Quiiky Magazine Uscita Speciale Italia Autunno/Inverno 2022

Our Be Yourself manifesto

At Virgin Atlantic our purpose is to empower everyone to take on the world. Our vision is to be the world’s most loved travel company.

To achieve both, we need to focus on creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging. An environment which values and respects people’s unique identities; and fosters pride in being part of Virgin Atlantic. Where our people, our customers, our partners and our communities are united, and minority groups are represented.

We have a rich history and strong culture of embracing the human spirit without prejudice or boundaries. We want people to proudly be themselves, regardless of gender, background, beliefs, race, physical ability or who they choose to love. At the heart of it all, we uphold an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive.

But we know we can and must go further. We start by defining what we mean by Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Diversity is about recognising difference. Better decision-making can be achieved when you realise the benefit of having a range of perspectives. Equity bridges the gap between minority and majority groups. If we identify the specific needs of different demographic groups, then everyone starts on a more even playing field. And inclusion creates an environment where people feel they belong without needing to conform, and that their contribution matters.

At Virgin Atlantic our ‘Be Yourself’ manifesto is at the heart of everything we do. It filters through from our amazing people maintaining our planes, operating our flights and right into the journey of our loyal customers. It’s vital that we continue to live and breathe it every day.

Because Love, for us, means embracing, celebrating and supporting uniqueness. It’s treating each other with respect, kindness, trust and integrity. It’s about being amazing and, equally, about being amazed. It’s the purpose you gain when you know you belong.

Bulgari,

a dream destination

fairytale

from the wild nightlife

Sherocco

INN?

to do in Milan

life in ancient Rome

revolution

Salento

moves fast forward to LGBTQ+

in Hospitality. The ‘Queer vadis

Protocol’

between sweetness and wonders

nature

the place to be yourself

FOR US

Serravalle

Outlet

and the joy of good food open

2022 IGLTA 38th Global Convention in Milan

AS A CROSSDRESSER

for Paradise? Here we are

Virgili

Cecchi Paone

us on

QMAGAZINE

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Andrea Cosimi

RESPONSIBLE DIRECTOR: Letizia Strambi GRAPHICS AND LAYOUT: Monica Sotgiu - www.thelittleduck.it

EDITOR: Robert Peaslee

EDITORIAL SECRETARY: Teresa Dalessandri CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE: Francesca Galli, Titta Gruppo, Valentino Odorico, Elena Pozza, Giorgio Romano Arcuri

EDITORIALISTS:

Alessandro Cecchi Paone, Stefano Ferri, Alessio Virgili PHOTOS COURTESY OF: stock.adobe.com, alamy.it, dreamstime.com, unsplash.com, ITA AIRWAYS, BARILLA, Tuscany Region, Puglia Region, Mcarthurglen Serravalle Designer Outlet. Shooting fotografico Roberto Chiovitti

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° 02- 2022 six-monthly Autumn/Winter magazine Authorization of the Court of Milan of 23.01.2019 n° 11/2019 Registration R.O.C. Lombardy n. 21970

Members Of:

SECRET OF ITALIAN BEAUTY

What is appreciated most in the Ita lian world is our lifestyle. We eat well: our variety of fruits, cheeses, fish, vegeta bles has made this little boot a compendium of biodiversity you can’t find anywhere else in the world. A different breeze, a steeper hill, a near by strawberry field is enough to totally change the taste of a wine, a meat, a cheese. Beauty seems to have been born here, between wonder ful seas and mountains that are world heritage sites. We walk casually every day in the midst of absolute masterpieces of art that do not be long, as for the rest of the world, to a single era, to a few centuries, or to a moment, but to all the millennia that man has known. Here we have Etruscan sculptures, ancient Roman masterpie ces, medieval mosaics, Renaissance frescoes, Baroque fountains, dazzling Neoclassic statues, and still today architects who design buildings like clouds and woods. When we are at an event, we usually stand out for our elegance, but we are not outdone if we go out shopping. Fashion gives us completely dif ferent styles for a number of brands that have no equal. Our homes reflect us with design objects that become indispensable; we are willing to go into debt for a juicer or a lamp.

