QMagazine N. 25 - Spring/Summer 2021

Number 1 2021 - Issue n° 25

The other side

of Italy TRAVEL

FASHION

GRAN TOUR LGBTQ+ in Italy

Palazzo Pitti between History and Fashion

ART Italian Beauty

INCLUSION Welcoming LGBTQ+ travelers to Italy

In collaboration with

OVER 100 YEARS OF PASSION FOR ITALY

#treasureItaly

italia.it

TH E PE R FECT C H AO S A SPECIAL EDITION DEDICATED TO ENIT ITALIAN NATIONAL TOURIST BOARD

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taly reopens to tourism. The images from ENIT that follow these words are exciting for us. We thank ENIT for this relaunch issue. The country is filled with art, smiles and flowers, small houses perched between sea and mountains wrapped for too long in a silence that does not suit us.

The concept of Western tourism was born in Italy before it was even conceived in the rest of the world. Its position, so perfectly set on the Mediterranean, has made it the cradle and landing place of many civilizations. Ours is a people of navigators who brought the world home, and now welcome the world to its shores.

People have always come here for the “Grand Tour” to educate themselves about beauty, art and humanity. Those who have been able to do so have subsequently invested in art and culture, from the great families of the Renaissance to the industrialists of today.

In Italy, taste, food and beauty permeate the culture of everyday life so that even those who think

they have no knowledge are able to give lessons on aesthetic perfection, simply because they pass by some masterpieces every day as they are out walking. An Italian absorbs perfect chromatic combinations, dresses with the dignity of an innate style, and knows the value of true craftsmanship, or of a dish of pasta flawlessly cooked and served. This intangible culture has made us all pause for a moment, especially in cities of art, to enjoy the beauty around us with a sense of wonder and joy.

At first, passing in front of the Trevi Fountain, empty, with no coins scattered, or in San Marco, gloomy, the cafes without pianos and violins to accompany the boisterous pigeons, seemed like two beautiful gifts. Rome to the Romans, Venice to the Venetians. Then the nefarious veil of time framed these silences. The sun, the sea opened up new horizons, we discovered that emptiness does not suit Italy, and that while silence has its value, so does being together. So come back, this solitude does not suit the perfect chaos that defines us.

Andrea Cosimi

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E D I T O R I A L

C ONT E NT S 2 E D I T OR I AL

Andrea Cosimi 4 COVER

The Untold History of Italy 6 T R AV E L

The Grand Tour 14 ART

Italian Beauty 18 T R AV E L

Ticket To Ride Italy’s Historic Trains 24 FA S H IO N

Florence Palazzo Pitti

Between History And Fashion 32 T R AV E L

From the blue to the green of Italy 38 ART

The Tomb Of The Diver 42 F O OD

A street food tour of Italy, from

north to south 50 T R AV E L

The Albergo Diffuso an italian original

whose time has come!

54 I N C L USI O N

The Diversity & Inclusion

Protocol for Italian tourism 56 W H AT’ S I NN? 58 I N T E RVI E W

Giorgio Palmucci

Maria Elena Rossi 64 E D I T O R I AL

Alessio Virgili C O N T E N T S

Number 1 2021 - Issue n° 25

Number 1 2021 - Issue n° 25

Number 1 2021 - Issue n° 25

Number 1 2021 - Issue n° 25

Special Thanks

The other side

of Italy TRAVEL

FASHION

GRAN TOUR LGBTQ+ in Italy

Palazzo Pitti between History and Fashion

ART Italian Beauty

INCLUSION Welcoming LGBTQ+ travelers to Italy

In collaboration with

The other side

of Italy TRAVEL

FASHION

GRAN TOUR LGBTQ+ in Italy

Palazzo Pitti between History and Fashion

ART Italian Beauty

INCLUSION

In collaboration with

Welcoming LGBTQ+ travelers to Italy

Lots of additional multimedia content available in the digital version

Follow us on @qmagazine.italia Instagram: q_magazine Twitter: @QMagazine_Ita

Q M AGAZIN E EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Andrea Cosimi RESPONSIBLE DIRECTOR: Letizia Strambi GRAPHICS AND LAYOUT: Monica Sotgiu COVER ILLUSTRATION: Marzia Fabiani ENGLISH EDITOR: Robert Peaslee EDITORIAL SECRETARY: Teresa Dalessandri CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE: Simona Sacrifici, Silvia Moggia, Francesca Galli, Valentino Odorico EDITORIALISTS: Alessandro Cecchi Paone, Alessio Virgili PHOTOS COURTESY OF: stock.adobe.com; alamy.it; dreamstime.com; unsplash.com; ENIT Italian National Tourist Board; National Alberghi Diffusi Association; Fondazione FS Italiane; Photo-shooting: photographer, Roberto Chiovitti; Stefano Gruppo PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY AND PRINTING: Pixartprinting EDITOR: Sonders and Beach Italy s.r.l.

Sede di Milano - Via San Gregorio, 27 - 20124 Iscrizione ROC Lombardia n. 21970 ADVERTISING: www.q-magazine.it marketing@sondersandbeach.com n° 01- 2021 six-monthly spring/summer magazine Authorization of the Court of Milan of 23.01.2019 n° 11/2019 Registration R.O.C. Lombardy n. 21970

Members Of:

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THE UNTOLD HISTORY OF ITALY SAINT SEBASTIAN Saint Sebastian is represented as a handsome and athletic young man in paintings. Semi-nude, tied to a post and pierced by arrows, he lived through this torture to continue his fight for Christianity. Whether he was the love interest of Emperor Diocletian, who ordered his execution twice, is up to discussion. Adopted in recent history as a gay icon, the pain and sorrow of his martyrdom is equated to the challenges of being homosexual throughout history. As a protector against the plague, Saint Sebastian’s iconography took on an even more special meaning in the LGBTQ+ community during the AIDS crisis of the late 20th century.

PORTIA AND NERISSA Characters in the Shakespearean drama “Merchant of Venice”, they share a deep and loyal connection that seems to go beyond friendship. The intimacy and closeness between the two women far outshines any of the relationships Portia has with her suitors, even conspiring together and cross-dressing to help a friend in need.

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JULIUS CAESAR AND NERO Emperor Julius Caesar‘s bisexuality was an open secret of the Roman Empire, and his affair with king Nicomedes of Bithynia is a story told through the ages. He had four wives and so many affairs with males and females that he was described as “the husband of all wives and the wife of all husbands“. Emperor Nero, known in history for the great fire that burned Rome, had his own scandals, including appointing his own horse to the Roman Senate. After the death of his wife Poppea, Nero married a handsome young eunuch named Sporus, and had him act in the role of Empress.

DAVID Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest sculptor of the Renaissance created his masterpiece “David” in Florence.

This embodiment male beauty and perfection demonstrates the master’s passion for Greek art and the male form. Throughout his art, including some of the frescos that adorn the Sistine Chapel, hints of Michelangelo’s homosexuality can be found.

LEONARDO AND SALAÌ HADRIAN AND ANTINOUS A love story for the ages, Hadrian and Antinous’s relationship is one of the most famous homosexual romances in history. Emperor Hadrian fell in love with a young Greek man named Antinous. Together they traveled through battles and conquests until tragedy struck and Antinous drowned in the Nile. Inconsolable, Hadrian proclaimed his lover a deity and erected a city on the site of his death.

He commissioned temples, statues in his honor and built an enormous complex with gardens and fountains dedicated to Antinous that is still standing to this day. Hadrian’s villa is a testimony to his undying love.

The great genius of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci, fell in love with his handsome apprentice, Gian Giacomo Capriotti, whose mischievous nature earned him the nickname ‘Salaì’ or little devil. In a time when sodomy was condemned and even accusations of homosexuality could lead to jail time, Leonardo kept the relationship secret but it is well known Salaì stayed with Leonardo all his life. Salaì was the model for several of his master’s paintings, including Saint John the Baptist, and he was one of Leonardo’s main heirs in his will.

THE GRAND TOUR

by Simona Sacrifizzi

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n the 1700s upper class young men across Europe would celebrate their coming of age with the Grand Tour. The Grand Tour, a term first used by Richard Lassels in 1670 in his tourist guidebook ante litteram “The Voyage of Italy”, would take place over the course of several months, typically during the summer. Participants of this educational rite of passage traveled around several of the major European cities, often supervised by a cicero-

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ne, a guide well versed in history and art. They were exposed to new artistic, social, political, and cultural ideas. In a time before cameras this was often the only chance these young men would have to see the famous works of art and historical classical landmarks they would have only previously been able to read about.

As the birthplace of the Renaissance, Italy featured heavily in the itineraries of these young men. Rome, already a popular destination for

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Rome

pilgrims, and Venice in particular were considered essential for any proper Grand Tour.

Florence, with its many museums, was another popular destination. Genoa was favored for its mild climate, stunning architecture, beautiful gardens and prime location on the Mediterranean. The historic capitals of the Kingdom of the two Sicilies were also very popular: Naples, which quickly became another Grand Tour staple following the following the archeological finds in Pompeii, Stabia and Ercolano; and Palermo.

By the 1800s the Grand Tour experience was so celebrated and desired that it became popular for even women to embark on the journey, though it was still a tradition out of reach to all but the upper classes. Some participants were so taken during their travels they would extend their stays in Italy indefinitely. These travelers created lively cultural salons which in turn attracted the attention and the interest of a burgeoning travelers’ community, primarily German and British tourists, and a growing group of nouveau riche Americans.

A number of writers, philosophers and poets flourished on the Grand Tour. Charles Dickens’ guidebook “Pictures from Italy” contributed to the increase in artists and intellectuals traveling to the Bel Paese in an important way.

