Quiiky Travel 2016_LGBT Italy Tours

Italian LGBT Tours

Free To Travel as You Are!

Live your Relax!!! be You… be with Us

Via Europa Unita, 24B BARDOLINO (VR) ITALY T. +39 045 6229999 F. +39 045 6229900 www.aqualuxhotel.com info@aqualuxhotel.com

AQUALUX first LGBT Paradise at the Garda’s Lake

be

different

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SUMMARY 6

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NORTH EAST ITALY VENICE - LAKE GARDA (BARDOLINO & SIRMIONE) - VERONA

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TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE ADVENTURE AND WELLNESS IN VAL DI NON

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WEDDING IN ITALY TURN YOUR DESIRES INTO REALITY WITH US!

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MILAN AND LAKE DISTRICT LAKE GARDA (BARDOLINO & SIRMIONE)-VERONA

22 MILAN, FLORENCE, ROME MILAN - FLORENCE - ROME

26 LIGURIAN RIVIERA

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PISA – VIAREGGIO (TORRE DEL LAGO) – LA SPEZIA PORTO VENERE – CINQUE TERRE – PORTOFINO - GENOVA

30 THE OTHER SIDE OF ROME ROME - TIVOLI - BOMARZO - ORVIETO

36 NAPLES AND AMALFI COAST NAPLES - POMPEII - PAESTUM - SORRENTO - CAPRI

38 PUGLIA POLIGNANO - ALBEROBELLO - OSTUNI - GALLIPOLI LECCE - SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA

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39 SICILY CATANIA – TAORMINA – ETNA – SIRACUSA PALERMO – SCOPELLO – SAN VITO LO CAPO

40 SARDINIA PORTO CERVO

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ABOUT US

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Alessio Virgili CEO and Founder

Andrea Cosimi Executive Account and Founder

uiiky® is the first Italian Tour Operator specialized in LGBT Tourism.

Sonders & Beach Group Trademark, based in Milan, Rome and San Francisco, Quiiky® was founded in 2007 in the aim to meet needs of a new born gay friendly tourism demand. Meanwhile to ensure the respect of those who wanted to fully enjoy their vacation and leisure time.

In these years, Quiiky® has built a wide network of partners, with more than 3000 distributors and independent suppliers, including travel agencies, specializing in hospitality facilities, event companies and gay friendly destinations.

We guarantee satisfaction for all kinds’ tourism service wishes in LGBT community, to ensure a perfect and natural integration in ANY place and in ANY circumstance.

Quiiky® is a style to be, a place where the LGBT culture can be created, not just like an affirmation of diversity or a complaint against discrimination, but a social integration, with culture and values.

TAILOR MADE TOURS

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uiiky®, just like a professional tailor, sews up a perfect journey, offering to his costumers much more than a trip like any other.

Quiiky® staff consists in tourism experts with a solid experience and great professionalism. In order to develop travel packages and offer good services to any kind of clients we always keep the primary focus on customer satisfaction.

Any little feature of each travel package is studied and created on the requirements of each individual customer.

For this reason Quiiky® selects the best tourist destinations and seek out hotels sharing our philosophy, to ensure everybody a holiday in harmony line and stress free.

The travel package includes gay oriented tours and guides. All of our customer can rely on our on-site staff that will be always ready to assist and ensure quality services and support 24h/24h, respectfully and without any kind of discriminations.

All Quiiky® services are completely flexible and customizable to be available and affordable for any ages’ clients.

In Italy Quiiky® has no competitors in offering innovative packages, first of all “Untold History”.

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The tours are focused on the classic exploration of the Italian historic cultural heritage not forgetting its usually omitted gay side. All around the world we had great success for the unique visits we arrange in Rome and Milan, in the footsteps of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. They are together withal the other Untold History Tours around the Italian peninsula our great success.

Quiiky®, in a unique journey between past and present, shows the Sistine Chapel and the Last Supper, the Venetian festivities and the villas of noble cast out on the Amalfi coast and in the wonderful Taormina. Interesting stories and backstage of art attract people to explore Italy from any corner of the world.

Quiiky® has a professional and dynamic company structure that offers top quality services and impeccable customer service to clients before, during and after returning from vacation.

• GAY FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATIONS • GAY AND GAY FRIENDLY TOURIST GUIDE • WALKING GAY TOUR TO DISCOVER THE GAY LOCAL SCENE • HOLIDAY AVAILABILITY AND ASSISTANCE 24h/24h • HELP DESK AT THE MAIN ITALIAN AIRPORTS

PRESS REVIEW

OUR OTHERS PRODUCT DESTINATIONS CAPITALI EUROPEE CROAZIA GRECIA

CANADA SPAGNA

CUBA STATI UNITI

CARAIBI ISRAELE

MESSICO

THAILANDIA

COSTA RICA BRASILE SOUTH AFRICA ARGENTINA

AUSTRALIA

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PRIVATE TOUR 7 days/6 nights

NORTH EAST ITALY VENICE - LAKE GARDA (BARDOLINO & SIRMIONE) - VERONA

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romantic stay in Venice in the Dorsoduro sestiere (quarter), a quiet and peaceful area of the city, at the boutique hotel Ca Maria Adele. This place faces the Canal of Health just next to a majestic church, where glitters of an enchanted place reflect. You are going to follow in the footsteps of the great Thomas Mann and of his novel “Death in Venice”. Then it’s time for wellness and health in a fine, design and innovative structure: Aqualux in Bardolino, on Garda Lake. Here guests will have a nice welcome in a gay friendly place, with access to the Spa and thermal baths and can relish a couple massage included in the package. During the day they can visit the historical center of the nice town of Bardolino just few steps from the resort and taste the excellent local wines.

In the afternoon, a tour of the ancient town of Verona to Romeo and Juliet’s home and a romantic dinner admiring beauty of the Arena. Next day it is time for a visit to the Catullo Grottoes in Sirmione, the Roman poet countryside residence where he spent most of his time composing his Carmi where he celebrates his love for Clodia, whose nickname in the Carmi was Saffo, in honor of the namesake poetess, and for a young boy called Giovenzio.

Venice

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Venice

ITINERARY DAY 1: VENICE Today you are going to do our tour following in the footsteps of the German writer Thomas Mann and His novel “Death in Venice”, set in a sultry and cholera Venice, where the writer Gustav von Aschenbach, at the top of his career, meets Tadzio, a boy of deep beauty. The strictness and respectability of the old writer will give up to passion. Then, you are going to visit Des Bains hotel, the one in which Thomas Mann met his young polish love.

You may decide to stay in Venice or in Murano, the historical place famous for the glass craftsmanship. Here, you are going to be witness of glass manufacturing created in front of you, a beautiful pattern of the famouses Murano’s Glasses.

Verona

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Catullo Grottoes

cious dinner to discover the beautiful landscapes of the Venetian lagoon.

Aqualux Hotel Bardolino

DAY 2: VENICE “ON THE ROADS OF PROSECCO” Time to experience the tour ‘On the roads of Prosecco’, a visit to some of the most famous wine cellars of the area to taste some good wine and typical products.

