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By
Michael Thompson
Fulvio (top) & friends at Hangar, Rome
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Click on the link for a handy PDF version of our February 2008 Italy travel feature!
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Come for the history, the ruins and monuments, the art, the unmistakable feel, and stylish sensuousness. But come also to experience a glimmer of a homoerotic life that flourished in a pagan
West that the millennia haven't fully erased.
Rome intrigues, and the mystique remains long after a visit. The city's legacies of language law, architecture, religion, and philosophy are now almost universally diffuse -- including our
Roman alphabet and the calendar. North Americans are especially touched. Italian emigration through the mid-20th century numbered over 25 million, with many going to the U.S and Canada. For
their descendants -- and for anyone who's grown up loving pizza and Fellini -- it's a homecoming to arrive at this source of Western culture; a place to ponder from whence we came, and where
we're going.
The modern Italian capital still occupies a powerful setting at the center of Mediterranean Europe, with wonderful food, rich art, shopping in style, and countless memorable experiences. These
can be as simple but sublime as the distinctive light playing across ancient stones or the languid stretch of a cat among the ruins, oblivious to the busy modern city above and all the came
before. The city delivers on all you've ever heard, but it's hard to say exactly how or why without resorting to cliché.
Perhaps it's the layers of thousands of years of civilizations, with blocks built literally one upon the next, often recycling the substance of the predecessor. This history bequeaths an
extraordinary complexity to the landscape, with odd and incongruous joints. Or the cultural textures: legacies of many generations born or arrived at this ancient crossroads and once imperial
center, overlaying and combining. There's an unusual, sometimes chaotic, worldly-wise beauty of many facets. Besides the well-known postcard sights to check off on your tourist's agenda, many
less famous little treasures await to surprise and delight the casual wanderer off the beaten track.
Romans -- sensual and passionate, sometimes raunchy and brash -- have style and self-confidence, but abound in contradictions. They're conservative in some ways, exuberantly liberated in
others. The Church is still influential, and gay sexuality might be expressed less openly, in more traditional Mediterranean ways than in other large European cities. But in terms of masculine
affection, there are few inhibitions. An undercurrent of homoerotic consciousness seems barely but discreetly concealed. The welcome bestowed on visitors can be enthusiastic and generous, and
friendships and family devotions are close and effusively public. On the other hand, the people of this cosmopolitan city of many cultures that's absorbed immigrants and expatriates for
millennia, now struggle with Italian public concerns (as in other Europe countries) over some more recent arrivals.
There's unease about human rights abuses stemming from the deportations on one hand, but also some palpable relief from the constant threat of street theft of recent years. As anywhere,
sensible precautions with valuables on public transit and in backroom situations, are still the best insurance. Another result has been the disappearance of many of the foreign hustlers and
escorts from their former haunts. Locals say that Italians are again filling this breach.
Getting oriented
As in much of modern Europe, English is widely used on public signs, and understood by many, especially in gay circles, but not as extensively as in more northern countries. If you have little
or no Italian, you may find Spanish is frequently understood, as words in the two languages are often similar.
For basic needs including hotel and restaurant expenses, Rome can be more reasonable than many other European cities. Avoid tourist traps around the monuments and transportation hubs and you'll
easily find prices to stretch your budget. Public transport costs one euro for 75 minutes of bus travel, or for one metro ride, and is an inexpensive way to get around town; multi-trip,
multi-day passes can further lower the price. After 11:30 p.m. there's a "nocturnal" bus service that runs regularly all night in place of the metro and other major daytime bus routes. Atac is
the city's main public transit service. For details in English (or Italian!) see Atac.roma.it. At the website Metrebus.it if you plug in your departure, destination, and times, a map will pop
up with the best options for your trip.
Vespa motorbikes can be rented too, for the adventurous and agile.
For more general tourist information go to Romaturismo.com the official site for the city.
Accommodations
Rome has many hotels. A cluster of reasonably-priced ones are located in the vicinity of Termini Station. Off-season rates can be surprisingly inexpensive. Book ahead, especially in summer,
when demand exceeds supply.
Ares Rooms (Via Domenichino 7) is a gay-friendly hotel with great location, good rates, and a friendly, helpful staff. They offer bright modern accommodations just ten
minutes' walk from Termini. It's just five minutes more to walk to several gay establishments in the area. They're also close to the Colosseum and the Forum, and a cluster of good restaurants
and useful shops. Flavio or Allessandro will quickly respond to email requests concerning room-availability and they're happy to help with up-to-date advice in Italian, English, or Spanish on
local gay, dining, and tourist destinations. Their reception is open 24 hours, so once you're booked in, you can come and go as late as you like.