Luminaries like Thomas Hardy, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Henry James, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edith Wharton, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, the abolitionist minister Theodore Parker, and the heiress art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner all called Florence, Venice, Rome, Genoa, Naples or Palermo home for extended periods. They brought new life to these cities through cultural salons, literary events and art exhibitions. The American sculptor Hiram Powers decided to open an

Florence

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Palermo

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Venice

art workshop in Florence, where he dedicated himself to neoclassical works and satisfied visitors’ constant requests for busts and portraits, all eager to immortalize their memory of the journey of a lifetime in a unique way.

The Grand Tour was a tradition that continued nonstop well into the 1900s, until the continent opened up to mass tourism… but in a good sense. As the custom reserved almost exclusively for the upper class died away a new breed of traveler grew in its place. The second half of the 20th century brought more graduate students, female students, artists, writers and young creative people from all over the world, all coming to Italy looking for those same experiences and emotions that motivated their predecessors.

While many dynamics have fundamentally changed over the past 300 years, today’s Grand Tour continues to offer inspirations and opportunity for personal growth and education in an environment that is ever more open and stimulating to the traveler, thanks in great part to the continuous intercultural exchanges generated by travel.

The growth of “experiential tourism” really follows in the traditions of yesteryear’s Grand

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tour and highlights an important part of what today’s travelers desire. In addition to the art, history and the iconic locations of a country with such a vast cultural treasure, interest is growing in traveling to more unusual destinations – off the beaten path – that allow a deeper experience of the many diverse aspects of Italy’s culture and traditions. This includes longer stays in ancient villages or agriturismos, providing the opportunity to live more as a local. Another trend is the growth in specialized tours, ranging from religious and historical to tours specialized in opera, wine, and even artigianale products.

Today, with the boom in remote work brought on in no small part by last year’s global pandemic, we have arrived at the latest iteration of the Grand Tour, digital nomadism. The arrival of remarkable young people from all over the world, contributing even more diverse and interesting perspectives to these traditional Grand Tour destinations. Times may have changed but the desire to grow and experience the world that first motivated the “young lords” of the 17th century lives on in this new breed of travelers as they set off on their very own version of the Grand Tour.

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LGBTQ+ Life in Italy Venice

VENICE Called the ‘Serenissima’ for its splendor during the 18th century, Venice is the Italian city with the longest history of inclusion and tolerance. Venice has always been a beacon for merchants and travelers, and is a diverse and vibrant city unlike any other. LGBTQ+ tourists will find a warm welcome throughout the city of canals, and can enjoy unique experiences, such as the six-month long La Biennale Di Venezia, featuring art, architecture, cinema, dance, music and theater. If you need a break from the crowds, one can also escape to the Lido for a classic Veneto beach experience, or take a short train ride to enjoy an evening in Padova with its lively gay nightlife.

MILAN This economic powerhouse is famous for fashion and business, but it is also the most gay-friendly city in Italy. The large LGBTQ+ population comes out in force every year for Italy’s biggest Pride event, and the city is a center of Italy’s gay-rights movement. The Porta Venezia area has the biggest concentration of gay bars and clubs, but one will find a friendly welcome in most all neighborhoods in the city. Milan will host the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association’s International Convention in October, 2022

Milan

PALERMO Sicily’s capital is a welcoming city for LGBTQ+ travelers, and the city’s Pride Celebration is the most well-attended in Sicily. It hosts the Sicilia Queer Film Fest in June, and the city has a very active chapter of ARCIGAY, the Italian LGBTQ+ rights organization. There are many gay bars in town which organize parties and themed events designed to welcome and entertain the LGBTQ+ community.

Palermo

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TAORMINA Considered the ‘Pearl of Sicily’, Taormina was a frequent stop on the Grand Tour, and a favorite destination for the scions of noble families from northern Europe. Among these, Willhelm Van Gloeden stood out as an influential photographer and arts patron. He moved to Taormina permanently and helped turn it into a major destination for gay bohemians from all over Europe. The town’s iconic Roman amphitheater is a must-see, with its aweinspiring backdrop of Mt. Etna, and Taormina’s main avenue is perfect for a leisurely afternoon passeggiata.

Rome

Taormina

ROME Rome, the eternal city, has thriving LGBTQ+ community with most queer bars and nightclubs to be found on the Colosseum end of Via di San Giovanni.

The city is tolerant of same-sex couples despite being the home of the catholic church, and it offers nearly endless sightseeing, cultural and gastronomic delights. In summer evenings, the LGBTQ+ crowd decamps to nearby Eur for its annual Gay Village celebrations, which include concerts and events from June to September. For an LGBTQ-friendly beach experience, try nearby Settimo Cielo or Capocotta, both located on the Ostia seafront.

Florence

FLORENCE The capital of the Renaissance, Florence experienced alternating phases of prejudice and tolerance towards homosexuality over the ages, but today is a very welcoming city for all LGBTQ+ travelers. The home of some of history’s most famous gay luminaries, such as Michelangelo, Botticelli Leonardo de Vinci and Machiavelli, Florence is still a destination and home for many queer Italians and expats. The LGBTQ+ nightlife is growing, with quite a few lively venues in the city center.

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Parma

BOLOGNA LGBTQ+ activism began in Bologna in the late 1970’s, and the city elected the first transexual in the world to hold public office in 1995 with the election of Marcella Di Folco as Municipal Councilor. Bologna’s ‘CASSERO lgbti+ center’ was the first community center in Italy to promote the recognition of the rights and dignity for members of the LGBTQ+ community, and has been engaged in numerous local political campaigns so that homosexuality is recognized as a social reality. Bologna has long been considered one of the most gay-friendly cities in Italy, and the Pride Celebration here is second only to those in Milan in terms of size and exuberance. There are many good options for lesbian and gay bars in this University town, also well-known as one of the best places to eat in all of Italy.

Bologna

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PARMA In the early 1990’s the first gay bars opened in Parma where people could meet freely. By the end of the decade, the Association ‘Arco’ made its voice heard for the protection of human rights in the community and to promote LGBTQ+ tolerance and acceptance. Today, LGBTQ+ travelers will find an open and tolerant scene in Parma, which happens to be home to some of Italy’s most famous delicacies, including Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Culatello di Zibello, Salame Felino and Coppa di Parma. The city is home to some truly outstanding restaurants and excellent bars, and is well worth a couple of days on a journey in northern Italy.

Parma is designated as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy.

Naples

NAPLES Certainly the most gay-friendly city in Central-Southern Italy, frenetic Naples is also the gateway to Capri, Ischia and the Almalfi Coast, all of which should be on very queer traveler’s bucket list. The city is the birthplace of Italian pizza, and offers many excellent dining options. For a unique and unforgettable experience, take the fascinating Naples Underground walking tour of the subterranean GrecoRoman aqueducts which used to run underground from the city center to as far away as Pompeii.

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Genoa

GENOA Genoa has been a crossroads of civilizations for centuries as one of the most important ports on the Mediterranean, but has not always been seen as a beacon of tolerance or diversity. That has certainly changed in the past 20 years, with the city becoming more inclusive and open to the LGBTQ+ community. Genoa hosted is first Pride Celebration in 2009, and it has since become a landmark event on the Genovese calendar. The city has a lively nightlife with many gay-friendly clubs and bars in the historic center, not to mention the numerous parties and events on the nearby beaches during the summer season.

Turin

TURIN Turin is home to the first Italian homosexual liberation movement (F.U.O.R.I.), which started in 1971. From that beginning, the network of ‘Arcigay’ gay-rights associations developed, grew and are now present throughout Italy. Turin offers the LGBTQ+ traveler a warm welcome and extremely rich history to discover. The historic city center is home to numerous open-minded bars and clubs, where LGBTQ+ couples can feel at home and enjoy Piedmont’s outstanding wine and local cuisine.

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Giambattista Tiepolo, La morte di Giacinto, Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, 1752 - 1753 Ratto delle Sabine is a statue, by Giambologna 1574, in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria in Florence

ITALIAN BEAUTY

by Alessandro Cecchi Paone

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Michelangelo’s David Statue in Florence, Italy

The Three Graces (Le tre grazie)

by Antonio Canova

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hose who travel in search of the beauty of the human form have always looked to Italian art. Not surprisingly, Italy has long been a destination for aesthetic lovers, pleasure seekers, heterosexuals and homosexuals. Devout believers in the pagan religion of the unadorned nudity of young females and males.

In fact, for the ancient Greeks and then for the Romans, naked bodies did not represent anything embarrassing or immoral, indeed, the Greek and Roman artists challenged each other

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in the search for the perfect representation of the human form, including intimate parts, and especially female breasts and male buttocks. Symbols and trophies of youth, health, pleasure and love.

At a time when the average life span was about 35 years, the representation of fresh uncorrupted bodies was also thought of as a sort of talisman against disease, old age and death.

Over two thousand years later, museums and classical Italian archaeological sites are overflowing with beautiful figures portrayed in their natural

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Sculpture, Canova - Gallerie D’Italia, Milan

state, and for every erotic preference. For those who are not satisfied with such a generous offer and want to embark on the Grand Tour of essential nude art masterpieces, it is necessary to point to the Tuscan Renaissance. When artists and patrons, rediscovering the Platonic and Socratic doctrines of love, abandoned the medieval Catholic demonization of the body as a prison of the soul, and sexuality as the corrupter of the spirit. They rediscovered the pleasure of the miracle of marble that becomes flesh, with muscular strength in the tension of tendons and nerves, and with an anatomical precision that combines science and sensuality.