DAY 3: VENICE - “VENETIAN GALLEON” Free day at disposal to relish the magic of Venice. In the evening, time for boarding on an ancient Venetian Galleon called Jolly Roger for a fine and warm deli-

DAY 4: VENICE -BARDOLINO Breakfast in hotel. Transfer by train from Venice to the Aqualux Spa&Suite Bardolino, welcome drink and check in. In the afternoon excursion to the center of Bardolino on the lake side to discover wine and food of the area: the red Bardolino, Custoza, Lugana and Valdadige are all excellent

ph. Ennevi - Per gentile concessione della Fondazione Arena di Verona

Verona

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Sirmione Ca Maria Adele’ - Venezia

local wines that can be enjoyed in company.

DAY 5: BARDOLINO - VERONA Breakfast at the hotel. Relish the pleasant and relaxing atmosphere of the Aqualux Hotel, give your body a pleasant, relaxing time within the AquaSpa & Wellness among the relax area, saunas, Turkish bath, fitness area and AquaExperience area, with a romantic couple body massage.

In the afternoon time to visit the house of Romeo and Juliet in Verona.

Tonight you are going to attend a touching show at the Arena of Verona: live the emotions of the Italian opera admiring a unique show in an old time atmosphere!

DAY 6: SIRMIONE Breakfast at the hotel. Boat to Sirmione. In this day you are going to visit the Catullo Grottoes, a villa on Garda Lake conserving the ancient poet’s rests, sur-

rounded by olive trees and a stunning view from the highest point of the island.

DAY 7: END OF SERVICES Breakfast at the hotel. Private transfer to the station of Peschiera del Garda. End of services.

BEST RECOMMENDED GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS VENICE 4*: Hotel Ca dei Conti Ca Maria Adele Hotel le Gare Murano - MGallery 4* BARDOLINO 4*: Aqualux Spa&Suite Bardolino

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PRIVATE TOUR

TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE

Tour 6 days/5 nights

ADVENTURE AND WELLNESS IN VAL DI NON

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njoy six days of good food, nature, relax and adventure in the gorgeous Val di Non. A tour to taste local products and have extraordinary experience. You will enjoy several activities, from mountain biking, to canoeing, up to horseback riding. We will visit the farm home of the famous Melinda apple, in a unique place surrounded by nature.

ITINERARY DAY 1 Transfer by private car to the Val di Non. Arrival in the late morning and accommodation in chalets. In the afternoon you will discover this great area by mountain bike with your guide ready to show you the most beautiful views and the best tracks of Trentino. Return and overnight stay at the hotel.

Val di Non

DAY 2 This morning will be dedicated to an excursion in Canadian canoeing with an instructor. You will experience half a day of adventurous paddling between the gorges of the Rio Novella, dug from the river for millennia. In the late afternoon you can choose to take a dip in the waterfalls having a trial with our expert Canyoning guide, or spend the day on the golf court. In late evening we will take a walk in the woods illuminated by the firelight to explore nature in an alternative way. Overnight stay.

Val di Non

DAY 3 Breakfast and first meeting with the tour guide. Hiking from Emerald Lake, in Val Sedrun, to the village of Malosco. On the way back you will visit the town of Fondo, capital of the Canyon land! Return by bus.

Back in town you will enjoy a cooking class to discover the recipes from the Trentino traditions, with a chef and a special pastry chef. In the early afternoon visit to Mary’s botanical garden, she is a plants and nature expert and will show you how to have success with green

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going around her beautiful garden.

Then you will visit the small town of Proves. Back in the late afternoon.

Overnight stay.

DAY 4 Excursion and tour of the Mounts Peller and Adamello. In the afternoon excursion on horseback , starting from the local riding center you can walk the ancient paths of the pilgrims and easily reach to impressive monasteries and romantic landscapes. Overnight stay.

DAY 5 Free morning available for relaxing.

In the afternoon you will explore together with your guide the wonderful world of Melinda Apple: from the countryside to the processing rooms until the final stage of the sale and tasting of apples and its derivatives. In late afternoon, return and overnight stay.

DAY 6 Transfer to Milan or Verona airport.

End of services.

WEDDING IN ITALY TURN YOUR DESIRES INTO REALITY WITH US!

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o you want to have your dream wedding in Italy?

One of our Wedding Planners can make it happen for you. We can design the best event taking care of all the details, choosing the perfect location, catering service, and the ideal set up for a unique and memorable celebration. With us all of your desires will turn into reality.

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PRIVATE TOUR

MILAN AND LAKE DISTRICT

8 days/7 nights

MILANO - COMO LAKE - BELLAGIO - MAGGIORE LAKE

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unique and romantic tour of the most appreciated cities in Italy. The ďŹ rst step will be the City of Milan, where you are going to experience and get deep inside the gay and lesbian Italian life while admiring some of the main artworks that have made this city so much appreciated by everyone. An specially designed tour in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci -one of the greatest homosexual personalities of Italy- will let you immerse in the history and into his personal life.

Continuing with the tour you will discover Lake Como and relax over its breathtaking view, a unique and suggestive place for your most romantic moments thanks to the enchanting panorama that only Lake Como can offer. The tour will end on the beautiful shores of Lake Maggiore with a romantic sunset boat trip that will make you feel like you are living your own Italian movie.

Como Lake

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ITINERARY DAY 1: ARRIVE IN MILAN Arrive at the hotel with private transfer from the airport. Free day to relish in peace and tranquility the atmosphere of Milan.

In the evening you may want to experience some typical dishes of the Milan cuisine (risotto alla milanese, risotto with saffron, polenta, typical local sausages...) and the gay life of the city, especially in its gay area around Porta Venezia and Corso Buenos Aires, in the bars as the Leccomilano, the Mono, the Rainbow, the Lelephant, and dance the night away at the dance clubs Borgo and Plastic. Overnight stay in Milan.

DAY 2: MILAN Half day tour with private gay guide following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci. Your guide is going to show you that Leonardo was secretly in love with

Leonardo - Last Supper

one of his disciples, Salaì, with whom he probably had lived an anguishing love story, that Leonardo painted in the portrait of St. John the baptist, using his beloved Salaì as a model. You are going to visit the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana that conserves an

important collection of the artworks of Leonardo’s disciples, among which Salaì. In the ancient Ambrosiana Library the original Leonardo’s Atlantic Code, the greatest Leonardo’s collection of drawings and notes. The tour will continue visiting the Ancient Art

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Museum inside the Sforza Castle, where Leonardo worked as an architect, painter and event creator; there you will find the “Sala delle Asse” painted by Leonardo in 1498 and the Art Gallery of the Castle, with splendid paintings made by Leonardo’s disciples. The last stop will be the Last Supper, the mysterious fresco Dan Brown took as the main subject of his best seller.

The tour will end with an unusual dinner in typical Leonardian clothes in Vaprio, town that hosts the last dwelling of the artist, with the recipes Leonardo wrote and prepared himself!

Overnight stay.

DAY 3: MILAN – COMO LAKE In the morning you will meet your private guide, and departure by car from Milan towards Bellagio

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Bellagio. Walk to the village of Bellagio, where distinctive old houses, in a beautiful landscape among the most romantic in Italy. Free lunch. In the afternoon boat trip to visit the historic gardens of Lake Como. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay.