All this beauty comes from imperfections, from diversity. Nobody understood Michelangelo in his time, or Leonardo or Caravaggio. The stran gest car and motorcycle projects were born in moments close to the abyss, to failure. Then a mistake, a hazard, a necessity, and we give life to something unattainable. Sheep that grazed in different places when the grass was spent gave the milk for the ricotta of the Sicilian cannoli, the cheeses hidden under the hay and the pomace in the karst caves in wartime became gourmet excellences; nutel la was born when we had more hazelnuts than cocoa for sweets. The Ducati Monster is called so in dialect, not English, of the workers who had nights when the company was in its darkest moment; the Vespa is the daughter of post-war hunger; the Cinquecento is a legend of sustai nable rebirth.

This is why I believe that this Italian hospita lity, this IGLTA Convention, this special issue for which I have committed almost all of my working life, will carry our message of diversi ty and inclusion to the world. I know that what will simply appear different in the eyes of the untrained will be true beauty and unparalleled value for humanity.

Andrea Cosimi

UNFORGETTABLE Italy

THE UNTOLD HISTORY

by Titta Gruppo

Traveling to Italy is, for many pe ople, a way of finding one’s roots.

Opening a book by Virgilio, the yearning to discover the stories of Homer along the coasts of the South, to find in Florence the saving love of Dante, the atmosphere of Tintoretto in the sunsets of Venice.

Many foreigners, book in hand, come to seeMichelangelo - The Final Judgement

what they already know, and often are sur prised to read in the their guide-books that Michelangelo “was married to his art”, or “tormented by the love for a woman who would not repay it “attributed by imagina tive biographies transposed, also, on the big screen.

But what hurts cultured people, voted to

Michelangelo, Leonardo, Caravaggio: the history that is not told during tours that we can finally listen to with our heads high.

Leonardo - The Last Supper

the opening of the mind, are the docu mentaries: enjoyable, perfect, with glaring omissions about the love of Michelange lo or Leonardo for men. No one mentions the model and pupil of Leonardo da Vin ci, Gian Giacomo Caprotti known as Salai, while everyone makes assumptions about alleged links between Leonardo and the “woman” portrayed as the Mona Lisa, or the apostle –Magdalene. Instead the homosexuality of great artists should be a new point of view for study and further critical analysis. Millions of gay men, and people who are not content with a distorted version of history, have appeared in churches and museums to see “their” hi story, the real one, to find clues of cultural freedom. According to Quiiky- the first Ita lian gay-friendly tour operator- it is time to come out of this segregation to a pluralistic opening, and not only literate. “The Untold History” - the name of this Quiiky tourmarks the change. No longer will such an

important aspect of these artists’ lives be omitted.

Someone, finally, has the courage to say out loud that Michelangelo was gay, and it’s not a matter of prudery or injury to the obvious. Michelangelo loved men as evi denced by his passionate poems. We can notice that his women portrayed in the Si stine Chapel are massive and sculptural, with male bodies. For this a mighty Christ involves the vortex of salvation as a pair of men kiss in Paradise. And before Michelangelo it is not that gays didn’t exist in art. We took refuge in se arch of the San Sebastiano of art, icon of boyish beauty. A style that we can find in portraiture by Leonardo. The conception of beauty is expressed by Da Vinci in the androgynous features, almost feminine, of Salai, that we see in the portrait of John the Baptist, and St. John, who sits at the right hand of Christ in the Upper Room. Humanism’s favourite son, Leonardo, sees homosexuality as a relationship between philosopher and pupil, protector and scho lar. Caravaggio, bisexual, by contrast, took prostitutes and made them into Madonnas with filthy feet; he took his “boys” from brothels to make young San Giovanni out of them, beefy and beardless.