One can see these traits in masterpieces like Michelangelo’s David, but also in the promis-

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cuous tangles of Giambologna. The Italian idea of beauty changed again with the anti-Protestant Counter-Reformation, which shifted the artists’ talent towards religious and other worldly themes.

But lovers of carnality glorified and on display will be able to relive the splendor of the most beautiful naked bodies that can be seen in the world, by visiting exhibitions and workshops of Antonio Canova, the protagonist of yet another revival, between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries of neoclassicism, even surpassing it in technical modernity in his Venus and in his Graces, in his Parides and Theseus and in a young and lusty Napoleon Bonaparte on horseback and completely nude.

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Canova, Sculpture, Palazzo Braschi, Roma

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TICKET TO RIDE

ITALY’S HISTORIC TRAINS

by Robert Peaslee

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requent visitors to Italy know that the country’s train network offers the best option for travel from town center to town center, while enjoying a comfortable and scenic ride. It is economical, practical and fun to experience Italy by train.

But Italy’s relationship with its trains is much

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more profound. Since the early 1900s the train has played a fundamental role in the daily life of Italians, by covering previously insurmountable distances people could live in one place but still maintain close relationships to their paese by visiting and seeing family frequently.

Fortunately the historical legacy of trains in It-

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© Emiliano Maldini

© G. Iannelli

aly is being actively preserved and documented so future travelers can experience historic train journeys and learn about their role in Italian industrialization and how they continue to drive Italy’s economy forward, and also enjoy the ride! The Italian Railway Foundation (Fondazione Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane) looks after and manages the Italian State Railways’ vast collection. It oversees a fleet of 400 pieces of historic rolling stock, the national railway archives and library, as well as the Pietrarsa (Naples) and the Campo Marzio (Trieste) Railway Museums. The Foundation’s great popularity since its founding in 2013 has largely been driven by the sense of mystique that vintage trains and classic railway journeys evoke in our collective imaginations.

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© Alessio Cecconi

Railway Museums and Workshops

when visiting Naples. The setting for the museum is stunning, right on the Bay of Naples with a large piazza in the middle of the enormous facility overlooking the sea. The Italian railway was born here, when on October 3, 1839, in what was then the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the first railway line in Italy was inaugurated. It was 7 kilometers long, and connected Naples to Portici in 11 minutes.

The first Italian locomotive produced was named Pietrarsa in honor of the factory, which operated

© Alessio Cecconi

RAILWAY MUSEUMS AND WORKSHOPS The National Railway Museum at Pietrarsa, along with the Railway Museum at Trieste Campo Marzio and the workshops in Pistoia, La Spezia Migliarina and Milan are examples of industrial archaeology housed in historic buildings, but they are also modern workshops where rolling stock is repaired and preserved. A visit to any of these facilities is well worth it, but the National Railway Museum should not be missed

Railway Museums and Workshops

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and discover little known areas. Thanks to a law passed in 2017 on historic railways and promoted by the FS Foundation, these routes now enjoy protected status and are key to reinvigorating the areas they cross. They have created a sort of open-air museum that reveals beautiful little towns and amazing landscapes to the traveler. © Giuliano Sodi

producing and repairing locomotives and rolling stock up until 1975. The current museum was opened in 1989, on the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of the Naples-Portici route. Today one can visit and travel back through time in exhibits such as the Steam Locomotive Hall, where there are over 20 steam locomotives from all periods of the Italian railway on display. There are also historical carriages, including a 1930’s Royal salon carriage with seating for 26 around a solid wood table with Murano crystal lamps, elegant tapestries and a ceiling decorated in gold.

TIMELESS TRACKS The Foundation has also launched a program called “Binari Senza Tempo” to re-purpose underused tracks for tourism purposes, with approximately 600 kilometers on 10 routes already in use. These lines, which served little purpose to modern commuter or freight transport, have great potential for leisurely and sustainable tourism and allow passengers to see unique landscapes © Luca Catasta

Timeless Tracks

Timeless Tracks

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© Ambrogio Mortarino © Alessio Cecconi

Classic Trains and Historic Journeys

a 1930s Centoporte carriage or a 1950s Corbellini is a unique experience, providing the traveler an opportunity to be immersed in a not too-distant past when trains were synonymous with progress, and were the driving force behind Italy’s economic and social transformation.

It is now possible to take classic train rides all over Italy thanks to the Italian National Railway Foundation. For example, from Milan one can take the Lario Express from Milan to Como, or the Sebino Express from Milan to Paratico, traveling along the banks of Lake Sebino, or perhaps the Laveno Express, which winds along the edge of Lake Maggiore on its journey from Milan to Laveno Mombello.

ARCHIVES AND RESEARCH The Fondazione also makes its archives accessible to the public through an impressive portal hosting over 150 years of Italian railway history, including 13,000 drawings, 60,000 photographs,150 newsreels and 400 timetables have been restored and digitalized.

Archives and Research

© Francesco Valerio

CLASSIC TRAINS AND HISTORIC JOURNEYS Today train enthusiasts can also travel on some of the FS Foundation’s classic Italian steam locomotives, railcars and coaches, all from different historical periods. A journey on board

HIRING YOUR OWN TRAIN If you are feeling inspired, it is possible to charter a historic train for your next event in Italy. Imagine a private party on a train with just your guests, enjoying the landscape and some excellent Italian aperitivos…now that would be a memorable journey!

For more information, please www.fondazionefs.it.

Hiring Your Own Train

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OVER 100 YEARS OF PASSION FOR ITALY

#treasureItaly

italia.it

Versace SS/21 Backstage

FLORENCE

PALAZZO PITTI BETWEEN HISTORY AND FASHION

by Valentino Odorico

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lorence is rich in history and culture, but fashion also has a fundamental role in the DNA of the city. In fact, the Tuscan capital is home to one of the most important international fashion events in the world: Pitti Immagine Uomo.

Palazzo Pitti, an imposing Renaissance building in the heart of the city, is just a few steps from Ponte Vecchio. Its core dates back to 1458, when it was the residence of the banker Luca Pitti. The palace was purchased in 1549 by the Medici family and became the residence of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany and then, in 1737 it became linked to the Habsburg-Lorraine family.

The Palazzo houses the Galleria Palatina, an important gallery with masterpieces by Titian and Raphael. It is also the location of the bedroom of Giovan Gastone De’ Medici (1672 -

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1737), famous for his homosexuality and who is said to be the cause of the extinction of the Medici dynasty. An anecdote reported in various texts tells that, after dividing his state among the great powers, Giovan Gastone De’ Medici spent final his years in Palazzo Pitti amidst a series of homoerotic excesses.

The Palazzo has been the protagonist of events and fashion shows designed for the nobility and rich bourgeoisie for centuries. However, starting from 1952 the Palazzo became a contemporary reference point for Italian fashion when Giovanni Battista Giorgini organized the first modern fashion show in Palazzo Pitti’s evocative Sala Bianca. Nine haute couture houses and sixteen sartorial and leisure fashion houses participated. Among the great Italian names at that historic show was the master of design Emilio Pucci. The show was

a huge success, and gained transatlantic acclaim from the many Americans who attended the event. Florence became the emblem of Italian art and innovation in fashion, and an icon worthy of the style and craftsmanship that embodies Made in Italy. The Sala Bianca was the perfect setting to restore the beauty and luxury that had been missing in fashion since before the war, and Palazzo Pitti quickly became a global destination for fashion with a touch of unparalleled luxury.

Over the years, efforts have been made to further expand this very strong connection between the palace and fashion. In 1983, under the direction of Kristen Aschengreen Piacenti, the Gallery of Costumes was founded. The collection includes more than 6000 creations including accessories, theatrical and cinematographic costumes and antique clothes,

@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

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making it one of the most important costume museums in the world. The museum admirably traces the historical arch and evolution of society’s tastes, hosting valuable and rare examples of designers such as Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Ottavio Missoni, Emilio Pucci, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent and others.

Today Palazzo Pitti also houses the Museum of Fashion and Costume, the most important museum of Italian fashion in the world. Haute couture, stage costumes, wedding dresses,

jewelry and accessories are now exhibited in thematic rooms. The collection includes creations by Lucile, Versace, Azzaro, Renato Balestra, Roberto Cavalli, Ken Scott, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Gucci and Prada.

Most of the pieces were donated by private individuals or public institutions; other garments arrived thanks to the transfer of entire wardrobes of personalities such as Franca Fiorio or Eleonora Duse. Among @ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

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Versace SS/21 Backstage

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@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

the museum’s rarities are the funeral clothes of Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, his wife Eleonora di Toledo and their son Garzia. The museum carries out any needed restorations in its own workshops, and employs a staff of professionals who maintain the collection.

Considering the immense number of items in the Palace, the exhibits and collections rotate periodically at least every two years, within an itinerary that unfolds chronologically and thematically. This is in addition to the periodic

Versace SS/21 Backstage

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@ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

retrospective exhibitions held in some special rooms of the Gallery.

There are also numerous individual exhibitions worth mentioning, including in 2001, the exhibition “Il guardaroba di una signora siciliana” (“The wardrobe of a Sicilian lady”) which traced the taste and fashion of the rich Sicilian bourgeoisie from the 1920s to the 1950s. In 2002 “Acquisizioni attraverso il Novecento” (“Acquisitions through the 20th century”) expanded the gallery’s acquisitions with garments from the houses of Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jean Patou, Alaïa, Gucci, Gottex and Kenzo. Between 2007 and 2008, a selection from the Riva collection of about three thousand buttons were exhibited, a symbol of male elegance showcased in their most elegant forms

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thanks to the use of gold, silver and precious stones.

