gay Travel Resources

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Gay Athens – The Scruffy Italian Traveler

gay-athens-sergio Gay Athens life is lively and interesting. And the Boys, oh the Boys… If you are looking for a place full of Scruffy, Hunky, Beefy types… oh well don’t look any further! Athens is the TOP destination for your next holidays (Or at least long weekend if you happen to live in Europe!). Most of the life in Gay Athens happen in Gazi area. Gazi takes its name from an old gas depot that stands in the area: no worry, the gas depot is not in use anymore since 1984. Since then, the area has become more and more gentrified, and nowadays it is a trendy area, plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs targeting the young crowds, and the gay crowd obviously. To get to Gazi is easy: if you are staying in the centre of Athens, you can definitely walk to Gazi Square from anywhere, as its position is pretty central. Another option is to get there through underground: Kerameikos station has its exit right in the middle of the square! And it is around this square that most of the life of Gay Athens happen! Be aware: as in the Southern European tradition, the nightlife in Gay Athens starts very late! So, don’t rush! Have a siesta, a late dinner, and get ready to enjoy Athens until very late!

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Greece Gay Travel Resources

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Koh Lanta Sunsets – The Scruffy Italian Traveler

koh-lanta-sunset-beach-sergio You know how much I am in love with Koh Lanta’s lovely Sunset Beach… if you are even half as romantic as I am, well, you should definitely check this beautiful island out! Koh Lanta Yai (not YAY! LOL) is the biggest island belonging to the Koh Lanta district, part of the Krabi province, off the Andaman coast of Thailand, south of Phuket and Krabi. Being the biggest island of the archipelago, 25 km-long, Koh Lanta Yai is also commonly known as just Koh Lanta. There are several ways to get to Koh Lanta: as it is not very far from Krabi, you can get a minivan from there, and then take a small ferry that bring you straight to the island. As I was travelling in very high season (the first days of January 2016) I had the opportunity to get to the island via speed boat directly from Koh Lipe, the beautiful Malay island you have already discovered with me. Actually, coming from the tiny Paradise – like island of Koh Lipe, arriving in the huge island of Koh Lanta was kind of a shock! The island is increasingly very touristic, especially in high season, so that the place is rivaling some of the better known Thai resorts, such as Phuket and Koh Samui!

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveler

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Athens: The Greek Capital

Athens - Sergio Scardia Usually Athens is the starting point of many trips around the Aegean sea and its beautiful islands: not many visitors decide to give a go to a tour around the city. Wrong choice: the Greek capital is definitely worthy to go around and enjoy! A visit to Athens should start with a visit to the Acropolis: the heart of the millennial history of the city! It is also the best point to enjoy an amazing view over the metropolis! Only from the Acropolis and its Parthenon you can realize the majesty of the Greek Capital, a really huge city surrounded by both the sea and the mountains! Despite being such a big city, the center of Athens is definitely walk-able! Soon after visiting the Acropolis my suggestion is to get the underground and start a walking tour of the center of the Greek Capital from Omonia Square. Walking along Panepistimiou road, you will find a few of the main sights of the city: the Huge Adrian’ s National Library of Athens, the beautiful Academy of Athens, the National History Museum.

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at the Scruffy Italian Traveler

Greece Gay Travel Resources

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Alberobello Trulli, Puglia – The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Alberobello Trulli - Sergio Scardia As you know, or as at least the name of my blog should suggest, I am Italian 🙂 I actually come from a beautiful region of Italy: Puglia! Apulia (as it is often known abroad, from its original latin name), the so called heel of the boot is a gem full of wonders! Please let me show you one of these: the Alberobello trulli. First of all: what is a trullo? A trullo is a traditional construction, typical of the Valle d’Itria: a small round house made of dry stone with a conical roof. The Valle d’Itria is a specific area of Puglia, spreading over three different provinces: Bari, Brindisi and Taranto. Trulli started to be built in this area in the 16th century as farmers’ shelters. As some historics say, being built only of stones, trulli could be seen as a temporary storehouses to avoid taxation, as they were easy to dismantle when the King’s tax inspectors were in the area. Whatever the real origin of these constructions, the heavy stone walls have a practical reason: to ease with some cool the baking summers of Puglia, and to preserve the warmth from the fireplaces during the otherwise cold winters.

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Apulia Gay Travel Resources

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Instagram Meet: Salento Up n’ Down – The Scruffy Italian Traveler

salento-scruffy-italian-traveler At the end of May, I was invited to take part to an Instameet in Lecce. An Instameet is a meeting where Instagramers (that is, people who are part of the worldwide community of Instagram) are invited to take part of. The occasion was very special: the launch of the second edition of Salento Up’ n Down! Salento Up n’ Down is an annual event organized by the University of Salento, aiming to promote the beauty of this beautiful region in the world through Social Media (mostly Instagram)! A bunch of 24 influencers from all over the world are invited to spend one week altogether around Salento, to promote its beauty to their (huge) community of followers on Social Media. The meeting was organized to let the Instagram users of Puglia meet and greet the participants to the event, a way to welcome them to our beautiful area. Salento is the southernmost area of the heel of the boot: it is a big chunk of Puglia, a geographic region, starting more or less where the Valle d’Itria ends.

By Sergio Scardia – Full Story at The Scruffy Italian Traveler

Apulia Gay Travel Resources

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