Milan, Rome, Venice…..ITALY!

Even if Italy isn’t the most tolerant country regarding same-sex couples, due to the hard
influence of the Vatican, it has grown to accept homosexuality, especially over the past
few decades. Homosexuality is legal since 1889, and the age of consent is 16. It is of
course forbidden to have sex in public, and even hard petting can be badly considered
by officials in some cases.




Notwithstanding, Italy remains a favorite romantic destination for gay women and men.
It is rather common to see openly gay couples walking down the streets in big cities like
Rome, Milan, Florence, though university cities like Pisa also take gayness in stride. But be
careful, in smaller towns it can be more dangerous to be too jaunty in public venues. 
Places like Bologna, Milano, Parma, Pisa, Roma, are much more firendly and tolerant than
Palermo, Napoli, Lucca, Salerno and Messina.


Few countries match its wealth of pleasures and treasures like Italy:
history, art, music, fashions, and food. Yet the greatest pleasures
 here are the Italians themselves. They not only possess the world’s
greatest outlook on life (La Dolce Vita), but are the essence of
Mediterranean dark and sexy. While Italy’s primary appeal is its
history and culture, gay travelers will find a limited but interesting
choice of nightlife spots, particularly in the big cities. They provide fun
nighttime diversion, and a glimpse into the challenges faced by Italian
gay women and men, as they begin to express their sexual identity
within the confines of a family and church dominated society.   


Out Travel travel agency and tour operator is nowadays the leading
Italian company commited to growing  gay and lesbian tourism. 


 
 

MILAN
Better known for being new and fashionable, Milan is the
capital of Lombardy and Italy’s richest and second largest city.
The limelight is dominated by the fashion houses. Fashion
victims and supermodels ( and supermodels’ victims!!) descend
upon the city twice a year for its two fairs (spring and autumn collections).
No other place would do for gay people it seems! And yes, Milan is not
only the fashion capital but also a gay capital, if we may say so. Lots of
bars from cruising to relaxing atmosphere ones, discos, saunas, etc.


Nightclubs, of course, are here and there. With lots in Milan & Rome.




 

 

Versila is the “place in Italy where you are not judged for your sins, but for your suntan!”
or say the ads claim!

Tuscany is a land of freedom, that’s a fact. Tuscany
gave birth to two of the most important geniuses of
mankind, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci. Florence
has been the capital of sodomy between the fourth and
fifth century. Gianluca Leopoldo I in 1853 was the first
who in Italy decriminalized homosexuality. Pisa and
Empoli the first two towns which have agreed to keep a
Register for the Civil Unions of both gay and lesbian
couples, a big first step indeed for the GLBT community.
Pick any place of Tuscany and discover the beauty of this
region, from the majesty of the Apuanians Mountains to
the sweet Sienese hills, from the wild sand beaches nearby Livorno and Grosseto to the
relaxing hot springs all over Tuscany.

This region has always been very welcoming towards gays and lesbians.
 “Friendly Versilia” is a project started in 1998 with the aim of giving visibility
to the large and still hidden GLBT community in Torre del Lago, a nice town between
waters, those of the sea and those of Massaciuccoli Lake, between Viareggio and Pisa.
The project was created by the GLBT local switchboard, supported by the local Municipality
 and sponsored by gay and gay-friendly business. No matter the difficulties and the hard
times, Friendly Versilia is today able to attract over 100.000 homosexuals both men and
women from all Europe, from the last week of April until the first week of September.