At the turn of 2014 and 2015, the Costume Gallery of Palazzo Pitti was also home to the exhibition of Piero Tosi after he received an honorary Oscar for his lifetime achievements in cinema. About fifteen stage dresses, including those of Medea (directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini), Elisabetta - Sissi (directed by Luchino Visconti), Giuliana Hermil - L’innocente (directed by Luchino Visconti) were on display in an extremely popular exhibition.

In recent years Palazzo Pitti has become most famous as the location for the Pitti Immagine Uomo fair, showcasing the men’s collections by the biggest names in Italian fashion in the most important event in the world for men’s fashion.

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31 @ photos Stefano Gruppo Evento Pitti Uomo Firenze

FROM THE BLUE TO THE GREEN OF ITALY A GAY FRIENDLY JOURNEY

by Giovanna Ceccherini

Dolomiti

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Puglia Monte Bianco

8 Rome

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000 kilometers of coastline on the most beloved sea in the world and world heritage mountains: Italy has a variety of landscapes, beauty and biodiversity so vast that it is hardly known to the Italians themselves.

In fact, foreigners are often the trendsetters, rediscovering regional food, typical dances, unknown beaches or hidden paths.

Puglia and Sicily are the regions that stand out today as the home of Italy’s top LGBTQ+ seaside destinations.

Puglia, the ‘Heel of Italy’ is rightly considered one of the most gay-friendly Italian regions. The natural beauty of the beaches of Salento and the city of Gallipoli, surrounded by the sea, creates the perfect atmosphere for a vibrant LGBTQ+ community. In recent years, there have been numerous foreign investments including from many LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. A growing community of les-

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bian entrepreneurs has settled in the inland area called ‘Valle D’Itria’ where many abandoned farms have been purchased and transformed into boutique hotels or luxury agriturismos surrounded by olive trees and verdant countryside. These are the perfect retreats for those who want to relax in peace and quiet, away from the crowds of the big beaches. Places like Locorotondo, Ostuni, Martina Franca are real jewels in this area, and should not be missed on a trip to Puglia.

This is in addition to Lecce and the ancient villages overflowing with Baroque architecture in the Puglia’s south. And of course, one cannot forget Alberobello, the famous city of trulli (the conical shaped houses typical in this part of Puglia).

Sicily, with its enormous historical and cultural heritage dating back to the Magna Grecia culture, is the perfect destination for those who love rugged landscapes and the untamed ocean. Along the spectacular Sicilian coast, the best-known LGBTQ+ resorts are found on the eastern coast near Catania. Not far, silhouetted on the horizon, is the baroque town

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Puglia

Sicily

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of Noto, the Vendicari Nature Reserve, and the beaches of Eloro and Calamosche, popular with nudists. On the western side, from San Vito Lo Capo to the Zingaro Nature Reserve, lies one of the most beautiful coastlines of the entire Mediterranean. At the center of it all is Palermo, the ancient, diverse and always interesting capital of the region.

Minor sisters of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands, are best discovered in a gulet, a traditional sailing boat which can be rented for small groups, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea in complete autonomy while stopping in the coves and small ports to replenish the galley, and enjoy the sunset with a delicious aperitif of local delicacies.

Italy also has some of the most beautiful mountains in the world, the Alps, with areas

Locorotondo

Sicily

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Tre Cime di Lavaredo

like the Dolomites declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These mountains host Italy’s world-famous ski resorts that have defined Italian luxury alpine tourism, from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Madonna di Campiglio up to Sesto and Auronzo di Cadore, where the famous peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo are located.

Puglia

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In the northwest of the country, between Courmayeur to Cervinia, we find Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe, Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn, where numerous destinations cater to LGBTQ+ travelers, and outdoor activities abound. Less than an hour’s drive away is Turin, where Italy’s early LGBTQ+ rights movement began in the 1970s, and where the community continues to be very active and engaged today.

In February 2026, the Winter Olympics and Paralympics will be hosted at a series of locations between Milan and Cortina D’Ampezzo, through Valtellina to Val di Fiemme, near many popular destinations for international LGBTQ+ tourists including Verona, which will mark the closing of the Games.

The organizers are working to make this the most inclusive Olympics ever, one that will showcase Italy’s commitment to hosting a sports, cultural and entertainment program that leaves no one behind and welcomes the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.

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Salento coast

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Giambattista Tiepolo, La morte di Giacinto, Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, 1752 - 1753

Diver, ca 500-475 BC. Fresco, 110x220 cm. From Poseidonia. Cover slab of the Tomb of the Diver. Paestum (Salerno), National Archaeological Museum © Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia / Ministry of Culture

THE TOMB OF THE DIVER

AT THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF PAESTUM: STILL A MYSTERY AFTER 25 CENTURIES

by Calogero Pirrera

T

he Tomb of the Diver was never intended for public viewing and discourse. The art that adorned the limestone slabs and the young man entombed within was meant to be buried and remain invisible for eternity.

However, ever since the its discovery in 1968 in the Tempa del Prete Necropolis(a few kilometers from Paestum in Campania, which was known at the at the time as Poseidonia)it has been the subject of heated debate by archeologists and historians who have tried to understand its cryptic and enigmatic meaning. It has also gained fame as an exceptional and rare work of art that arouses the interest and curiosity of those who see it.

The Tomb, dated around 500-475 B.C. thanks to

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the funerary relics it contained, is composed of five painted limestone slabs and takes its name from the image depicted on the inner face of the rectangular top, where a completely naked man is diving into a pool of water. The other four faces represent scenes of symposium typical in the life of adult Greek aristocrats. In them we find depicted all the characteristics of this fundamental socio-educational activity of the male Greek’s world: the symposiasts are lying on the klinai (Greek couches) in the presence of vases full of wine, some chatting while drinking, some playing wind or string instruments, while others make love. There is also a naked young servant carrying cups, and other characters caught in a forward gait that seems to be a dance (among

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Farewell scene, ca 500-475 BC. Fresco, 80x100 cm. From Poseidonia. Western wall of the Tomb of the Diver. Paestum (Salerno), National Archaeological Museum © Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia / Ministry of Culture

Scene of a symposium, ca 500-475 BC. Fresco, 80x225 cm. From Poseidonia. Southern wall of the Tomb of the Diver Paestum (Salerno), National Archaeological Museum © Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia / Ministry of Culture

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Young man carrying a drink, ca 500-475 BC. Fresco, 80x100 cm. From Poseidonia. East wall of the Tomb of the Diver.

Paestum (Salerno), National Archaeological Museum © Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia / Ministry of Culture

them may be a young female musician). Others are depicted playing kottabos, a game common at ancient Greek symposia that involved flinging the wine sediment from the bottom of ones glass onto a target in the middle of the room, often for a prize or a wager.

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The critical discussion on the Tomb of the Diver initially arose with regard to the style of the paintings, considered both a very rare example of funerary painting, and a masterpiece of Magna-Greek painting of the classical era (a Greek painting of which very few traces remain, but described in detail by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia). Added to the discussion is the artist’s technical execution of the work, with its dependence on contemporary ceramic techniques of the time, and the fact that it is a unique example of funerary art similar to Etruscan tomb artifacts, in particular with the paintings from the Tomb of Hunting and Fishing at the Monterozzi Necropolis in Tarquinia, northwest of Rome.

The Paestum work, which has characteristics from Greek symposia culture as well as the Etruscan and Italic way of plastering and painting tombs with figures, creates ambiguity, mystery, and above all a relic which stirs a lively debate. Some experts have associated the paintings from the tomb with the mystery

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Scene of Symposium, ca 500-475 BC. Fresco, 80x225 cm. From Poseidonia. North wall of the Tomb of the Diver.

Paestum (Salerno), National Archaeological Museum © Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia/Ministry of Culture

cults of Orpheus, while others have stated that the images are nothing more than a realistic expression of a banquet scene where one can interpret the symbolic passage of life to death in the diver’s plunge on the inside of the tomb’s lid.

The “Dionysian mystery” interpretation of the images of the tomb is perhaps the most fascinating, although still much debated. Historical evidence of an “Orphic Cult” has been found in several tombs in the region, which according to some archaeologists reflects the desire of the deceased to reach an afterlife through a secret ritual. Followers of these sects linked to Dionysus and Orpheus wanted to achieve a state of bliss denied to those who did not participate in that particular mysterious cult, i.e. most men who after death would reach Hades and an eternity of torment. There were several musical instruments depicted in the paintings of the tomb of the diver, including a lyra, an ancient instrument known to be

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connected to the figure of the mythical singer Orpheus.

The tomb, which may have belonged to a local devotee of arts and culture, and practitioner of Hellenic customs, is certainly an important point of contact between Greek and Italic civilizations. It remains open to discussion, as there is no unambiguous or universally accepted interpretation of the tomb’s artwork and its meaning. This is perhaps one of the reasons it continues to amaze, intrigue and inspire the scholars who study it, as well as the many visitors who travel to Paestum to admire it.

The fascination brought on by the Tomb of the Diver probably also has to do with the discovery of an intimacy far removed in time, which the occupant wanted to hide from the eyes of those who would come after him. It has to do with the mystery of death, and the secret aspirations of an individual from whom we are left with only what he wanted to hide for eternity.

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A STREET FOOD TOUR OF ITALY,

FROM NORTH TO SOUTH

by Silvia Moggia

W

hen people think about Italian cuisine, they usually picture themselves sitting over a very long and lazy family dinner with multiple courses. Still, we actually have a long-lasting street food tradition, touching all our regions. It’s just that till quite recently, we didn’t know that those mouthwatering dishes went abroad under the name of street food (i.e. cibo da strada).