Other area hotels in the low to medium price range that are comfortable for gay visitors include: Altavilla (Via Principe Amedeo 9), B&B Best Place (Via
Turati 13), B&B Gaspare (via Balilla 16), B&B In And Out (Via Arco del Monte 97), B&B Bologna (Piazza Bologna 6), Duca d'Alba (Via Leonina 14), Scott House (Via Gioberti 30); and Villa Appennini (Via Appennini 32).
Youth Station Hostel (Via Livorno 5) is a typical European hostel with very low rates for beds in shared dorm rooms for the backpacker set.
Shopping
Libreria Babele Rome (Via dei Banchi Vecchi 116) has been Rome's gay bookstore since 1993. Besides being a place to buy gay books and magazines, DVDs, and CDs it's
also a community center of sorts, with guides, maps, events and a comfortable drop-in and hang-out feel to the place. Most titles are in Italian, but other languages, English foremost among
them, are represented too. In the case of their photo book selection, it hardly matters either way.
Many local sex and fetish shops stock gay merchandise, but a couple are of more interest than the others: Alcovo (Piazza Sforza Cesarini 27) and Hydra II (Via Urbana 139) both
stock leather and fetish items, and the latter also carries Western, vinyl, and vintage wear.
Going Out
Arcigay Roma Gruppo ORA (Arcigay.it) is the national organization, based in Bologna, which works on behalf of gay people for changes in Italian society. Visitors will soon notice that most bars, saunas
and many other gay businesses in Italy require membership to enter their establishment. Many are associated with Arcigay.
A card bought at these clubs is valid nationwide at all member establishments. The fee helps gay Italians work for a more equitable society, one that's more enjoyable for you to visit. A list
of places that belong is on-line at their website along with other useful information.
Europa Multiclub Sauna (Via Aureliana 40) is the biggest and most popular of Rome's bathhouses with a great diversity of visitors. Amenities here are some of the finest among gay
saunas anywhere, with a mega-size Turkish bath, Finnish sauna, whirlpool, and solarium. They offer massage and internet, and a well-equipped gym, plus snacks and drinks at the EMC Cafe. Their
many cabins offer plenty of nooks to get better acquainted with new friends and big-screen erotic videos get you in the mood. Check their website for parties and shows and info on their
surprisingly substantial lottery prizes: admission enters you for a chance at winning. Marco and his staff are really helpful, friendly, and always working hard to be sure you have a great time
in a clean, warm and comfortable facility. The club's layout is unusually attractive and colorfully illuminated, with easy access to all the features. Open daily from 1 p.m. to midnight, they
stay open through the whole weekend without closing. This makes EMC a favorite stay-over for young men who prefer it to a hotel, so the place gets attractively busy.
Two other longtime local tubs are just off Via Merulana as you walk south from the Termini area: Appollion Sauna (Via Mecanate 59/A) and Mediterraneo Sauna (Pasquale Villari 3). Each has
steam, dry sauna, massage, darkrooms, and its own loyal group of regulars. Rios Sauna Club (Via dei Colli Albani 10) is a new local full-service sauna, seven stops down the metro from
Termini, and Termi di Roma (Via Persio 4) is another older sauna, still a locals' favorite, out a bit further from the center.
Just to the south of the Colosseum there are two convenient gay refreshment spots, to relax after all the walking you'll be doing, both open in the afternoons. Coming Out (Via di San
Giovanni in Laterano 8) is a bar and restaurant for gay men and women open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. with a full bar and Italian restaurant that won't break the budget. It's a mix of locals
and tourists here, and they get busiest on weekend evenings. On Tuesdays Francesco's Messenger Night will help you meet people, and on Wednesdays they have karoake. Pick up the local gay mags
here and try their cocktail special any evening. Ice Cream Bears (Via di San Giovanni in Laterano 120) is just down the street, with sweets and beverages, and a cabinet full of rich
gelato flavors to sample, served up by some friendly local bears.
Hangar (Via in Selci 69) which started as a casual get-together for gay friends twenty-something years ago, has proved to be one of Rome's most enduring gay institutions. John and
partner Gianni (Johnny) are open every night except Tuesday from 10:30 p.m. until 2 a.m, hosting Rome's most international gathering place for gay men. It's one of the easiest places to strike
up a conversation in the city, and the perfect first stop for English-speaking visitors to get easily oriented. Owner John originally hails from the US, but he knows gay Rome like few others,
and he's happy to help and advise from where he sits at the entrance. It's a very male atmosphere, but quite varied in ages and types, and the action gets very friendly in the back darkrooms
for guys looking for some touch. Also they have a smoker's bar here. Nude stripper performances around midnight are a long-time Thursday night tradition at Hangar.