DAY 4: BELLAGIO - COMO LAKE Day visit of two beautiful villas, historic homes among the most beautiful in Italy: Villa Melzi and Villa Balbianello.

Villa Melzi, in addition to its architectural beauty, the Villa is surrounded by beautiful gardens, waterways, sculptures and ancient trees, visit his “Orangery”, a sort of greenhouse in which the oranges were grown in winter and protected, now home to the archaeological museum.

Villa del Balbaniello, among the most beautiful and romantic residences of the lake, for its charm set of countless film productions, among many remember most viewed sci-fi film in movie history: Star Wars, the 007 series, Casino Royale of Martin Campbell.

Return in the early afternoon at the center of Bellagio, to savor its typical dish “Toc”, surrounded by fine wines. Afternoon free to enjoy a little ‘relaxation on the lake.

Towards evening drink at the Lido di Bellagio, located between the village and the gardens of Villa Melzi, for an evening of “Movida” of Lake Como. Overnight stay in Bellagio.

DAY 5: BELLAGIO – COMO Departure for Como by car with your tour guide. Arrive and

Maggiore Lake

check in at the hotel. Visit the city of Como, a charming town with its historic buildings and the elegant Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Gothic architecture style which gives a unique and amazing view of the Lake Como landscape. Afternoon of relax in the unique and exclusive Casta Diva Spa. Night free and overnight stay.

DAY 6: COMO – MAGGIORE LAKE This morning you are going to leave the beautiful city of Como and depart towards another italian jewel, Maggiore Lake. Private car transfer to your Hotel. Welcome coffe/drink in the Hotel and free time. In the afternoon boat ride around the Maggiore Lake to explore the important islands of Isola Bella, Isola dei Pes-

catori and Isola Madre. In Isola Bella you will ďŹ nd the Borromeo Palace with its beautiful garden.

Unique landscapes, like going back in time with fairy tale images, is what Isola dei Pescatori has to offer. Last but not least, Isola Madre, with the most important botanical garden where you will have the opportunity to see rare and exotic species. Return to the Hotel in the evening and night free. Overnight stay.

DAY 7: MAGGIORE LAKE A relaxing day along the Maggiore Lake. Here you will enjoy the crystal clear water of the lake, the several beaches, lidos and open to public areas, on top of the private beach of your Hotel. In the evening at the sunset lights, boat trip in this beautiful lake for a delicious dinner with

a unique landscape on the background, like in a wonderful Italian poem. Overnight stay.

DAY 8: MAGGIORE LAKE Transfer to the airport and departure.

BEST RECOMMENDED GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS MILAN 4*: Hotel Manin MILAN 4*S: LaGare Hotel Milano MGallery, Hotel Milano Scala MILAN 5*: Hotel Boscolo Milano, Chateaux Monfort Milano BELLAGIO 3*S: Hotel Belvedere BELLAGIO 5*:Villa Serbelloni COMO: Hotel Casta Diva Resort & Spa MAGGIORE LAKE 4*S: Grand Hotel Magestic

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PRIVATE TOUR

ITALY BY HIGH SPEED TRAIN

9 days/8 nights

MILAN - FLORENCE - ROME

Milan

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long tour to three of the most appreciated cities in Italy. Milan, Florence and Rome, where to experience and get deep inside the gay and lesbian Italian life while admiring some of the main artworks that have made these cities so much appreciated by everyone. Time to experience the tours following in the footsteps of great homosexual personalities of the past, from Leonardo da Vinci in Milan to Michelangelo in Rome, passing through the wonderful Tuscany, one of the most gay friendly region in italy.

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Florence

ITINERARY DAY 1: ARRIVE IN MILAN Arrive at the hotel with private transfer from the airport. Free day to relish in peace and tranquility the atmosphere of Milan. In the evening you may want to experience some typical dishes of the Milan cuisine (risotto alla milanese, risotto with saffron, polenta, typical local sausages...) and the gay life of the city, especially in its gay area around Porta Venezia and Corso Buenos Aires, in the bars as the Leccomilano, the Mono, the Rainbow, the Lelephant, and dance the night away at the dance clubs Borgo and Plastic.

Milan

DAY 2: MILAN (SHOPPING TOUR) Free morning. Spend the afternoon in Milan accompanied by a personal shopper who will guide you through the best shops and will suggest you the clothes you need to wear to be trendy and stylish. You will find the most famous and trendiest shops and boutiques in Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and in Via Manzoni like Tiffany, D&G, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Bulgari, Aspesi, the perfect place in “the city of fashion” to do shopping! Free evening.

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Rome

DAY 3: MILAN – LEONARDO DA VINCI Half day tour with private gay guide following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci. Your guide is going to show you that Leonardo was secretly in love with one of his disciples, Salaì, with whom he probably had lived an anguishing love story, that Leonardo painted in the portrait of St. John the baptist, using his beloved Salaì as a model. You are going to visit the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana that holds an important collection of the artworks of Leonardo’s disciples, among which Salaì. In the ancient Ambrosiana Library the original Leonardo’s Atlantic Code, the greatest Leonardo’s collection of drawings and notes.

The tour will continue visiting the Ancient Art Museum inside the Sforza Castle, where Leonardo worked as an architect, painter and event creator; there you will find the “Sala delle Asse” painted

by Leonardo in 1498 and the Art Gallery of the Castle, with splendid paintings made by Leonardo’s disciples. The last stop will be the Last Supper, the mysterious fres-

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co Dan Brown took as the main subject of his best seller.

The tour will end with an unusual dinner in typical Leonardian clothes in Vaprio, town that hosts the last dwelling of the artist, with the recipes Leonardo wrote and prepared himself! Overnight stay.

DAY 4: MILAN - FLORENCE Breakfast at the hotel. Private transfer to the station and high speed train to Florence. Arrive at the station in Florence and private transfer to a 4* gay friendly hotel, check in. Free time at disposal to experience the gay life in Florence, in some of the most frequented gay bars and clubs of the city: the Yag Bar, the Crisco Bar, the Fabrik, the Tabasco DiscoGay or the Butterfly Kiss. Florence has also typical dishes to taste: the T-Bone steak called Fiorentina, known worldwide for its amazing quality that comes from the cows of the valleys around Florence.

DAY 5: FLORENCE Meet the guide at the hotel and spend 3 hours in a private tour at the Uffizi Gallery and the Bargello

Museum. At the Uffizi Gallery -one of the most beautiful and biggest art galleries in the world- you will see the femininity of the Botticelli illustrations, the perfection of Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings and more. At the Bargello Museum you will have the company of the Cellini’s statues (Apollo and Giacinto – Narcissus) the favorite of the Medici family who was often convicted for sodomy.

During the tour your guide will unveil the varied aspects of the Italian artists, among their secret loves. Free time at disposal in the afternoon to relish the beauty of the city.