In fact, street food in Italy has its origins several millennia ago as evidenced by the thermopolium that can be found around Pompei. These were small stalls that sold drinks and hot food, with large earthenware jars embedded in a masonry surround that kept the food inside the jars warm. Archaeologists have found over 80 of

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these early fast-food establishments in Pompeii alone. The food served was often depicted in artwork on the front of the masonry surrounding the jars, with images of chickens, ducks, rabbit, goat, snails and other animals giving the hungry passerby an idea of what was on offer at that particular thermopolium.

So, let us take a journey today, from North to South, from the Genoese focaccia on the Italian Riviera to lampredotto sandwich in Florence to the pani ca ‘meusa in Palermo, from the Valtellina sciatt to the Abruzzese arrosticini. Will this be an exhaustive list? Absolutely not! Visiting the country calmly, on the road, you can discover many other typical dishes. For now, let’s start our journey…

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2 TRENTINO-ALTO ADIGE 3 AOSTA VALLEY

1 FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA 4 LOMBARDY

6 VENETIAN

5 PIEDMONT 8 LIGURIAN

7 EMILIA-ROMAGNA

9 TUSCAN 10 UMBRIAN 12 ABRUZZO 11 LAZIO 15 APULIAN 14 CAMPANIA 16 BASILICATA

13 SARDINIAN

17 CALABRIAN

18 SICILIAN

1 FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA STREET FOOD Putizza is a typical party dessert of Trieste, perfect as a snack to be consumed on the go. It’s a rolled cake typical of the Karst and very similar to the corresponding Slovenian version: a dough with an intense flavor, filled with dried fruit.

where it’s served neat on wax paper with bread on the side. There are many varieties of sausages however, from Meraner (prepared with beef mixed with pork and spiced) to Weisswurst (white, not smoked), perfect for eating with bretzel!

2 TRENTINO-ALTO ADIGE STREET FOOD The Bretzel is the typical South Tyrolean bread that is also widespread in Austria and Germany and comes with a recognizable intertwined shape. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, it is garnished with grains of coarse salt.

Panino con il würstel is a must in Bolzano,

3 AOSTA VALLEY STREET FOOD Tegole are typical, delicious round, flat, tasty, and crumbly biscuits made with almonds, hazelnuts, butter, egg white, and flour. The Aosta tegole are traditionally eaten for breakfast, but they are also perfect as a mid-morning or afternoon snack to go.

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4 LOMBARDY STREET FOOD Sciatt is Valtellina’s mouth-watering bites of Casera cheese, passed in a thin buckwheat-based batter, then fried and served hot. You can have them with chicory and bresaola served in a walking cone.

Caldarroste can be found everywhere, as chestnuts are widespread throughout the country, but Milanese kiosks selling freshly prepared roasted chestnut cones are quite an institution.

5 PIEDMONT STREET FOOD Miassa is an ancient Canavese specialty, widespread only around Ivrea, where it used to replace bread. Prepared with water and cornflour, it’s a kind of polenta-based piadina cooked on an iron heated over a high flame, and then filled with the typical salignun, a fresh ricotta cream flavored with alpine herbs and chili. As a kid, I couldn’t wait to visit my great-grandma in Ivrea to taste it!

6 VENETIAN STREET FOOD Cicchetti are typical appetizers of the Venetian gastronomic tradition, accompanied, in full Venetian style, with an Aperol Spritz or a glass of local wine. Among the most famous, we find creamed cod, egg with anchovies, meatballs, baby octopus with polenta, and fried vegetables.

Cones of fried fish are widespread throughout Italy, getting a different name depending on the

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region or town you order them. Still, the Scartosso de pesse is a fried fish foil in the Venetian version, using the fish from the Lagoon. A riot of squid, sardines, prawns, sole, shrimp, mullet, other local fishes and vegetables.

Paduan folpetti are a true delight: ungutted octopus boiled and served in green sauce.

7 EMILIA-ROMAGNA STREET FOOD Piadina is one of the most popular street foods, and we now find piadinerie serving it throughout Italy! The dough varies depending on the area: on the coastline, around Rimini, the pastry is thin, in the hinterland much thicker, while the classic filling is with the local cheese called Squacquerone di Romagna dop, rocket, and ham.

The erbazzone, particularly typical of the Reggio Emilia area, is an exquisite savory pie filled with chard, spinach, garlic, egg, shallot, and onion.

Modenese Crescentina, also known by the name of tigella, referring to the name of the terracotta disk once used to cook it on the grill, is a typical bread, round and rather flat, usually cut and stuffed with the traditional cunza (a mixture made from lard, rosemary, and garlic) or with cold cuts and cheeses.

Torta fritta in Parma, also known as gnocco fritto Reggio-Emilia or Modena, is a fried dumpling prepared by frying a dough made

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ph. Matteo Carassale

from flour, water, and salt then cut into squares.

As per tradition, it is accompanied by tasty local cold cuts.

8 LIGURIAN STREET FOOD Frisceu is the traditional mixed fried seafood, or fried cod, looking like rounded pancakes in batter with thinly sliced herbs and often served with panisse, prepared by boiling a chickpea flour polenta on charcoal, then cut into pieces with the characteristic “half-moon” shape, then fried and served hot.

Focaccia Genovese is cult street food. The Genovese version is thin, slightly crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside, and seasoned with extra virgin olive oil. We - I’m a local… eat it not only on the road but also and above all for breakfast, when dipped in a cappuccino! Do try it! It also comes in unlimited variations: with onions, with tomatoes, with oregano, with pesto sauce, etc.

Focaccia di Recco is one of my favorite treats ever. It’s a product that boasts the IGP designation and can be prepared with this wording only in Recco, Sori, Camogli, and Avegno, all four towns located east of Genoa. It’s composed of two super-thin layers of dough made with water, flour, extra virgin olive oil, and salt, which hold a delicious filling of fresh stracchino cheese.

Torte di verdure (vegetable pies) are an everyday treat. The most famous vegetable pie is the green cake: a thin pastry filled with rice, zucchini, and herbs such as chard, which change according to the season.

Farinata is a must in the eastern Italian Riviera. A thin layer of chickpea flour and water, baked in the oven and served hot. In La Spezia, you can even have it to fill sliced pizza to go!

9 TUSCAN STREET FOOD The lampredotto sandwich is a must-try in Florence! It’s actually the abomasum, one of the four stomachs of the bovine, boiled in vegetable broth, served in a lightly wet sandwich, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and, optionally, a green sauce made with garlic and parsley or a spicy red sauce.

Covaccino is the typical Florentin flatbread, one of the most sought-after dishes by street food lovers. You can have it filled with your favorite ingredients. I love stracchino and sausage!

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Genoa,Historic Shops

Cinque e cinque, typical along the coast near Livorno, it’s bread stuffed with cecina, the Tuscan version of the Ligurian farinata, The name refers to the ancient payment system: five coins (once soldi) of bread and five of chickpea cake.

Marche street food Olive all’ascolana, a must for fried food, typical of Ascoli Piceno. The large Ascoli olives from Piceno (which boast the DOP) are stuffed with a filling based on minced meat, lemon zest, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and nutmeg breaded and fried in boiling oil. What can I say? One leads to another, and self-control is easily lost!

Typical of the province of Ancona, in the Marche region, it is a sandwich stuffed with veal or lamb intestines, seasoned with chili and other aromas and, subsequently, heated on the grill. It’s called panino con le spuntature.

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10 UMBRIAN STREET FOOD Crescia di Gubbio, also known as Torta al Testo, is a round dough made from water, flour, bicarbonate (or yeast), spread and cooked on the typical panaro, a disc of iron heated by the open flame of the embers. Sliced, it is usually served with excellent local cured meats and costarelle (i.e., pork ribs) and vegetables.

11 LAZIO STREET FOOD Maritozzo is a delicious - definitely not light - Roman pastry: an elongated brioche dough enriched with pine nuts and raisins, cut lengthwise and stuffed with whipped cream and a sprinkling of icing sugar. I told you… not light, but truly unforgettable!

The supplì is an elongated meatball made with rice cooked with tomato sauce or with meat sauce with a mozzarella heart in the center. It’s then fried and served hot, with a crunchy exteri-

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or and a soft meaty center.

In Ariccia, near Rome, don’t miss the porchetta, a specialty based on boned and spiced pork, with a crunchy crust and perfectly balanced aroma of rosemary, pepper, and garlic. It’s a tradition handed down from father to son! You can now get it in any country fair around Italy, but the original one is a totally different experience I recommend!

Well, pizza al taglio is technically well known and served everywhere, but in Rome is a must.

The most famous one is the white pizza, but you also get the one with potatoes, the one with tomato, the one with porchetta and chicory, and the one with mortadella.

12 ABRUZZO STREET FOOD The arrosticini are the typical, irresistible, Apennine pastoral tradition skewers of sheep meat roasted on the brazier.

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13 SARDINIAN STREET FOOD Fave del Sinis are broad beans, the main ingredient of local peasant cuisine. On the Sinis peninsula, located in the central-western area of the island, they are prepared and eaten as they once were: after a long soaking in water, they are boiled and seasoned with garlic, parsley, oil, and chili, and then eaten as usual: one by one, just like peanuts.

Muggine arrosto is one of Sardinia’s most typical fish products, prevalent in the lagoon area of Cabras. Roasted mullet is perfect to be savored on the go.