Apollo Belvedere

The genius beloved by gay boys is Miche langelo, for his inner torments of spirit and body that are characteristic of youth. The same that the artist transferred to the bo dies he depicted in his paintings. Sculp tural paintings, flesh as stone touched by divine love. The same love that Miche langelo felt for Tommaso dei Cavalieri, a young Roman nobleman for whom he wrote many wonderful poems. The same homosexuality that put artists in a synthesis of male and female, hea ven and earth, flesh and spirit, and what for others was darkness and for them was elective light. And in some cases, someo ne like Michelangelo, with a pope like Ju lius II, knew that he could finally afford to “dare” to come forward, even in the Si stine Chapel. This is because at the dawn of the 1500, Julius II did not care about Michelangelo’s homosexuality: for he was a genius. And it should be the same for us. We should not try to create fictitious hete rosexual love stories for him: he was gay, and proud of it, and the Pope did not have any trouble with it. The Pope had that open mind that in Milan, in other respects, we can find with the Sforza family. And today? It seems incredible that even when the Pope embraces a transsexual person and says “who am I to judge?” five hundred ye ars later, there is someone who is ready to pass judgment.

Caravaggio - Young Sick Bacchus

Leonardo - Salaì portrayed as John the Baptist

Guido Reni - San Sebastiano

From Rome,

Book

Flights

Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver

UMBRIA AND FASHION A REGION AND AN INDUSTRIAL REALITY STRONGLY LINKED

by Valentino Odorico

Thetextile industry has been one of the flagships of Umbria since ancient times.

There exist symbolic characters such as St. Francis of Assisi who are linked to fabrics: his father, Pietro di Bernardone, was a famous cloth merchant; and the saint undressed in the Foligno square when he decided to abandon all wealth to embrace “sister poverty”.

Today, success comes from some Umbrian com panies, especially in the knitwear segment, that over time have been able to enhance their work and increase their output.

Brands like Fabiana Filippi and Luisa Spagno li are international names today. Local artisans have been producing work for brands such as Dior, Hermés and Vuitton: a web of workshops that in 30 years have given life to a real industry.

Brunello Cucinelli

Recently, the region has created training pro grams, which put companies looking to hire in contact with the local schools.

Near Perugia, in Castel Rigone, a peasant family created what today is a brand recognized all over the world: Brunello Cucinelli. The entrepreneur, who initially began his studies as a surveyor and then enrolled in the engineering department, left the university in 1974 to begin a business in fashion. He founded the Brunello Cucinelli company in 1978 and focused on the mastering of colored cashmere. The constant growth led him in 2012 to list the company on the stock ex change. Cucinelli was also awarded an honorary degree in philosophy and ethics in human rela tions by the University of Perugia.

Philanthropic activity is important. Following the earthquake of October 26, 2016, which se riously damaged Central Italy, Cucinelli said he was ready to rebuild - through his foundationthe monastery annexed to the collapsed church of Norcia. The entrepreneur declared, “After this catastrophe, even the Benedictine rule will find new impetus.”

He also regarded Norcia as “the city of the soul”,

Castelluccio di Norcia

Brunello Cucinelli

identifying it as his city of spiritual reference.

In 2018, he sold 6% of his shares for a sum of over 100 million euros, donating it entirely to charity. For these actions and for his attention to the human capital available in the company, Cucinelli is an entrepreneur who wants to be close to an entrepreneurial system that respects the “moral and economic dignity of man”, valu ing humanity and society.

Brunello Cucinelli was also president of the Te atro Stabile of Umbria and director of the Cassa di Risparmio di Perugia Foundation. Also a lov er of sports and football, he was president of the Castel Rigone team.

Near Solomeo he financed the construction of the Forum of the Arts, a cultural center that in cludes a theater, meditative spaces, and the Ne ohumanistic Academy. His Brunello and Fed erica Cucinelli Foundation in 2014 financed three parks at the foot of the village of Solomeo: the Agricultural Park, the Oratory Park, and the Industrial Park.