DAY 6: FLORENCE - ROME Breakfast in hotel and transfer from Florence to Rome with High Speed Train. Check in at the hotel in Rome. If you have time for lunch, Rome has so much to offer in terms of characteristic food: You will eat at the Domus Magnanimi Restaurant, in front of the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, where you can taste the dishes of the ancient Romans and savor flavors of thousands of years

Rome

Rome

ago! In the afternoon you will visit the Hendrik Christian Andersen’s House, the Norwegian sculptor who chose Rome as the city to live in and with whom the American writer Henry James had a love story; by reading a quote from his frequent letters to the sculptor you can understand their love: “Would to God that I could come to Rome and put my hands on you (oh, how lovingly I put them!) But this, alas, is hideously impossible.”

February 9, 1902 In the evening you can experience the Roman gay life in the gay street just next to the Colosseum, with many gay bars such as the Coming Out, where to meet the gay and lesbian locals and having a pleasant night. Overnight stay in Rome.

DAY 7: ROME (ANCIENT ROME AND VATICAN MUSEUM) In the morning, you will meet our local guides and delve into the core of the ancient city: you will see the Forum, the palatine Hill that housed the imperial residences, and the Colosseum -famous for its ghastly gladiatorial combats-.

While exploring the archaeological sites, you will learn about Romans’ sexual mores (in which same-sex love played an important role) and examine the lurid tales of the em-

perors’ sex lives.

After a lunch of traditional Roman specialties, you will cross the river and visit the Vatican: a mixture with museum, church, and palace that contains one of the world’s truly great art collections. Here is going to be revealed to you the irony of a superb collection of homoerotic art being housed by an institution that has a long history of homophobia. You are going to see the sculptures that recall the homosexual iconography, such as the Apollo del belvedere, with a ‘twink’ face and a ‘bear’ body, then the magnificent Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo, gay and catholic, who expressed this inner struggle through the “chiaroscuro” in his paintings and several homosexual figures, as the

angels kissing one another and two men kissing to celebrate their assumption. Your evening is free to meander through the city and continue exploring its beauty and wonderful cuisine.

DAY 8: ROME (TIVOLI VILLAS) Our day begins with a drive into the countryside to Tivoli, where we visit two great villas: Villa Adriana, Emperor Hadrian’s country retreat (where, among other things, he built a temple to his lover Antinous, who was worshiped as a god after his death in the Nile), and Villa d’Este, with its splendid Renaissance gardens and fountains. In the afternoon time to relish thermal baths at the Terme Albule, a beautiful and modern building with wellness and healthy treatment in a completely renovated environment.

Overnight stay in Tivoli Hotel.

DAY 9: END OF SERVICES Breakfast in hotel. Private transfer to station or airport. End of services.

BEST RECOMMENDED GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS MILAN 3*: Hotel Zurigo o similar MILAN 4*: Hotel Manin MILAN 4*S: LaGare Hotel Milano MGallery, Hotel Milano Scala MILAN 5*: Hotel Boscolo Milano, Chateaux Monfort Milano FLORENCE 3*: Hotel Caravaggio FLORENCE 4*: Hotel Art Gallery TIVOLI 4*: Victoria Tivoli Terme ROME 3*: Hotel De Rome ROME 4*: Hotel Kolbe ROME 5*: Radisson Blu es. Rome, Boscolo Exedra Roma, Boscolo Aleph Hotel, Hotel La Griffe Roma GAY ONLY: Boutique Hotels First Floor and Secon Floor

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PRIVATE TOUR 8 days/7 nights

LIGURIAN RIVIERA PISA – VIAREGGIO (TORRE DEL LAGO) – LA SPEZIA – PORTO VENERE – CINQUE TERRE PORTOFINO - GENOVA

Cinque Terre

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tour of the Ligurian Coast and its wonderful Cinque Terre, where the main protagonists are the sea, the boats, the picturesque villages and traditions.

You will discover the Via dell’Amore between the perfume of pines and olive trees alternate with strong and amazing colors.

Riomaggiore will fill your imagination up with the colorful typical Ligurian houses famous all over the world. You will get into the green to reach the harbor of Manarola where you will be enjoying delicious seafood. Your journey will continue with Corniglia, a little town which have got its name from the Roman Cornelio, winemaker father of the famous Sciacchetrà wine.

Vernazza and Monterosso will close your Cinque Terre tour. The last stop before heading towards Genova, will be the nightlife of Portofino with its international jet set.

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ITINERARY DAY 1 PISA - VIAREGGIO Arrival at Pisa Airport welcomed by your guide and private transfer to the centre of Pisa. Guided tour of the historic centre of Pisa: Square of Miracles, the Leaning Tower, the Baptistery (visit), the Cathedral (visit), the Campo Santo and Piazza Dante. In the early afternoon transfer by private car to Viareggio. Free evening and overnight stay.

DAY 2 & DAY 3 - VIAREGGIO (TORRE DEL LAGO) Days dedicated to the sea and entertainment in Torre del Lago beaches in Viareggio, one of the first Italian gay friendly tourism destinations. Here you will find beaches, restaurants and gay bars for all tastes. Overnight stay at hotel.

DAY 4 - LA SPEZIA Private transfer to La Spezia. Accommodation in gay friendly hotel. Visiting the centre of this city you will discover the strong influence of the Navy: visit to the naval Museum, situated inside the Military Arsenal, the best spearhead of the Italian Navy. You will discover the boats that have sailed the seas around the world, including the sailing ship Amerigo Vespucci. The tour goes on with a visit to St. George’s Castle, beautiful at sunset. The evening continues on the Molo where couples of all ages enjoy moments of relax strolling on the Ligurian seafront.

Relaxing evening to get ready for the Tour of the Cinque Terre.

Overnight stay.

DAY 5 - LA SPEZIA PORTOVENERE AND THE CINQUE TERRE Meeting with our guide in the lobby to get ready to leave for the port of La Spezia where we will find the boat for Portovenere, part of the Unesco heritage. Portovenere with its typical historical buildings: the old castle and its ancient churches

Portofino

make it a delightfully pictoresque village.

In Riomaggiore we will travel along the Via dell’Amore, beautiful coastal path overlooking the sea, in the middle of the green landscape of Riomaggiore and Manarola. During the walk various stone carved benches allow time for relaxation and breathtaking views, on the way to the cute harbor of Manarola.

In the afternoon, by boat we will continue visiting the other picturesque villages of the Cinque Terre: Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso.

In the evening, overnight stay at the gay friendly Monterosso Hotel with its beautiful seaview.

DAY 6 - MONTEROSSO PORTOFINO - GENOVA Meeting with our guide in the lobby , and boarding on the boat that will take us to Portofino. Visit Portofino and its famous Piazzetta.

Portofino is famous for the international VIPs jetset. In the late afternoon transfer by train to Genoa.

Evening arrival in Genoa and accommodation in gay friendly hotel. In the evening, appointment with our guide in Piazza delle Erbe, the famous meeting point for the Genovese gay nightlife.

Overnight stay.

Pisa

DAY 7 – GENOVA Today will be dedicated to the visit of the old town in Genova: Saint Lorenzo Cathedral, beautiful building in a patchwork of styles from the Gothic to the Reinassance, and the Dodge’s Palace.

In the afternoon visit to the famous Aquarium of Genoa, with its 15,000 animals it is the biggest in Europe!

Return and overnight stay.

DAY 8 – GENOVA Private transfer to Genoa Airport.

End of the services.