14 CAMPANIA STREET FOOD Neapolitan Cuoppo is a typical takeaway cone filled with delicious customized fries with many fragrant flavors ranging from courgette flowers (the so-called sciurilli) to mozzarella in carrozza (i.e., fried or “in a carriage”) and from croquettes to fish.

When in Naples, don’t miss the ‘O per’ e ‘o muss (i.e., the foot and the muzzle). The offal is cleaned, boiled, cooled, and seasoned with a splash of lemon and salt. It has a soft and chewy texture, but it really tastes good.

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Pizza a portafoglio (i.e., wallet pizza) is a very ancient recipe, sold in the alleys of Naples: it consists of a small size pizza, stuffed with tomato and a single piece of fiordilatte (yummy type of local mozzarella), and then folded on itself to facilitate the consumption on the street.

15 APULIAN STREET FOOD Panzerotti are usually fried, but you can also find a baked version. No matter the option you select, they’ll be delicious, warm, fragrant, with a filling based on tomato sauce and mozzarella.

Focaccia barese is a must of the Apulian street cuisine. This type of focaccia is a very tall and soft one, with boiled potatoes mixed in the dough and stuffed with fresh tomatoes.

Piadina Salentina is quite a must in Lecce, with fillings combining the flavors of Apulian cuisine, such as beetroot and turnip greens, and with the innovation of different flavors such as avocado.

Touring the streets of Bari Vecchia, you will come across sgagliozze sellers: thin slices of polenta fried in boiling oil served hot with a sprinkling of salt.

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16 BASILICATA STREET FOOD Sfugliolato is a typical Lucanian dish: a bread prepared with flour, oil, brewer’s yeast, raisins, sugar, cinnamon, and the traditional recipe, also has salt, anchovies, and pepper. It’s prepared by rolling out the dough in a quadrangular shape, then stuffed with the ingredients and rolled up on the long sides, wrapped into a donut.

17 CALABRIAN STREET FOOD Morzello is the Catanzaro’s response to tripe: a typical specialty based on calf entrails which are first fried, then stewed in a high casserole with tomato, hot pepper, and spices such as bay leaf and oregano.

18 SICILIAN STREET FOOD Arancine is one of my favorite dishes ever.

Still, here we have to enter an essential southern and never-ending debate on their gender, which is actually one of Sicily’s most controversial linguistic topics. If in Palermo, they are strictly fimmine (female = arancine), in Catania, they are masculi (male = arancini). The important thing to remember is that it’s a delicious fried cone of rice filled with meat sauce. It is also found in many other variations, though: the white version, with mozzarella, ham, and bechamel, has long been my daily treat leaving the

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Bellini theatre where I used to work.

Pani ca meusa is a spleen sandwich trendy in Palermo’s open-air markets. It is a sandwich with a mix of offal, including the spleen, hence the name. Unlike many other Sicilian dishes, it is not of Arab origin but Jewish. It dates back to more than 1000 years ago, when the Jewish butchers kept, as compensation, the calf entrails with which they stuffed what they found, the bread, in fact. The pieces of the spleen (often together with veal lung and trachea) are cooked in lard, in large pots, and then dried and served in the guastedda, the sesame loaf. When ordering your sandwich, be ready to answer a crucial question: “schietta?” (i.e., frank, meaning seasoned with lemon only) or “maritata?” (i.e., married, meaning seasoned with caciocavallo cheese or salty ricotta).

Cassateddi are an Easter traditional dish widespread throughout the Trapani area, but now they can be enjoyed all year round. The small ravioli of shortcrust pastry, filled with ricotta, chocolate chips, and cinnamon, are fried in boiling oil and covered with powdered sugar. Yummy!

Sfincione, a high pizza with a spongy dough, topped with tomato, cheese, anchovies, oregano, and onion. In Palermo, it is easily found in bakeries or street vendors and today is recognized as PAT (traditional Italian food product).

Stigghiole, is another must when visiting stun-

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ning open markets in Palermo: grilled skewers prepared with rolled up sheep entrails seasoned with salt and onion. This product is also recognized as PAT! Pane, panelle and potato crocchè, a true Sicilian delicacy and yet another fried specialty (we’re not good at diet food). It’s a typical potato croquette with panelle, a thin pancake, prepared with chickpea flour, usually offered in Palermo within the guastedde, loaves covered with sesame seeds, seasoned with salt and lemon.

Last but definitely not least, the granita, spread all around the island, but coming from Messina: the ideal summer breakfast! Tastes are almost unlimited, ranging from strawberry to lemon, from mulberry to almond, from figs to chocolate.

However, the most famous and renowned is the menza ca ‘panna, served in a glass half with coffee granita and half with cream. The granita is eaten strictly accompanied by the typical coppola brioche, a butter sandwich with its particular hat shape.

Our tour has come to an end, and I hope you are inspired to try some of these street foods the next time you are in Italy, and that youvenjoy the timeless Italian tradition of enjoying regional specialties on the go!

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THE ALBERGO DIFFUSO AN ITALIAN ORIGINAL WHOSE TIME HAS COME!

by Robert Peaslee

T

he COVID pandemic has changed travel patterns dramatically in the short term, but no one knows how the social distancing we have all been practicing will impact travel habits in the longer term. Will people feel comfortable eating at a hotel’s breakfast buffet, or will buffets even exist? Will travelers feel comfortable in hotels with lots of shared spaces, or will people opt for less contact and more isolated housing options? We do not know, but one uniquely Italian type of hotel may be just the thing for our postpandemic world.

Borgo di Fiume

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Albergo Diffuso Campagnatico

There are currently around 150 Alberghi Diffusi in Italy, and the vast majority are open all year.

Each Italian region has its own rules regarding Alberghi Diffusi, so there are some variations on the theme around the country. However, since the concept has often been used to stimulate economic activity in remote and less-visited areas, most of the Alberghi Diffusi are in charming but depopulated villages and often include historic properties. The fact that they are usually located away from popular tourist itineraries, often in small villages with nature close by, gives the visitor a chance to slow down, get to know local traditions, and really contribute positively to the small local economy. This makes staying at an Albergo Diffuso a unique experience, in that the guest is in an area that she would unlikely visit otherwise, which offers an authentic and enjoyable option to staying in a regular hotel or short-term property rental.

Some Alberghi Diffusi choose not to have a dedicated restaurant preparing food, and in-

The Albergo Diffuso, or literally “Scattered Hotel”, is a hotel that has rooms or suites located across numerous buildings in a village, with shared central services such as a front desk and a restaurant, a bar and sometimes even a pool.

The concept began in the 1980s and has grown since as a viable way to stimulate economic development in depopulated villages, and to utilize existing structures while preserving the character of the village rather than trying to build a new hotel. The streets become the passageways of the hotel, and piazzas become the shared hotel space.

Alberghi Diffusi may include single rooms or multi-room apartments, with or without kitchens, but with the general rule of all properties being less than 200 meters from one another and connected by their shared guest services. The concept encourages interaction between guests and locals, allowing tourists to “live like a local” without sacrificing the amenities of a hotel stay, such as housekeeping, room service meals, and advice from the front desk. This structure also gives each guest autonomy in terms of how engaged they want to be (or not be) with other guests and local residents, which is ideal in the post-pandemic world.

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Monte Prat Laure

Al Vecchio Convento

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stead opt for a “pranzo diffuso” concept where local restaurants participate in providing food for guests on a rotating basis, ensuring a diverse menu and also supporting restaurants that want to be part of the program. No matter whether there is a dedicated restaurant or not, staying in an Albergo Diffuso almost always ensures that you will enjoy slow/local cuisine at the table, quite likely accompanied by local wines and other specialties that you will unlikely find if travelling only to the main tourist centers.

The Albergo Diffuso concept is even being extended to other entities in Italy, with the Uffizi Gallery in Florence launching its “Uffizi Diffusi” program later this year. The innovative program will take works of art from the Uffizi’s vast collections that are currently in storage and not displayed, and showcase them in other museums around Tuscany in an attempt to drive more traffic to those lesser-visited institutions, and to allow the public to enjoy the works of art. It is leveraging existing art assets to the benefit of other museums, their towns and to the visiting public.

Montepagano

Villa Asfodeli

Borgo Casa al Vento

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Corippo

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We began this article speculating about post-Covid travel, and how it may affect the future of travel. The philosophy of the Albergo Diffuso, to re-purpose underused places and give new economic life to isolated villages, seems to be perfectly aligned with how many travelers will look at their future journeys.

It is sustainable, and ethical tourism which can provide unique insights and experiences far beyond the normal hotel stay. Now that the pandemic has proven that remote work is possible, there may be an entire new group of travelers visiting Alberghi Diffusi and staying even longer than before. There are Alberghi Diffusi all over Italy, so trying one on your next trip to Italy is not difficult and may wind up being the highlight of your vacation.

For more information, please www.alberghidiffusi.it

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QUEERVADIS APPROVED A NEW DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PROTOCOL TO WELCOME LGBTQ+ TRAVELERS HAS BEEN CREATED IN ITALY

by Giovanna Ceccherini

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new Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Protocol, validated and certified by RINA, has been launched in Italy so that all sectors related to hospitality can provide a warm welcome to the LGBTQ+ community.

Entities which adopt the Protocol are demonstrating an active interest in welcoming di-

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verse travelers of all types, and it assures guests that the establishment has undertaken diversity training and LGBTQ+ awareness activities with its staff. The program is being supervised by the Scientific Committee of AITGL (Italian Association of Gay and Lesbian Tourism), and will be marketed and rec-

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ognized by travelers under the “QueerVadis Approved” brand and logo.