In October 2021 he announced the project for a 2,000 square meter “Universal Library” located in Solomeo, whose construction should be completed in 2024.

Cucinelli is a model fashion entrepreneur who demonstrates how the textile industry and the profits deriving from it can also become eco nomic support for environmental projects. Recently he was also the designer of the new uniforms of ITA AIRWAYS, the national airline.

Brunello Cucinelli the designer of the new uniforms of ITA AIRWAYS

© ITA AIRWAYS

ARMANI, BULGARI, KARTELL, THREE OF HISTORY’S 500S

A timeless myth is reinterpreted by three of the world’s iconic brands for a project of pure art and beauty: Made in Italy

by Letizia Strambi

ph. Alberto Giorgio Alquati

Nobodyknows the formula that is at the center of the creative process of a wellknown masterpiece: The 500. An Italian icon in the world is reborn in the world with its iconic curves now squared off, marking once again in the 21st Century, as it had been during the eco nomic boom, the value of beauty. A car within everyone’s reach, and at the same time so per sonal as to become an inimitable Italian myth.

Many machines have been reinvented, but this is the only one, which is almost the same as its original, chosen by the third generation of youth.

Klaus Busse, vice president of design for FCA EMEA, rightly states that, “We are not looking at a car of a generation, but the car of an era.”

“The 500 Elettrica,” says Rossella Guasco, the

head of Colors & Material Design FCA EMEA,

“Is a piece of our heart, and this is why the OneOff project was born. We have selected three brands that symbolize three different aspects of the Italian spirit.” The momentum that the new 500 has seen in recent years has led to unpre cedented success, undoubtedly due to its unmi stakable design, but also to the modern, sustai nable impact that it had on the market, and to the levels of customization possible with each model.

Then, to become even more iconic, he created three One-Offs of the new 500 Elettrica with an exhibition curated by three memorable names in Italian fashion, design and craftsmanship: Giorgio Armani, Bulgari, Kartell.

All three have used natural and recycled ma terials to honor the intent of this symbol as it is projected into the future. We found ourselves faced, in the darkest mo ment of the world’s economy, with masterpie ces that awaited the glory of the Geneva Motor Show. But facing the immobility of lockdown, inflamed by the difficult world of online events, the strength, passion, and measure of this Ita lian project proved itself capable of paving its own path even in the most difficult times. The online presentation represented a worldwide event, and the three masterpieces were put up for auction to give the proceeds to the envi ronmental associations indicated by Leonardo Di Caprio, owner of the 500 electric and a radi cal environmentalist. Eco-sustainability is, in fact, one of the corner stones of FCA, which has its flagship model in the electric 500. The three cars are not only an aesthetic exploration, but material, and allow Fiat to understand how far to go into the future.

B.500 MAI TROPPO

Bulgari, synonymous with luxury, opulence, and beauty, has described the B.500 as “Never Too Much”. Made of imperial saffron metallic paint, a symbolic color from Bulgari that has eleva ted gold to a new hue, that reminds us of the sunsets of Rome that reflect in the horizon the amaranth of its historic buildings. To make it, a special gold powder was used, obtained from the residues from the jewelry-making process at the Bulgari Manufacture in Valenza. The Paren tesi motif is reinterpreted in this car to custo mize the front engine cooling grille with a play of solids and voids that evokes the jewels of the Openwork collection. The shiny rims are instead conceived as rays of golden light, reminiscent of Bulgari’s eight-pointed star. Inside, the dashbo ard is covered in hand-painted colored silk with

ph. Alessio Panunzi

Event presentation 500

Car interiors B.500 of Bvlgari - “Mai Troppo”

the Maison’s motifs. On the steering wheel, insi de the 500 logo, three colorful gems, a symbol of nature’s gift to technology. Next to the external logo of the car, the famous B by Bulgari set with diamonds, testifying to 136 years of history of this incredible jewelry signature.

