Roma gay
The Eternal City, capital of Italy, city of the Colosseum, of Caesar, of the great emperors, some of which were gay, city of the Pope and of Michelangelo's frescoes and Cappella Sistina, in a word, Rome.
Since World Gay Pride in year 2000, Rome has come to a rebirth. New gay places and more respect and help toward the gay and lesbian community.
When mentioning the gay scene in Rome, most people are somewhat surprised to hear that there is one. After all, isn't the Italian capital the primary stronghold of the Catholic Church and therefore a rather uninviting destination for gays and lesbians? This is actually a complete misconception. In fact, Rome is an unusually open, lively and tolerant city. Romans generally enjoy having fun, both with their local crowd and visitors, and a person's sexual orientation seems to have little bearing on the matter.
The most important gay cultural association in Rome is the Circolo Mario Mieli di Cultura Omossesuale. The association publishes a free, monthly magazine entitled AUT, which contains information on current events and health issues such as AIDS prevention as well as a programme of cultural events, entertainment and leisure. Circolo Mario Mieli is also responsible for organising the city's Gay Pride Day, which usually takes place in June. Their website, www.mariomieli.it, is a great source of information on these and other topics.
If you prefer to venture into the city armed with useful and fun information, stop in at the Libreria Babele, located at Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 116. The bookshop has an ample selection of books, magazines and digital information that cover a wide variety of interests. You can also purchase a guide to the local gay scene containing a lot of pertinent information as well as bar, club and event listings.
One of the most popular gay-themed restaurants is Edoardo II, located at Vicolo Margana 14, close to Piazza Venezia. In addition to serving delicious Italian specialities, the staff is famous for being very attentive and helpful.
ComingOut on Via San Giovanni in Laterano 8, just around the corner from the Coliseum, is an excellent spot that attracts a fun-loving, young crowd. Hangar, Via in Selci 69, in the Testaccio district, is an exclusively gay club. Alibi, Via di Monte Testaccio 74, located in the same area, is open to a diverse public but does attract a predominantly gay crowd.
One of the best places to find gay bars is in the Trastevere area, which tends to attract a more artistic and open-minded people. New bars are also appearing in suburban areas, such as around Via Casilina. Some of these bars require an “Arci Gay” membership card. Hangar in Via Selci 69 is probably Rome’s oldest established gay bar and attracts a big crowd every night.
For gay clubs it’s best to check the local press, a lot of clubs have a lesbian and gay night once a week, such as Goa in the Ostiense area and Alpheus, which is near the Piramide metro station.
The Arci Gay organisation, Via Lariana 8, can be contacted on +39 06 855 5522.