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Italy is a popular destination for gay and lesbian travellers. In fact, Italy has recently won top place among all the world’s travel destinations in the outTraveler reader’s choice awards. Information on travel specifically targeted toward gay and lesbian travel to Italy.

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Italy is a land of “don’t ask, don’t tell”. Even in small towns, gay travelers will encounter almost universal acceptance and hospitality, a s long as they don’t excessively articulate their sexual proclivities. In the larger cities, gay women and men feel freer to express themselves, although such expression still tends to be limited to bars, clubs, and cruisy parks. That said, lots of straight friends walk arm-in-arm in public, so gay tourists will feel comfortable doing the same.

Socially, Italy is a dinner culture, not a bar culture, and the tight-knit social circles are reinforced nightly by those everlasting meals. Gay bars are not the after-dinner community centers that they are in America. However, gay travelers will find a limited but interesting choice of nightlife spots, particularly in the big cities.