The D&I Protocol was created by the Sonders&Beach Group in collaboration with the AITGL, with the following opening statement of the protocol summarizing its main goal: “Every person has the right to enjoy a touristic service tailored to his or her needs, in order to enjoy and be comfortable away from home, in full self-confidence and simply being themselves without the risk of being criticized or discriminated against”.

Alessio Virgili, President of AITGL and CEO of the Sonders&Beach group, felt that Italy could no longer rely on the standard hospitality formulas of the past, because at least 7% of the world’s population identifies as LGBTQ+ and these individuals represent a growing and important market sector, and one that will be key to the post-pandemic economic recovery in global tourism.

The QueerVadis Approved designation indicates that the entity has agreed to adhere to a set of ethical standards when it comes to LGBTQ+

guests and other diverse travelers. It ensures that staff has been properly trained to welcome these guests, and provides guidance to the establishment on marketing and communication outreach efforts dedicated to LGBTQ+ tourists…realizing that this important sector wants not only to be accepted, but also invited and welcomed with a dedicated offer in Italy.

Obtaining and maintaining the QueerVadis Approved designation depends on AITGL auditors, who are all tourism professionals that understand the requirements and regulations of the program, and who are dedicated to the mission of making Italy the most welcoming country to LGBTQ+ tourism in Europe.

Sonders&Beach’s new D&I Protocol and QueerVadis Approved program will provide the international LGBTQ+ traveler with a very useful instrument evaluating and choosing options when planning their trip to Italy. Italy is ready for the resumption of global tourism, and this initiative will ensure that no one is left behind in ensuring the best quality of service and inclusive welcome to all visitors.

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What s INN

by Giovanna Ceccherini OASY HOTEL

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he Oasy Hotel is nestled halfway between Lucca, Pistoia, Florence and Bologna, in the municipality of San Marcello Piteglio, a World Wildlife Federation-affiliated nature reserve. The facility is in the Oasi Dynamo, a 1000-hectare nature preserve managed by the eponymous agricultural company which conducts environmental sustainability projects and scientific research on the property in addition to eco-tourism.

The facility includes 16 luxury eco-lodges, 2 restaurants with menus focused on local products, and many outdoor activities to pursue in the pristine natural surroundings.

Visitors can enjoy biking, trekking, horseback riding, kayaking, and paddle boarding, in addition to yoga classes and guided nature tours.

Cars are left at the entrance of the facility, to be replaced by comfortable e-bikes which transport guests easily and enjoyably throughout the property. The Oasy Hotel guarantees a truly rejuvenating experience, far from the hustle and bustle of the city and everyday life.

Oasy Hotel

AGRITURISMO LA PIANTATA

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a Piantata is an eighteenth-century farmhouse in the heart of the archaeological area of the Terme dei Papi, Vulci, Sovrana and the majestic Civita di Bagnoregio. The property is located between Lake Bolsena and the Etruscan village of Tuscania, between rolling hills of olives and lavender.

Sleeping in a treehouse is the unique experience offered by the Agriturismo La Piantata, since in addition to the comfortable rooms of the farmhouse, the agriturismo features the treehouses called “Black Cabin” and “Bambu Suite”. The first is a five-star, high-tech ‘cabin’ of 87 square meters in the shade of a 200-year-old maritime pine tree, with a 360° view of a thousand-year-old olive grove and the sea of Tarquinia. The second is a treehouse that can accommodate up to seven people in two connecting rooms. It has a hydromassage pool and Finnish sauna, as well as a breakfast terrace all up in a centuries-old oak tree, for 160 square meters of blissful relaxation.

Agriturismo La Piantata

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W H A T ’ S

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ATMOSFERA BUBBLE GLAMPING

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ave you ever slept in a transparent bubble, under the stars and surrounded by nature? It’s an experience to try at least once in your life, it is enjoyable at any time of the year, and it’s finally possible in Italy! Atmosfera Bubble Glamping is located in Satriano di Lucania, near Potenza, in Basilicata. It was created from the desire to preserve a family’s land for future generations, and to offer guests a truly unforgettable and authentic experience in Basilicata’s enchanting countryside.

The establishment pays maximum attention to its environmental impact, using all eco-sustainable and recycled materials as well as utilizing renewable energy. Private bathrooms and enchanting outdoor spaces complete the Bubble Glamping offer. While trekking and horseback riding are the main pursuits, one can also count on excellent Lucanian cuisine and stelar local wines to enjoy at the end of a refreshing day outside.

Atmosfera Bubble Glamping

VILLA CA’ GRASSI 3

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a’ Grassi 3 is a delightful loft-style apartment located on the top floor of an elegant and ancient building in Venice’s San Marco district, just a few steps from the Accademia bridge. It is ideal for a couple’s vacation or a honeymoon.

The apartment is enhanced by a pleasant ‘altana’, a terrace overlooking the Venetian rooftops. The Altana provides the ideal place to start the day with a delicious breakfast, or to relax with an aperitif after a busy day of sightseeing and walking through the city of canals.

Staying in the less touristy sertieri of Venice offers visitors the chance to get to know the city more like a local. The city is perfect for walking, so one is never far from something interesting, and it is worth trying the local wine bars and restaurants that are in the less visited parts of this enchanting city.

Villa Ca’ Grassi 3

Villa Ca’ Grassi 3

Hotel Sextantio

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THE RECOVERY REQUIRES CLEAR THINKING THE ROAD MAP OF

GIORGIO PALMUCCI

PRESIDENT OF ENIT

by Letizia Strambi

ENIT Madrid - FITUR fair LGBTQ+ area

Giorgio Palmucci

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iorgio Palmucci represented the best of Italy, back in the day, when he was “only” a tourism entrepreneur. A person of extraordinary humility, with great attention to others, he seemed to be devoted to satisfying everyone, therefore perfect in the complex position of the President of ENIT, ready to promote and represent our country to the world. An innate elegance and a natural politeness accompanied by a perennial smile make Palmucci a true icon of the Italian that is known abroad. To these qualities he adds an unquestionable desire to work and passion in his profession, and while hampered by the difficulties of the pandemic period, he did not give up.

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The last time we met, we were in front of an audience of travel professionals presenting at the IGLTA Convention. What has changed in this long period of pandemic crisis, and where does ENIT begin its efforts at recovery?

Awareness has changed: we have a new way of doing tourism both from a B2B and B2C point of view. On the one hand there is a search for security, for wide spaces in which to be socially distanced, and on the other there is a greater desire to seek each other out and to share.

Everything that has happened has influenced daily life, and the way we think about travel, both in the choice of destination and in the way we reach it and experience it.

Before one of the most important variables was price, now safety is in first place. We decide “how” to go on vacation in order not to risk a negative experience at the exact moment in which we want to detach ourselves from daily stress. All this calls into question the way tourism operators work, as they are also struggling to come to terms with the measures put in place by various governments that have an enormous impact on hospitality.

Italy has been viewed abroad, in this period, in different ways. At first, we seemed to be the only country at risk of Covid, but then our candor and transparency from the very first moment, while the virus was circulating everywhere, was rewarded. Italy distinguished itself by taking the most stringent measures. Fortunately, now the feedback on

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you doing with ENIT to demonstrate this to the world? Can we show that we are secure in a distinctive way compared to other countries?

In communication, we need to make sure that the concept of safety does not become an obsession, in the sense that we need to give certainty about the measures taken, but uniting them with the narration of our unique landscape and outstanding food and wine. Certainly, in all countries there is the theme of hospitality, but Italians are incomparable masters and our smiles, our way of doing things can be seen even under the masks, in our eyes, and in our gestures.

ENIT Madrid - FITUR fair LGBTQ+ area

the country speaks for itself: 85% of international travelers considered Italy a safe place in the latest survey.

Since the second wave of measures have been approved, and with ongoing vaccination campaigns worldwide, Italy has remained in the thoughts and plans of international travelers, and remains a top destination researched on social media and search engines.

So I think we can, from now on, recover quickly.

People continue to dream of Italy, of our priceless cultural and natural heritage, but safety, which was already a basic element in the demand for the LGBTQ+ traveler, now plays a primary role. What are

Pre-Covid tourism attraction planning focused on luxury, events, slow tourism, and a different Italy to discover, all of which converge in LGBTQ+ tourism, a trendsetter for up-and-coming destinations. Some of these elements have been given a new importance at this time, such as slow tourism, and tourism linked to less crowded destinations. Will this and other aspects be highlighted in next year’s LGBTQ+ offerings?

We will not have the problems of over-tourism, as we had them before 2020. Decentralized tourism has definitely gained importance, but in order to restart the flow of tourists we must also involve the most popular destinations that are essential to get to know the Italy that is undisclosed and enjoyable at any time of the year.

We must return to the 441 million visitors of 2019 and consider it a starting point for further growth in which outdoor tourism and other Italian attractions can be experienced to a greater extent. Suffice it to say that 60% of our 55 UNESCO Sites are in municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants. In a small town like Tivoli, near Rome, there are two. This trend is affecting every kind of tourist target, and I believe it can also be appreciated by the LGBTQ+ community, which has proven to be an important trendsetter on many occasions.

Once you were appointed president of ENIT you immediately started promoting Italy around the world, in person, like no one before you, then you were faced with

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[Andrea Comi]/[Moment] via Getty Images

ENIT @London Pride

the “perfect storm”, how did you manage it and how do you think you will shape the future of ENIT? In the first lockdown period we had to revise our entire 2020 plan. Immediately, we got active with smartworking. Everything was rethought digitally. We picked up where the virus left off, continuing to tell the story of Italy around the world. We have kept our attention focused on the destinations, companies, operators and associations. We shared even more, to help each other understand what was happening and to evolve with regard to the tragedy, moving within the boundaries of what was possible. Beyond the drama of the situation, it was an opportunity to review the tourism horizon from new perspectives and reflect on a new future. I believe we are coming out of it stronger and with a renewed focus.