Sphinx Leather Bar (Piazza Manfredo Fanti 40) is another men's bar near Termini station that draws both leather guys and bears, but on Thursdays there's no dress code. A fetish party takes place
here every second Saturday sponsored by the Leather Club Roma. See Lcroma.com for details.
Tumbler (Via degli Equi 22) is a gay-friendly pub on the other side of Termini Station and Garbo (Vicolo di Santa Margherita 1A) and Giardino dei Ciliegi (Via dei Fienaroli
4) are drag and transsexual favored. Taverna di Edoardo II (Vicola Margana 14), formerly a bar and now a restaurant, is still popular with a gay crowd.
Getting down to business, Rome boasts several man to man bars-cum-sex-clubs.
Skyline Club (Via Pontremoli 36), near San Giovanni metro, has two darkrooms, porn videos, and pulls a generally younger crowd that likes the high energy music they play. Third Saturdays
here are devoted to bears.
Frequency (Via Enea 34), three metro stops further down Via Appia Nuova, (just beyond Furio Camillo), is a bar open nightly except Tuesdays, with a weekend sex club featuring porn videos
and darkrooms that attract slightly older guys. There are Thursday-night naked parties, Friday blackouts, and the option to go naked or wear underwear on Sundays, plus special Saturday events.
At Diavolo Dentro (Largo Itri 23) they have darkrooms and cabins, a labyrinth and sling, food and drinks, shows and hardcore movies. Open weekends-only they have Friday sex parties,
Saturday naked and underwear, and Sunday underwear parties.
K-Men's Club (Via Amato Amati 8) is a men's cruising and sex bar with shows, open daily except Mondays.
Degrado (Via Ignazio Dante 20) mixes men, women, and transsexuals in their darkroom bar, and they have dancing too. Open Fridays and Saturdays only.
For dancing, Rome has a highly energetic line-up, with many big circuit parties popping up, but also some regular weekly venues. Most have one or two nights when they're gay, or busy, but one
opens every night except Wednesday: Max's Disco (Via Achille Grandi 7/A), a small but popular dance club with a crowd of mostly younger guys.
The big gay weekly event takes place each Friday night with Muccassassina - Fridays at Qube Club (Via Portonaccio 212). They party late into the night here, with three levels of
dancing, drag and other live shows, performances, go-go boys plus top-rated local and international DJs. As with many of the big gay dance clubs, it's mixed with straight couples too, but the
crowd remains mostly male and youthfully energetic. Among the young the sexual dividing lines are more blurred these days, and besides the straights here can get pretty kinky too. Also the
staff is quite laissez-faire by American standards in letting people have their fun.
Omogenic - Friday at Circolo degli Artisti is another Friday night gay dance, held at Circolo degli Artisti (Via Casilina Vecchia 42). In summer months they spill out from their big room dance club, to an outdoor
area that includes a cinema, bar, and cafe.
Other regular nights include Saturday's Gorgeous at the Alpheus Club (Via del Commercio 36) and D’Bump at Alien (Via Velletri 13). Tommy at Alibi is another Saturday dance
event, held at Alibi (Via di Monte Testaccio 40-44), with a big dance floor and summer roof patio. Gloss, Drag Sundays - Voodoo Bar is the name of Thursday and Sunday gay dances at Alibi. Frutta e Verdura After Hours (Via Placido Zurla 68/70) has after-hours dancing. See Pushclub.it for upcoming Push Club circuit party events.
And don't forget...
For several summers, from June to September in Giardino Delle Cascate, Gay Village has been a series of city-sponsored outdoor concerts, comedy and music shows, theater,
a film festival, plus sports and literary events. For upcoming plans see their website.
Local gay give-away magazines are colorful and zesty, well-designed and informative, with national coverage and up-to-date listings. As gay bars come and go with some frequency in Italy,
they're an important resource. Written in Italian, but with a lot of English scattered throughout, it isn't hard to figure out what's happening. Look for Pride Magazine, Lui Magazine, Gay Clubbing Magazine, and Aut.
Giovanni Dall'Orto formerly of (important but now defunct) Babilonia magazine, now holds roost at Pride Magazine, and has an informative website at Giovannidallorto, on
Italian gay culture and politics. Fluent in English and French and native in Italian, he's a great resource for outsiders to learn more about Italy.
Other on-line resources include: GayRoma, Mariomieli.org, Roman Eagles Leather Club, Italiantourism.com, Cinema Gay Roma, culturagay.it, and Pierreci.
In case you feel overwhelmed, various tours and travel services exist to shepherd you around in your native tongue. Rome with Pride, a gay guide service, can be of
assistance.
Bears are well-organized in Rome -- see Bear’s Week Rome and other sites such as Bears in Rome and Orsiazonzo Bears Italy
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See also
Millennia of Male Beauty, The Guide, February 2008
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