Gays are drawn to Florence for many of the same reasons as everyone else. The town’s status as the flourishing center of the Italian Renaissance lures many design-oriented gays, with good taste and a penchant for the finer things in life - just like hometown legends Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Machiavelli!

As such, the gay scene in Florence is pretty limited to those who are traveling through. Local gays mostly live in the areas surrounding Florence, so there is not much critical mass to support a large gay scene in town. For example, the largest gay venue is Fabrik, in Calenzano, 15 km outside of Florence.

Nonetheless, there are some gay venues right in Florence. By avoiding the tourist crush during the day, you can get a taste of Florence by night and enjoy the streets as locals do. A young, mixed crowd enjoys cocktails and music videos at YagBar right in the center of Florence, with Piccolo Café’s open atmosphere only a few blocks away. To satisfy your pizza craving, head over to Semolina or settle into Tuscan fare at the upscale and locals-mostly Cantina Barbagianni.

Florence is the place to come to bask in history and absorb some of the exuberance of the Italian Renaissance. There is less gay-specific fare, but plenty to feast on!