BEST RECOMMENDED GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS LA SPEZIA 4*: CDH My One Hotel

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INDIVIDUAL TOUR

THE OTHER SIDE OF ROME

8 days/7 nights

ROME - TIVOLI - BOMARZO - ORVIETO

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wonderful tour to discover Rome and sorroundings, discovering its secrets and the history never been told. The glorious past of Rome had had great personalities whose homosexuality have never been revealed, although in ancient time sodomy was a very common practice and somehow accepted. From the Vatican Museum to the Colosseum, from the Unesco Villas in Tivoli to the splendid Orvieto in Umbria, a complete tour, touching, funny and gay friendly.

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Christian Andersen House – Rome

Rome

ITINERARY DAY 1: ROME Arrive and private transfer from airport to the hotel. Welcome coffee/drink at the hotel. Free afternoon. Aperitif at Coming out, few steps from Colosseum in the Roman gay street, to savor Roman delicacies.

Rome

DAY 2: ANCIENT ROME AND LGBT PARTY Rome, the eternal City, the magic of history and the present, symbols and characters that let it be famous will have no more secrets.

The guide will tell you about the great emperor and leader Julius Caesar, described by Svetonio as the “wife of all husbands and the husband of all wives”. Many of his enemies used to make fun of him calling him the “Queen of Bithynia” for his relationship with the king of Bithynia, king Nicomede VI. There will be many untold stories the guide will share with you, as the one regarding the eccentric Nero who first married Sporo, even with a wedding celebration, and then the young Doriforo as well.

In the evening LGBT party at the Gay Village, one of the most famous gay and lesbian party in Rome. It is the event of the summer where all the Lgbt community gather together to dance

the night away! *Lunch at The bucatino restaurant with high quality and typical Roman cuisine. In the afternoon you can try an artisanal gelato at Giolitti.

DAY 3 : TIVOLI VILLAS Tivoli is a city located upon Tiburtini hills founded in 1215 BC and defined by Virgilio the poet “Tibur Superbum” This place is well known for the sulphurous thermal sources used since ancient times.

Tivoli is also famous because it hosts three Roman Villas, two of them Unesco world heritage sites, Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este. Villa Adriana is the one that mostly celebrates the love Hadrianus felt for Antinous who was celebrated with several monuments after he drawn in the nile river. Back in Rome you are going to visit a XVIII century palace in new Renaissance style, one of the most important in Rome, palazzo Massimo, that hosts one of the most important classical art collections in the world. Among the artefacts there are some original Greek statues, as The boxer and the Niobide.

Back to Rome you will visit Via Portuense, an old Roman street built at the end of the I century

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commission of Pier Francesco Orsini aka Vicino and by the architect Pirro Ligorio.

At the age of 35 he retired with his wife Giulia Farnese in Bomarzo and after her death he spent his life studying the classics for his park.

Sculptures are made by peperino stones from the valley. The most famous sculpture is the orch one but also the hanging house and the funeral tomb of Giulia. In the wood there is a unique sensation of peace and wellness. Lunch break in Bomarzo.

The tour proceeds to the ancient town of Orvieto, where the first settlements date around IX century BD and were built inside the grottoes inside the mountain where the current town stands nowadays. You are going to visit the stunning Duomo, rich in artworks and with its beautiful facade.

From the Duomo we are heading to the streets of the historical center, among the artisan shops and the floreal alleys. You can not then miss a visit to the Pozzo di San Patrizio, 62 meters deep and with a diameter of 13,5 meters.

Return to the hotel in the evening. *Lunch with typical products at the Osteria da Rosanna in Bomarzo.

Villa Adriana - Tivoli

Bomarzo Park of Monsters

AD to link the city to the port on river Tevere. Here among the green, secular pine trees and bay trees, there is a nice resort and spa.

Here you will relish a unique and magic experience: itineraries with baths in fascinating underground paths, 10.000 sqm of wellness, a unique way to satisfy all of our senses in an itinerary curated in every single detail.

You will enjoy an aperitif with bathrobe, wine and delicacies in a charming atmosphere. Return in hotel and evening at disposal *Private transfer from the hotel to Tivoli and back. Lunch at

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the restaurant La Sibilla, with the view on the Temple of Vesta (typical products) or at the Osteria La Briciola, 10 minutes far from the center of Tivoli, known for its DOP and DOC products, menù with much attention for quality and typicality.

DAY 4: BOMARZO PARK OF MONSTERS AND ORVIETO Visit to Bomarzo and the Park of Monsters.

Park of Monster is a natural theater, in the town of Bomarzo. Its statues, masks and architectures will take you to a wonderful world. The Park was created on

DAY 5: ROME (COOKING LESSON) Italian food ingredients on wooden background. Day dedicated to tastings, fun and the secrets of the Italian cuisine. A day with friends, with a magnificent chef, excellent food and selected ingredients in a welcoming environment.

You are going to be Chef for one day… you are going to discover the secret techniques of the Italian cuisine.

Here are the main dishes: 1 Italian Chef New friends to meet In the heart of Rome, beyond the river Tevere, among the scents and flavors of the restaurants 5 hours cooking lesson

1 spoon rich in positive spirit 4 dishes with organic ingredients: Starter, homemade pasta, meat dish and dessert Gran finale, sit and taste these good dishes in a friendly and fun environment!

DAY 6: OSTIA SEA & RELAX Relish a fun and relaxing day in the gay beach of Capocotta.

The natural reserve of Capocotta recalls the sea of Fire Island, the gay beach in New York, in the Hamptons among the dunes on wood paths. Sea, sun and beach volley matches, a natural way to live the summer gay life of Rome.

Return to Rome in the evening and night at disposal. *Lunch at the Mediterranea restaurant, with fresh typical products.

DAY 7: ROME (VATICAN MUSEUM) You will visit the Vatican Museum, where you are going to admire the sensuality of the Greek. Roman sculptures with their plastic shapes. You will listen to what has never been told before. The guide is going to tell you about secret love stories and scandals occurred within the papal rooms, until the most cruel of the dynasties, the Borgia and the Sforza.

You will admire the majesty of the Sistine Chapel unveiling details usually hidden, as the presence in the Giudizio Universale of two men kissing each other to celebrate their Assumption in Heaven.

You will see many sculptures that recall the homosexual iconography, such as the Apollo del belvedere, with his “twink” face and a “bear” body. To deeply understand the talent of the great artists whose artworks are exposed the guide will tell you everything about their personal life.

From Michelangelo, homosexual and catholic guy, at the service of Papal State, who represented his inner struggle in his ‘chiaroscuri’, until the love story between Leonardo Da Vinci and his dis-

Antinoo - Roma Rome

ciple Salaì, that many researchers think could be John the Baptist’s face in the Last Supper. * Dinner at the Restaurant Enoteca Costantini DAY 8: END OF THE TOUR Check out in hotel and private transfer to airport on request. End of services.