FIAT 500 ARMANI

King Giorgio gives the Fiat 500 Armani the fi nesse and elegance that are typical of this im mense creative master. Armani green could not be missing. Here it changes with reflections of gray to give the effect of silk. The bodywork was laser engraved with infinitesimal precision to call to mind the pattern of a fabric. Above the hood is the unmistakable Giorgio Armani logo, also mar ked in the alloy wheels. The interiors are done in natural leather and wool fabric, the inserts in reclaimed wood with aluminum details.

KARTELL 500

Kartell, which has given the world the beauty of light in the sinuous curves of its design, brings back the distinctive theme of plastics that have become eco-sustainable. The Kartell 500 is a

new design object. The paint is blue, with a mir roring effect, which like the lights in the night, makes an impact much like that of admiring the legendary Kartell lamps, in particular the Kabuki, with which the car is associated. The headlight bezels, mirror caps, front grille, and rim trims are all made of recycled polycarbona te. In fact, the interior is 100% made of recycled material.

B.500 Mai Troppo

Fiat 500 Armani

Car interiors Fiat 500 Armani

Car interiors Kartell 500Kartell 500

ITALY A DREAM DESTINATION TO CELEBRATE YOUR FAIRYTALE WEDDING

by Francesca Galli

Italy

is one of the most popular wedding de stinations in the world. Its innate romantici sm, its magical atmosphere and its natural won ders have always fascinated lovers from all over the globe. From north to south, from east to west, the peninsula offers completely different but at the same time equally meaningful environments. From cities filled with art to small medieval vil lages, from the sea to the mountains, from the

most rural countryside to the iconic lake shores... everything inspires a feeling of love much imagi ned and dreamed of since childhood. Every year, many international couples get mar ried in Italy, completely immersing themselves in the local atmosphere. In this sense, marriage often becomes a real opportunity to experience the ways, local customs, and traditions together with one’s family and loved ones. A perfect way to

spend the final days together before saying ‘I do’.

There are also many celebrities from the world of entertainment who have decided to spend their wedding day in Italy. Among these we remember the weddings of George Clooney and Amal Ala muddin at the Hotel Aman in Venice, Tom Cru ise and Katie Holmes at the Odescalchi Ca stle on Lake Bracciano, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel in the picturesque Borgo Egnazia resort in Puglia, Tiziano Ferro and Victor Allen in Sabaudia in Lazio.

Italian weddings offer a versatility that easily adapts to all tastes, an attention to detail that ne ver leaves anything to chance, and a unique style that allows you to satisfy the desires of even the most demanding.

And it is precisely with the legalization of Ci vil Unions in Italy in 2016 that the dream of an Italian marriage also expands to the LGBTQ+ community. Since that fundamental historical moment for Italian gay rights, many gay couples from all over the world have decided to celebrate their unions in one of the various fairytale loca tions in the area. And if you, too, are looking for ideas, here are some favorites.

GROPPARELLO CASTLE - PIACENZA

Immersed in the flourishing nature of Val Vez zeno, 30 kilometers from Piacenza, there is a mighty medieval fortress which dates back to the 8th century: the Gropparello Castle. Inha bited and managed by the welcoming Gibelli family, it is the ideal location for those loo king for a fairytale wedding in a setting that is nothing short of scenic. It’s surrounded by a large, fragrant, and well-kept English garden.

Gropparello Castle

Deciding to get married at the Gropparello Ca stle is synonymous with pure romance.

CASINA VALADIER - ROME

Located in the heart of Villa Borghese in Rome, Casina Valadier is the ideal location for roman tic weddings. Arranged over 4 floors, it offers

Pompeian-style interiors and exteriors that have breathtaking views of the Eternal City. Thanks to its seasonal versatility, you can cele brate your wedding in any time of year that you prefer. Choose between receptions in grand style or more intimate, between different indo or rooms, outdoor terraces, and gardens.

