Florence — Renaissance Weekend

Gay Florence is not a destination for the big club night, but for all those who want to combine gay travel with Renaissance art, good food and short distances. With around 350,000 inhabitants, the queer scene is correspondingly manageable. But it is present, and it has been rooted for decades: The Tabasco on Piazza Santa Cecilia, just a few steps from Piazza della Signoria, is considered the oldest gay club in Italy and has been in operation since 1976. Since 1994, the Piccolo Café near the Basilica Santa Croce has held the fort and is a good starting point for a quieter evening. For events and connections on site, it is worth taking a look at the program of Arcigay Firenze.

There is no clearly demarcated gay mile. The relevant addresses are mainly spread over the Oltrarno district on the other side of the Arno and in the alleys around Piazza della Repubblica. During the day, Florence is all about the old town anyway: the Uffizi Gallery, the Duomo with Brunelleschi's dome, the Ponte Vecchio and the view from Piazzale Michelangelo. Because the historic centre is compact, almost everything can be done on foot. Spring and early autumn are the most pleasant places to travel, when the midsummer heat and the largest crowds of visitors are absent. If you want to join the scene in the evening, it's best to plan a weekend and see in advance which parties are currently on.