BEST RECOMMENDED GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS ROME 3*: Hotel De Rome ROME 4*: Hotel Kolbe 4* ROME 5*: Radisson Blu es. Rome, Boscolo Exedra Roma, Boscolo Aleph Hotel, Hotel La Griffe Roma GAY ONLY: Boutique Hotels First Floor and Secon Floor

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PRIVATE TOUR

NAPLES AND AMALFI COAST

9 days/8 nights

NAPLES - POMPEII - PAESTUM - SORRENTO - CAPRI

T

he amazing Naples and the surrounding territory experienced in a gay friendly way, going to discover all the curiosities, the hidden aspects and the homosexual personalities who have made this city great in culture and art. The incredible ruins of Pompeii and Paestum will be part of this tour, as well as the relaxing village of Sorrento, where to taste the local liquor Limoncello, and the island of Capri, a chic and trendy destination where to have some shopping before getting back to our homes.

Capri

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Pompeii

Naples

Pompeii

ITINERARY DAY 1: NAPLES Arrival at the station or airport, assistance by a staff member and private transfer to the gay friendly hotel. Check-in and free time at disposal.

DAY 2: NAPLES – GAY CITY TOUR Breakfast in hotel. In the morning, visit of the Archaeological Museum, where you will see the amazing collection of frescoes and statues that were excavated in Pompeii and other nearby sites.

The Museum has some fabulous homoerotic pieces, including the statue of Harmodios and Aristogeiton, the male-male couple who were revered as the founders of the Athenian democracy; also you will be able to see the fascinating Gabinetto Segreto, a collection of erotic art that until the 1960s was only open to “people of mature age and respectable morals.”

The tour will continue visiting the church of San Giovanni Maggiore, a church built on the rests of an ancient pagan temple probably commissioned by Hadrianus the emperor in honour of his beloved Antinoo; the curch of Santa Maria del Carmine, where Corradino of Svevia and his cousin Federico were buried (they were probably homosexuals).

Your taste will be pleased eating a naples delicacy, the Babà, in one of the most famous pastry shops of the city: Al Capriccio, Tizzano, Vincenzo bellavia, Mary, Scaturchio or Carraturo. In the evening you can not miss the classic Neapolitan pizza in one of the famous Neapolitan pizzeria at Sorbillo, where the traditional way of making pizza is kept alive. You may know that pizza was created right here within the urban edges of naples, and the actual denomination

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Capri

Paestum

of pizza is known only since the XIX century, although the origins of the famous dish are very old.

Gay life in Naples gathers especially around Piazza Bellini, where local young gays and lesbians love to spend their nights in one or more of the several gay clubs that take place here. Among these, two of the most famous are the FREEiD in Vico San Geronimo and the Ghetto Crime Bar, in Via Giuseppe Ferrigni.

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DAY 3: POMPEII AND PAESTUM Breakfast in hotel and transfer to pompeii.

Pompeii, the city destroyed by the uncontrollable power of nature, will unveil how ancient times were open-minded about sexual orientation. In the suburban thermal baths you are going to see about sixteen scenes of gay sex between two men, two women and a threesome, as Catullus wrote in the Carmen 56.

Usually in these threesomes the woman got laid with the two men, in this case one of the men has sex with the other man. Transfer to paestum in the afternoon. You will see a famous gay painting inside the Tomb of the diver, the only example of Greek painting with figurative scenes, coming from the Classic, Archaic and Hellenistic period, which has survived in its entirety. Among the thousands of Greek tombs known at that time (700-400 BC) this is the only one that was decorated with frescoes of human subject. The scenes on the walls represent a total of ten men who entertain a banquet, lying on klinai: one playing the lyre, one plays the flute, one plays the còttabo (trying to hit the target with the sip of the wine in his cup), two in particular linger in attitudes of homosexual affection, a typical Greek habit: it is the ratio of pederasty, where one of the two men is in adulthood and the other one is a teenager, in a relationship pupil/teacher.

Return to Naples.

Positano - Amalfi Coast

DAY 4-5: SORRENTO Breakfast in hotel and transfer by hydrofoil to Sorrento. Daily tour in this nice village on the Amalfi Coast, with its typical narrow alleys rich in artisanal shops, tasty flavors and beautiful views on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Time to buy some of the products of the area and taste the sweetness of the Limoncello, the famous liquor made with the lemons of this area, appreciated all around the country. Return to Naples.

DAY 6: CAPRI Breakfast at the hotel. From Naples via hydrofoil you are going to reach the nice island of Capri, the favorite destination of Tiberio the Emperor, bisexual known for his parties and where the famous and tragic homosexual scandal regarding Alfred krupp, owner of the steelworks, occurred. You are going to discover the top of the homosexual life of Capri of the last decades of the XIX century and

the World War II where here took place the élite homosexuality: aristocrats and factory captains who wanted to take distance from the hipocrisis of the countryland, esthetes, intellectuals in love with the Greek style of Capri.

The island got rich of beautiful villas, behind their curtains the cerimony of extreme took place, starting from Villa Lysis, with its golden reliefs like the ones Klimt used to paint.

People went to Capri as to the wonderful India, closing their old clothes in the closet and dressing in lavish way.

People went back in time and stayed with young guys, following socratic love stories and put aside moral obsessions. Between the World Wars, Capri became a branch of Lesvos.

Overnight in Capri.

DAY 7-8: CAPRI Today is going to be a relaxing day entirely dedicated to sea and

BEST RECOMMENDED GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS NAPLES 3*: Hotel Ibis Styles Napoli Garibaldi NAPLES 4*: Hotel Reinassance Naples CAPRI 3*: Hotel Il Girasole CAPRI 4*: Hotel La Residenza

beach. Let’s discover the healthy power of the sea on our skin, take a visit of different spots on the island or stay lazy on the beach relishing the warming sun. Why not spending a visit to the famous Faraglioni, typical rock formation that come out from the sea as pinnacles, or delighting your sense of taste with the excellent fish in one of the several restaurants or fish shops.

Overnight stay in Capri.

DAY 9: END OF SERVICES Breakfast in hotel, private transfer to the station or airport. End of services.

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PRIVATE TOUR

PUGLIA

8 days/7 nights

POLIGNANO - ALBEROBELLO - OSTUNI - GALLIPOLI - LECCE - SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA

A

wonderful tour in Puglia, reaching the most appreciated destination of the region, admiring the old Trulli and some of the most beautiful villages, in Italy, ancient Baroque proofs, amazing beaches and a town between two seas. Let the tour begin!

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Alberobello

Santa Maria di Leuca

ITINERARY

DAY 2: ALBEROBELLO AND GROTTOES OF CASTELLANA Breakfast in hotel and departure to Alberobello. Meeting with the guide in the village of Trulli, typical local ancient houses, and tour of the town. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon, visit of the grottoes of Castellana, a labyrinth of stunning tunnels that heads to one of the most beautiful grottoes of the area, the one called the Grotta Bianca, “the brightest in the world”.

Return in hotel. Free evening.

round town, as its name suggest (loco=place – rotondo=round). Locorotondo ‘white town’ because of its buildings, with hanging roofs.

Once in the main square of the town you will see the church of San Giorgio Martire, a neoclassic church with relief depiction on the facade of San Giorgio and the dragon. The round shape and its architectural gems make of this place one of the most beautiful of the Itria Valley.

Free time for lunch. In the afternoon visit of Ostuni, another “White Town”. The old part of the town is a maze of narrow streets where is pleasant to lose oneself.

