My partner and I will be in Italy in october...3 nights in each city of Venice , Rome , and italy. Does anyone have any recommendations for gay friendly accomodations(reasonably priced) in any of those cities..as well as any gay friendly activities, restraunts, etc. Thanks

Are you speaking of gay hotels/B+B's when you say "friendly" or simply places where the two of you won't get that "funny look" from the front desk folks?

Time out is pretty good guide and rough guide has a section.

SFFaina not sure how your comments help here. Italians are generally not very hung up about sexuality though out in the boondocks every where...

One of the great things about Italy is that the men actually dress well. Don't get confused well dressed does not mean gay in Italy

Hello clifbob, yes click on the offensive posters name to get an idea of how mentally sick that poster is and please do not think our long time and lovely Fodorite Faina has anything to do with the posts that SFFaina is posting.

Clifbob, I have gay Italian friends that reside in Florence. They never have a problem be it in Florence, Venice, Rome, Naples, Milan etc. Small towns can be shall we say uncomfortable but not the large cities of Italy.

Wishing you two a beautiful time in Italy!

clifbob, I am so sorry you got such an offensive unacceptable response to your perfectly reasonable post. I too hope the editors block SFFania and have requested they do so by email.

To answer your question, my Lonely Planet has a whole list of recommendations for Gay and Lesbian Venues at each of the locations you mention.

I looked through my Lets Go guide and didn't find anything - which I found surprising.

Anyway, all of my LP's have such information for diverse travellers -you may want to take a look.

Have a great trip,

Naxos

The frequent travellers who hang out on flyertalk.com's discussion forum might have some useful recommendations in the GLBT discussion sub-forum (included in the "travel and dining" subforum). Have a great trip.

I wouldn't give the whole "gay friendly" thing a second thought. Perhaps in rural Calabria, but not where you're going. You'll feel completely comfortable in both of these cities.

clifbob - My partner and I have travelled throughout Europe and have only once gotten a raised eyebrow...in rural France ("I only have one room, certainly you meant two&quot. We have found that in all major cities no one really seems to care. And, I guess some portion of the travelling public are sharing rooms to save money anyway. Have fun, don't over think or worry about it.

SisTAH -
in Venice I stayed at Locanda Orseolo - not an issue what so ever - nada. In Rome, I had my own room at Locanda something or another...can't remember but the only problem I had was determining how to flush the toilet. It's the 21st century - straights can be just as friendly - if not more so - if you know what I mean.

I agree w/seafox, The only time my partner and I had a problem was with our parents. Have a good time.....

I forgot to ask, anyone seen the vatican priest calendar, 2008?

and how/where does one se the calendar??

Here you go:

http://www.calendarioromano.org/

You might find these sites helpful:

http://www.gayvenice.com/index.html

http://www.gayrome.com/

http://www.gaymilan.com/

http://www.gayfriendlyitaly.com/

Gay and Lesbian Travel in Italy

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 ...
goitaly.about.com/od/gayandlesbiantravel/Gay_and_Lesbian_Travel_in_Italy.htm

In Rome there is one restaurant very close to Piazza Venezia that calls itself a gay restaurant: Edoardo II in vicolo Margana.

It was closed the evening we wanted to dine there but looks pleasant.

It is in vicolo Margana, which runs at right angles to the via Margana, on the edge of the Ghetto

(Jewish ghetto not gay ghetto!!)

The guidebooks listed by others will give you plenty of advice on entertainment.

I agree that accommodation is not likely to be a problem ...IF you stick to larger hotels.

We tend to rent apartments -- an option even for 3-4 days -- to give privacy and avoid the risk of a raised eyebrow.

B&Bs are risky. We were generally warmly welcomed in Italy and in France last month. But we also had a B&B owner who, from 15 feet away, loudly discussed us with a visitor in French: "Yes, they're Canadian...They're homosexuals, of course...."

Considering that the owner knew I speak French (rather better than he does -- he's not French) it was a shockingly hostile display.

I have a name that is a common man's name so when I make a reservation by email for myself and my husband I have often been assured "You'll be happy here we are a very gay friendly hotel" They are surprised when a hetero couple show up. I've even been told I don't have a reservation, but the two gentlemen do.

The restaurant AsinoCotto in Rome is gay owned and gay friendly, of course. http://www.asinocotto.com/