It is in a protected nature reserve where vehicles are restricted and difficult to reach. The latter also hosts an interesting LGBTQ+ film festival every year in April, the Lovers Film Festival. Start your evening off either at Caffè Bellini or Gogó Food & Drink – their seating areas are adjacent to each other.
Lecce’s old town is packed with amazing restaurants and busy bars.
Punta della Suina near Gallipoli is one of Italy’s best gay beaches. The best way to cook the original Italian pizza is in a stone oven. Gay-friendly bars, clubs, and beaches can be found across the region.
After a day at the beach in Baia Verde, the evening action shifts to Gallipoli’s old town. Buon appetite!
Follow the Puglia Guys on Twitter (@gaypuglia) and Instagram (@gaypugliapodcast).
The organization Polis Aperta estimates that 5 to 10% of Italians in uniformed service (military or police) are LGB. Despite the ban on discrimination, some service personnel unfortunately face harassment or violence because of their sexual orientation. Unfortunately transgenders have not yet gained the right to military service in Italy because gender identity is still considered a disorder because it can significantly limit the subject in the performance of the tasks required by military service.
According to the Italian National Tourist Board, Puglia is rightly considered one of the most gay-friendly Italian regions. Here’s your quick guide.
Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, is known for medieval, white-walled hilltop towns, long hot summers, fantastic beaches, and it is considered one of Europe’s top summer destinations for LGBTQ+ travelers.
As early as 2009, mainstream media in the U.K.
has touted Puglia as a leading, laid-back gay hotspot and a “bohemian alternative” to the raucous gay scenes of Mykonos and Ibiza. At that time, some men claimed to be homosexual to avoid the draft. Italy is home to some of the best food in the world: regional specialties, fine seasonal delicacies, excellent desserts and drinks. For a more traditional venue, Marilyn Lounge and Disco Bar is located near Lecce’s Centro Storico neighborhood.
Enjoy a night with queer revelers at Hotparty Italy Disco & Cruising which is located in San Pietro Vernotico, a small town between Lecce and Brindisi.
This was considered an important step forward to the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people into the Italian society. These are joined by other southern Italian cities, especially the larger ones such as Bari, Salerno, and Palermo, where the LGBTQ+ community can feel welcomed and represented. Find out more about Italy's LGBTQ+ history, and where to look for it, by watching this video!
Safety Considerations for LGBTQ+ visitors to Italy
Same-sex civil unions in Italy were legally recognized in 2016.
Most men here wear speedos, but as our rule of thumb t Vacationer, everyone should wear what they feel comfortable wearing at the beach. One of the most gay-friendly areas in Southern Italy is Puglia, including the beachside town of Gallipoli, which has recently because a popular destination for LGBTQ+ locals.
About the Author
Sergio Scardia is the co-founder of Italy Gay Travels, a company organizing LGBTQ+ group trips in Italy.
Daytime temperatures can exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the peak of summer.
For chic countryside style in the heart of the Itria Valley, Anima Bed & Wellness is highly recommended. Anima is an LGBTQ-friendly, gay-owned and operated, adult-only bed and breakfast set in a beautiful olive grove between Ostuni and Ceglie Messapica.
For a cool city vibe, Apartment Q40 in Ostuni’s historic center is a private rental, with amazing terraces and views of the old town.
Nightlife
Puglia doesn’t necessarily have any specific gay neighborhoods or villages.
Call in advance to request their tiramisu.
In Cisternino, Al Vecchio Fornello features traditional bombette and grilled meat dishes selected by weight from the counter.
Here are some fully-refundable gay-friendly hotels in Puglia.
What are the gayest cities in Italy?
As we could see, the most gay friendly cities in Italy are many - Milan, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Padua, Catania, Pisa, Gallipoli.
The inexpensive Trattoria La Cantina in Carovigno is a small family-run trattoria that serves homemade dishes. A poll on GaylyPlanet’s website, one of Italy’s top sources for LGBTQ+ travel inspiration, named Puglia as the nation’s top summer destination for Queer travelers in 2021.
Salento, the southern part of the region, is traditionally the focus for gay travelers.
Grab panzerotti and Peroni at this legendary no-frills hangout on the old port. The landscape along the Adriatic Sea is wild and rugged with limestone sea stacks and prickly-pear-lined cliffs – a contrast to the Ionian’s long sandy stretches of beach.
Puglia’s coasts are lined with several nude sunbathing spots, but they are not exclusively for just the LGBTQ+ crowd.
Detailed guides to all things at gaypugliapodcast.com.