The Year 2000 was a
breakthrough year for
gay
and lesbian Rome . In
direct competition with the
pope's officially homophobic
policies, the Eternal City was
declared the official site of
"World Pride 2000".
The first week of July saw an
inundation of the Rainbow
Coalition from all over, come
to celebrate their love among
the ruins - which was
interesting, considering that
the city also hosted hundreds
of thousands of Catholic
pilgrims.
Intriguingly, Italy has
never had anti-same-sex laws;
it was presumably always
enough simply to create an
aura of massive disapproval
around same-sex love.
Consequently, gay and lesbian
life in Rome is still
conducted a bit on the sly,
with gay venues hidden away
and blacked-out from the
street. There isn't any danger
- Rome is a remarkably safe
city - just a pervasive
feeling of original sin.
There's a full range of
same-sex offerings in Rome,
although the city is certainly
no Barcelona or Amsterdam The
number of clubs, bars, saunas
and such, is relatively
limited, and you have to be on
guard for the considerable
presence of trade, usually
recent arrivals from Eastern
Europe, who cater largely to
Vatican officials and other
closet cases. However, you can
certainly find a good time;
there are also outdoor
cruising/sex areas and some
clubs have dark rooms, too,
for those who prefer their
encounters to be anonymous.
There is no particularly gay
part of town; clubs and bars
are spread far and wide. Also,
choices exclusively for women
remain very few, although most
places welcome both gay men
and lesbians
Contacts and information
ARCI-Gay Caravaggio , Via
Lariana 8, tel 06.855.5522.
Rome branch of the nationwide
Italian gay organization.
Political gatherings every Wed
8.30-10.30pm. Social
gatherings every Sun 5-8pm.
ARCI-Lesbica Roma , Via dei
Monti di...
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Bars and clubs
Alcatraz Via Aureliana 38 tel
06.4201.3286. Metro Termini.
Thurs-Sat 10pm-3am, Sun
5pm-2am. Very near Termini
Station, this video bar on
three floors features music,
big screens, "video
hard", a discotheque and
a dark room....
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Restaurants
Baronato Quattro Bellezze Via
di Panico 23 tel 06.687.2865.
Bus #64. Daily 8pm-2am.
Moderate. Definitely
one-of-a-kind, this place is
owned and run by the
inimitable Dominot, life-long
drag chanteuse, formerly of
Paris, who performs...
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Shops and services
Energie Via del Corso 486, tel
06.687.1258. Metro A Spagna.
Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun
10am-1.30pm & 3.30-8pm.
Clothing store with trendy
young styles and friendly
young assistants, plus a 15
percent discount if you flash
your ARCI-Gay...
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Saunas
Europa Multiclub Via Aureliana
40 tel 06.482.3650. Metro
Termini. Sun 1pm-midnight,
Mon-Thurs 3pm-midnight, Fri
& Sat 1pm-6am. Near
Termini, this has pleasant,
clean facilities, and a snack
bar. L20,000 per visit, plus
L20,000 for...
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Accommodation
Scalinata di Spagna Hotel
Piazza Trinitą dei Monti 17
tel 06.679.3006, fax
06.6994.0598. Metro A Spagna.
Gays and lesbians are welcome
at this centrally located
hotel, just up from the
Spanish Steps. Doubles for
L450,000-500,000,...
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