You are going to walk among its narrow streets, squares and typical alleys. Another gem is the presence of olive trees, that, along with its white houses, make of this place something similar to a fairy tale.

Return to the hotel for dinner time and overnight stay.

DAY 3: LOCOROTONDO AND OSTUNI Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Locorotondo, one from the list of the “most beautiful villages in Italy” and meeting with the guide.

You are going to see this nice place with the main feature of being a

DAY 4: VALLE D’ITRIA – GALLIPOLI Breakfast in hotel. In the morning transfer to Gallipoli, check in in hotel. Free time for lunch. In the afternoon, meeting with the guide for the visit of the town and olive oil tasting. In the evening a gourmet

DAY 1: POLIGNANO Arrive and check in. Free lunch.

In the afternoon private transfer to the Village of Polignano, a nice place with narrow and fascinating alleys and wonderful views on the sea. Tour of the Village and the grottoes created by the fresh and salt water. Return to the hotel, free evening and overnight stay.

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Samsara Beach Gallipoli

Grottoes of Castellana

Lecce

als. You are going to spend your day at punta Pizzo, a protected area plunged in nature and in the wonderful white beaches of Gallipoli.

You will live the gay life of Gallipoli at the Caffe Bellini, on the main street, and to spend the rest of the night you can visit Makò, where you can enjoy a tasty aperitif in good company.

Overnight stay in Gallipoli. dinner at the restaurant Dolce Vita with panoramic view on the promenade of Gallipoli. You will taste the specialties of Salento, starting with the traditional ‘frise’ (wheat or barley crispy donuts without the hole, usually eaten with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, salt and oregano) or fish specialties with the excellent extra virgin olive oil, a good pasta dish, the pugliesi ‘orecchiette’ with tomato sauce, with pesto or with turnip tops, the famous

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Tajedda, a potato and mussels dish. Otherwise you can choose among the specialties of the Dolce Vita restaurant. Overnight stay in Gallipoli.

DAY 5: GALLIPOLI (SEA) Full relax day in this wonderful Salento destination, rich in gay bars and beaches. Gallipoli is known also as the ‘Salento gay club’ and represents one of the most appreciated sea destination for gays and heterosexu-

DAY 6: LECCE Breakfast on the roof garden.

Transfer to Lecce. Meeting with the guide and visit of this outstanding Baroque city. The architectural richness of its buildings is the added value of Lecce, with XVII century and old Baroque period palaces and churches.

Free time for lunch. In the afternoon, visit of the Castle and of the Museum of Carta Pesta.

Return in Gallipoli, free time for dinner and overnight stay.

Punta della Suina - Gallipoli Palazzo del Corso - Galllipoli

Gallipoli Gallipoli

DAY 7: SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA – BOAT TOUR OF THE LEVANTE COAST Breakfast in hotel and departure to Santa Maria di Leuca, for a relaxing day at sea. At the arrival in Santa Maria di Leuca Port you will meet your tour guide that will take you to visit the most particular grottoes of the Lonian Coast, during the tour there will

be time to have a swim in a beautiful spot. Free time for lunch.

The afternoon is free to relish the sea of Puglia. Return to Gallipoli.

Free time for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 8: GALLIPOLI. END OF SERVICES Breakfast in hotel and end of services.

BEST RECOMMENDED GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS Tenuta Monacelle 4* Palazzo del Corso 5* Relais Corte Palmieri 4*

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PRIVATE TOUR

SICILY

14 days/13 nights

CATANIA – TAORMINA – ETNA – SIRACUSA – PALERMO – SCOPELLO – SAN VITO LO CAPO

L

et’s dive in the Eastern part of Sicily, famous for the beauty of its Baroque cities, very appreciated place by gay and lesbian couples, Siracusa, the homeland of Archimedes and of the Greek civilization, and Catania, the town situated at the feet of the tallest volcano in Europe: Mount Etna. And don’t forget Taormina, splendid gay friendly town with stunning views on the Mediterranean Sea and wonderful beaches. You’ll discover all these aspects of this side of Sicily in a tour between architectural and nature marvels...

GAY FOCUS: In this tour we focus on a famous German photographer, Wilhelm von Gloeden, who arrived in Italy, precisely in Taormina, to receive medical cures for tuberculosis. Once cured, the artist settled in the town where he got rid of his disease, until his death. Gloeden lived off of private income untile 1985, painting (with mediocre outcomes) and taking photos (with great outcomes). Almost 50 years of Taromina’s story refers to the life of this character: before his naked ephebes with laurel wreath, Gloeden became famous for his eccentricity. For example, he loved bathing in his home with sea water, and every day many (well payed) young boys filled up the bath tub with saltwater barrels carried on shoulders from the beach at the feet of Taormina.

Taormina had also been a destination of the Grand Tour for the gay nobles.

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Taormina

ITINERARY

Isola Bella - Taormina

DAY 1: CATANIA Arrival at Catania airport, welcome by our correspondent and transfer to Taormina. Free time to enjoy the city. You can walk in the center of Taormina and in the evening you could have dinner at the gay friendly restaurant Rosso Peperoncino with typical Sicilian products. Overnight stay in Taormina.

DAY 2: TAORMINA In the morning meeting with a private tour guide to discover Taormina by following in the footsteps of Wilhelm von Gloeden, a german photographer with the passion for painting. He was mainly known for his nudes of Sicilian boys mostly made before the First World War. He was also famous

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Levanzo

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Taormina

for his landscape photography that have always attracted lot of tourists to Italy. Nearly 50 years of history of Taormina focus on the life of this character: in front of his naked youths with laurel wreath, Gloeden has become famous for his eccentricity. For example, he loved to swim in his house with sea water, and every day, naked boys, filled his bathtub with salt water, carrying barrels on the shoulder from the beach (hence the painting “The guys Von Gloeden” ). Taormina is sexual aim for famous writers, painters and personalities of international politics and economy, among them Oscar Wilde, the great actress Eleonora Duse and his companion Gabriele D’Annunzio. Taormina, renowned also and above all for its beautiful beaches and its coast, so as to enrich the landscape of the village. Relax on the wide golden beaches, clear waters or even in secluded romantic coves, enjoying the scents and colors of Sicily. Romance and charm will accompany your stay in the picturesque bay of

Taormina.

Overnight stay in Taormina. * Lunch at the Restaurant Al Saraceno, where you can taste the typical Mediterranean food with a breathtaking view.

DAY 3: TAORMINA – GIARDINI NAXOS This morning your guide will take you through a boat trip to discover the beauties of the sea: the Bay of Naxos, the Cave of Love, Capo Taormina, Sirens Bay, Isola Bella, Blue Grotto, Mazzarò, St. Nicholas Bay. During the tour, free time to enjoy a refreshing swim in front of the beauties of Taormina. The beaches of this beautiful city are among the most beautiful of Sicily, pebble beaches and a rich and colorful vegetation, make this landscape a real treasure for the Mediterranean. In the coast of Giardini Naxos we will witness an alternating colors, from golden sand, the silver gray pebbles, which render the crystal clear waters. Return in the evening and dinner on board.

Overnight stay in Taormina.