Our social habits have changed and Italians, known for their way of being expressive, smiling and elegant, how will they be able to compete in a world that has lost its embraces and is now accustomed to living in tracksuits and wearing a mask?

We trust and, indeed, we are certain that they are only hibernating hugs and that we will return to be together with a greater spirit of expressiveness than before. And the Italians, as well as the rest of the world, will demonstrate that they do not want or know how to give up this way of life.

The advantage of this crisis is that it is global and has not hit just one area of the world. The disadvantage is that the

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reaction to the crisis will be measured by investments in vaccinations, and openings of travel corridors. In Europe, is Italy at the same point as other countries, or not?

The importance of tourism in our country leads us to accelerate projects that focus on the principles of sustainability, accessibility and innovation that have become imperative today. I am optimistic and I believe that what has happened will lead both operators and institutions to establish a new road map in this direction.

You became President of ENIT by popular demand, with undisputed support from all political parties and all the associations.

In your opinion, in a country where the debate is so heated and confrontational, why does everyone like Giorgio Palmucci, what makes you so reliable? Can you be passionate and remain above partisanship?

I have been working in tourism for thirty years, I have always liked to travel and fortunately I have been able to do this, which was my main aspiration since I was a little boy.

Traveling has led me to gain many experiences that I have made available to everyone, along with my constant passion, which is indispensable when one is at the service of the association, to be able to lend a hand and to listen. When I was asked to be President, I accepted, knowing what the difficulties would be, and I greatly appreciated the consideration and trust that was given to me. I hope it was well placed. I believe that passion and teamwork are always the tools that allow us to look to the future even in the most difficult times.

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Maria Elena Rossi

MARIA ELENA ROSSI THE WOMAN BEHIND WINNING NOMINATIONS Founder of the IGLTA Convention in Italy, nothing can stop her, not even the pandemic. She chairs the Scientific Committee of the Italian Gay and Lesbian Tourism Association in a proactive and strategic manner

by Letizia Strambi

What strategies has ENIT put in place in this difficult period to attract such a diverse market segment as LGBTQ+?

We’ve worked hard to attract the IGLTA Convention, which was supposed to be held in Milan in 2020, and is now rescheduled for 2022, and it has been a great opportunity to get to the heart of the matter and get to know both the association and the businesses dedicated to this sector. We put a lot of effort into the winning candidacy, and then on our communication strategy, participating in workshops, events and Pride celebrations in major world capitals. In addition, we have worked to raise awareness among our national tourism entities of the importance of welcoming this audience. It has been an important focus over the past three years for ENIT, culminating in our participation in the Scientific Committee of the Italian Association of Gay and Lesbian Tourism, together with business associations, institutions, companies, airlines and Italian universities.

The 2022 Convention will be a crucial commitment for the future of this tourism segment in our country, but will ENIT participate in events promoting this sector if they occur prior?

We will be at the IGLTA Convention in Atlanta to take the baton for this very important event. Afterwards we have other events

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n open smile, a dynamic approach and the attitude of a true sportswoman, Maria Elena Rossi has brought a breath of positivity to ENIT, the Italian National Tourism Agency. The pragmatic approach has also provided stable support during the worst moment in the history of global tourism: the pandemic.

In this interview, the marketing director of ENIT tells us about the future of Italian tourism, whose wealth comes from its spectacular past and incredible natural beauty. However, the place everyone loves needs to welcome everyone, and Maria Elena Rossi, from the moment she took office, highlighted the need to develop an offer for specific groups, including LGBTQ+.

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[Francesco Riccardo Iacomino]/ [Moment] via Getty Images

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ENIT @London Pride

scheduled in different countries where we have launched promotion campaigns dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. The medium-long term strategy will be the creation of an Italian public-private supply chain that will create brand awareness through targeted campaigns.

How could we replace the “human touch” that is so basic for this tourism segment, in a world where professional relationships have often become virtual? How much has the marketing experience changed, especially for specific markets such as LGBTQ+?

It is clear that this period of closure has changed the way we communicate, and new needs have arisen, such as the need to always be online, which has become a global necessity. I think with respect to that there will be no turning back. Digital marketing will be central to developing targeted campaigns for segments like LGTBQ+. However, I think real, in-person contact has become

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more relevant. The new trade shows that are starting up again, have a new digital and physical approach together, so many more people will follow them through streaming, as well as in-person and therefore, I think they can be even more effective. That’s why the slogan we’ve chosen to restart is: “Italy is better in Italy”.

How do you win back the trust of the traveler in a world of total uncertainty? Can you plan in this chaos of daily changes?

The situation of both Italian and international tourism is extremely negative and planning in the absence of steady connections is not easy.

We carefully follow the vaccination plan and the modus operandi of some countries that have opened the corridors. We have, from the first moment, focused on the reputation of Italy with a very serious approach and we can say from monitoring that we have obtained excellent results in this regard. Throughout this time we have supported businesses and kept the focus on them with impressive re-

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sults in terms of hits across our digital ecosystem. Our tourism minister has announced an upcoming opening for the country, and this is the best scenario we could have expected.

You are part of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Gay and Lesbian Tourism Association, what do you expect from this body? What is the fundamental asset: training, sector studies... What aspect of ENIT do you find most relevant to this active collaboration?

I am very pleased to have made a concrete start right away by launching the Protocol on Diversity and Inclusion, validated by RINA, which will enable us to promote the participation of as many tourism-related sectors as possible.

We will also launch research projects with the Committee, contributing with ENIT’s Research Center to the dissemination of surveys in the 28 countries where we are present, for a market analysis that will give us an insight into the sector after the pandemic. Training will also be part of our mission with various learning modules related to the LGBTQ market planned for distribution throughout the organization.

Gay women are not easily recognizable, in the collective imagination we tend to think of two women close to each other as friends, and if they come out, everyone seems to find it very “exciting”.

[soup studio]/stock.adobe.com/it/

A further discrimination within discrimination: if you could change this attitude in tourist hospitality, what would you like to see happen in Italy?

I think it’s a problem linked to culture. A great deal of training should be done. We should change the culture at the root in order to have citizens who are more aware and tolerant towards others. Each of us should act in this direction, even in our public and professional roles. It is only through example that widespread sensitivity is created.

Have you ever found yourself welcoming or personally interacting with a group of LGBTQ+ tourists? Do you have friends in the community who have given you some suggestions? Have you ever trained on this target audience and found it useful?

For the Turin 2006 Olympics, we developed an informational activity and a friendliness campaign, with city tours and experiences designed for the LGBTQ+ market. I was helped at the beginning by friends and acquaintances in the community, today I’m happy to have picked up the thread by working on Italy’s candidacy for the IGLTA World Convention, which must be only the start of a path of welcoming, inclusiveness, and sustainability. ENIT wants to be the promoter of these values.

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DISCOVE R THE GAY SIDE

o f theDivine Comedy

by Alessio Virgili

2021 commemorates the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), the father of the Italian language. In his masterpiece poem, “The Divine Comedy”, where he imagines his journey through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, Dante elevates what he calls “Italian”, a vernacular dialect, to the status of a language in its own right. Up until then the only language used in books and art works was Latin.

One day, in particular, is mentioned in reference to the Divine Comedy: March 25, 1300 when Dante imagines the beginning of his journey into the Underworld which begins “Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita, mi ritrovai in una selva oscura...”. In the middle of the journey of life, I find myself in a dark jungle...

In his fantastic voyage, Dante meets many historical characters as well as people from his own personal life. He lived in Florence in the thirteenth century, a time when first Humanism and then the Renaissance were awakening the minds of artists and much attention was paid to man as the center of the universe. In the third round of the seventh circle of the Inferno, he encounters the “sodomites”, who are subjected to the brutal punishment of having to move constantly to avoid being stuck by flaming darts raining on them.

Still today, seven hundred years later, it is not clear what was Dante’s mindset to lead him imagine this scene where many illustrious members of Florentine society, including his mentor Brunetto Latini, are being punished for homosexuality.

He makes a distinction between these sinners in hell

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and those sodomites he finds in Purgatory, whose names he does not mention and who are placed together with the lustful heterosexuals as if they were less sinful somehow. In fact, at the time it was thought that the sin of sodomy could be either committed on purpose or naturally. The former would have destined for Hell, the latter for Purgatory.

Dante proves to be a man of his times, this was an era when ecclesiastic values were confronted with widespread indulgent behavior and evolving world views.

It is evident that Brunetto Latini, as Dante’s mentor and teacher, was to be respected for his great culture and therefore his moral sins were overcome by the esteem Dante had for his master. For the poet, there were much worse sins, such as treason. However, he shows that he is still firmly anchored in the religious morality of his time, otherwise why would Brunetto Latini be in hell at all?

Literary criticism has often dwelt on Dante’s view of homosexuality: does the way he forgives Brunetto Latini mean that he shared his homosexual lifestyle?

The fact that Dante’s moral judgement does not condemn homosexuality in full, while often trying to focus on the personal greatness and deeds of the people in his books rather than their more shameful actions, was not accepted well by the critics of his time. It is fascinating to reflect on his life in the 13th century, and how far we have come (or not) in society’s ability to tolerate differences and embrace diversity.

E D I T O R I A L

OVER 100 YEARS OF PASSION FOR ITALY

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