DAY 4: CATANIA –ETNA Private transfer to reach the baroque city of Catania. On the arrival, meet the tour guide and prepared to discover the city, starting from piazza Frederick of Swabia, then the Ursino Castle, the ancient norman castle of the city, the Roman Baths, the Fish Market, Piazza del Duomo -with its many buildings and symbol of Catania- and the Elephant Fountain.

In the afternoon we will reach the highest volcano in all of Europe: Etna.

Admire fascinating volcanic phenomena, walking through woods, eccentric craters and singular etna lava formations.

You will visit a winery and its vineyards, where there will be a tasting of 4 wines DOC etna, combined with a tasty brunch made from fresh local products of Sicily (cheeses, meats, legumes, olive oil products and fresh bread). Return in the evening in Taormina. Overnight stay in Taormina.

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DAY 5: SIRACUSA Today you are going to discover Syracuse. Your guide will take you to explore the historical center of Syracuse, founded by the Greeks during the first colonization of Magna Grecia. You will visit the Archaeological park, the most visited attraction in the city: here are the remains of the Roman Amphitheater, the Greek Theater, the Ear of Dionysius, the artificial cave.

According to legend, the tyrant Dionysus, dug the cave to hide his prisoners and hear their speeches.

In the afternoon you will continue the visit of the historical center, with the Temple of Apollo and food shops selling local specialties. Overnight stay in Taormina. *Lunch at the Restaurant Basirico, with local produce and seafood menu.

DAY 6: SIRACUSA - PALERMO Morning departure from Taormina to Palermo. Walking through the beautiful scenery of this amazing land, full of colors and scents, you will arrive in the beautiful Agrigento.

You will discover the beautiful Valley of the Temples, known for its doric temples built by the ancient

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Palermo

Greeks, Greek and Roman myths of Hercules, Juno, pollux and more.

Free time for lunch. In the early afternoon, along the ancient GreekRoman road, you will arrive to Palermo. Visit the historic center of Palermo. Overnight stay in palermo.

DAY 7: PALERMO - SCOPELLO (ZINGARO NATURE RESERVE) In the early morning you will discover two of the most famous attractions of the center of Palermo: the traditional open-air markets of

Ballarò and Vucciria. In this city it is incredible to get lost among the narrow streets and end up on the streets where these markets are held. Discover a new way to shop, among the stalls of fruit and fish and the scent of Sicilian street food, such as fritters (a sandwich with chickpea flour and tortilla inside) or “pani ca meusa” (the Sicilian word for the spleen, only for the brave).

With a private transfer, this morning, you will arrive to Scopello and the Zingaro Nature Reserve. The

La Tonnara di Scopello

lights of Scopello and the Gulf of Castellammare del Golfo, will be the two points of view that will make you fall in love with these unique places. Mountains, olive groves and fields that run to the sea, in an intriguing atmosphere, closely connected with nature.

This day will be all about your relaxation, enjoying a drink at the edge of the private swimming pool of the villa or you can decide to go to the beach, just 10 minutes walk: clear water and plenty of sunshine all for you! Relax in the deep blue waters, at the olde tuna’s home of the gulf and the two incredible Faraglioni. It is not by chance that Dolce&Gabbana, has chosen these places to shoot the advertisement for their perfume with model David Gandy.

As maintained by the tradition, in the afternoon you can enjoy “bread cunzato” sitting carefree in the historic center of Scopello. Overnight stay in Scopello.

DAY 8: SCOPELLO – BOAT TRIP TOUR Relax on a boat tour: the skipper will wait for you on board to let you tour the most beautiful places near Scopello: the romantic Tonnara, San Vito Lo Capo with its beautiful waters and the Riserva dello Zingaro, a gem of uncontaminated beauty. Opportunity to visit the typical greenery of the Zingaro natural Reserve. Let relish the warm and beauty of these places, feel the contact with the nature and fully recharge your batteries with a swim in this crystalline water, get your tan laying on the beaches and fill your stomach with all the tastings of the island. You will go back home with a new energy.

DAY 9: SCOPELLO - MOZIA Free morning at the beach or at the swimming pool. In the afternoon excursion to the famous salt: the road from Trapani to Marsala, via Mozia lagoon it is surrounded by salt mills, reflecting in beautiful golden hue at sunset. The mills

typical of the nearby lagoons, give an incredible romantic atmosphere and unique face for an extraordinary and incredible experience! The lights of the sunset, a lovely little village just a few km from Trapani, Erice. Narrow, winding streets, medieval arches, small shops, where everything seems to have stopped in time, still retaining its old charm.

Overnight stay in Scopello. * Dinner at a very traditional restaurant, La Pentolaccia.

DAY 14: SCOPELLO Transfer to the airport and end of the services.

BEST RECOMMENDED GAY FRIENDLY HOTELS TAORMINA 3*: Hotel Isola Bella TAORMINA 4*: Hotel Villa Teodoro PALERMO 3*: Hotel Tonic PALERMO 4*: Hotel Ibis Style SCOPELLO: Scopello Villas (Villa Letizia, Villa Desirè), Appartment in Trapani (Scopello)

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SARDINIA COLONNA RESORT

PORTO CERVO

S

ardinia is a land rich in history and ancient traditions that stands out for its hospitality and respect, like most of the Italian regions.

It is a great mix of traditions, modernity and even transgression, with unspoiled nature, a beautiful coastline and charming people. From north to south, the stunning beaches, the colors of the sea and the scent of the Mediterranean ora amaze those who have the pleasure to explore this land!

Porto Cervo

Colonna Resort is located about 2 km away from the Marina of Porto Cervo, in the heart of the Costa Smeralda that has always been

Colonna Resort

Costa Smeralda

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synonymous of luxury , exclusivity and glamor in Sardinia. It is located into a park of about 50.000 square meters, with lush vegeta-

tion, in the north side of Porto Cervo. Cala Granu white beach is just 400 m away.

A refreshing dip in the outdoor pool or in the indoor one is great on hot days. Beach chairs and umbrellas are always available for guests to enjoy a relaxing break.

A hot tub helps to stretch tired muscles out. The pool bar serves a variety of refreshing beverages.

The hotel offers a gym as indoor sport option. The hotel also offers various wellness facilities, including a spa, sauna, steam room, beauty saloon and massage services. It also has two restaurants and two bars.

All rooms have air conditioning, central heating and bathroom.

Balcony or terrace are part of the standard equipment of almost every room. The beautiful sea view offered by many of the lodges helps creating a pleasant atmosphere. The units feature a living and a sleeping area. Guests can have a double bed or sofa bed.

There are a safebox and a minibar. Guests can beneďŹ t of a minifridge. Internet access, telephone and TV are part of the standard equipment. The bathroom is equipped with shower, bathtub, jacuzzi bathtub , hairdryer and bathrobes.

Colonna Resort represents one of the most prestigious 5* Hotel in the Porto Cervo and Costa Smeralda area.

Hotel Milano Scala Get ready for your first real Cool Hotel Experience Via dell’Orso, 7 | 20121 Milano | Tel: +39 02 870961 | Fax: +39 02 87096096 info@hotelmilanoscala.it | www.hotelmilanoscala.it