THE GLASS CATHEDRAL - FORMER CHURCH OF SANTA CHIARA MURANO, VENICE

Located on the island of Murano in Venice, The Glass Cathedral is a former church dating back to the 12th Century, recently renovated with an active glass furnace on site. In the past, it hosted great personalities, including Casanova, today an exclusive and evocative location for private events. Arranged over two floors, the former church offers the perfect set ting for your wedding to capture the magic and romance of Venice.

VILLA DEI FIORI, GALLIPOLI

Located in Gallipoli, the most LGBTQ+ friendly city in Puglia, Villa dei Fiori is a fai rytale home, which presents a mix of tradition and modernity, a symbol of a unique elegan ce. It has several indoor and outdoor spaces that allow you to celebrate your wedding in any season.

The Glass Cathedral

Villa dei Fiori

LET’S GET MARRIED IN ITALY!

FOLLOW YOUR DREAM… IT’S NOT A QUESTION OF “IF”, IT’S A QUESTION OF “WHEN”

The Gay Wedding in Italy Agency was born after careful research into the LGBTQ+ friendly com panies operating in Italy.  Our events office is at your disposal and can count on the support of renowned experts who will offer the following services across Italy: Pro posals, Wedding Organization, Green Weddings, Country Chic Weddings, Weddings “At sea”, Luxury Weddings, Unusual Ideas, Weddings Abroad, Civil Unions, Symbolic Ceremonies, Anniversaries, Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties, Honeymoons, Dinners for two and a lot more. We can organize your wedding day and make it as unique and exclusive as you wish. Our team

is a decision, it is a judgment, it is a promise. If love were only a feeling, there would be no basis for the promise to love each other forever. A feeling comes and it may go. How can I judge that it will stay forever, when my act does not involve judgment and decision.”

Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving

prides itself on its professionalism, originality and elegance. To make sure we meet all your wants and needs, we have selected the best com panies all around Italy.

LOVE IS LOVE! TELL US YOUR DREAM... AND WE WILL MAKE IT COME TRUE!

SARA BERGMANN

WEDDING CONSULTANT

ROME - ITALY

-

- 9:00pm

same-sex-weddinginitaly.blogspot.com

Gallipoli

Paolo

PUGLIA

FROM THE WILD NIGHTLIFE OF SALENTO TO THE SHEROCCO FESTIVAL IN OSTUNI

An inclusive region offers various types of opportunities for a tourist segment in which it has heavily invested

Oneof the most inclusive destinations in Italy has to be Puglia, which is ranked fifth in Europe as an LGBTQ+ destination by Rainbow Europe. Not only is the region trendy, it is boosted by inclusive tourism practices that brings many advantages. A strategy that wins not only the hearts of LGTBQ+ tourists, but also all those who appreciate inclusive practices in travel. Of course, these are marketing choices that are the result of skillful regional investments to attract this large segment of tourism, who seek, in ad dition to natural beauty, a receptive welcome and purposeful hospitality. But that’s not all: in Puglia, LGBTQ+ tourism represents an oppor tunity, an additional engine, a strategic asset

for the promotion of the region that seeks to em body the idea of a new cultural welfare.

The Apulian beaches have become famous all over the world, thanks to films shot in these spectacular places where the sea is crystal cle ar. These natural oases tend to be in very be autiful and isolated places, or, in contrast, near places where the nightlife is very prolific.

The Italian city that is currently the most fa mous as an LGBTQ+ beach destination is Gallipoli. Packed white beaches such as the famous Punta della Suina, chosen by the ico nic director Ferzan Ozpeteek to shoot one of the most famous films: “Mine Vaganti”. The beach is where the actors belt the song “Sorry I’m a Lady” with a fun ballet dance splashing in the water. The sea is rocky, full of small bays like the one depicted in the film. If you prefer the convenience of a beach, Makò is the historic gay beach of Gallipoli. Among the emerging beaches is Por do Sol, a community meeting

place where the closing party of the local Pride celebration usually takes place. Many consider its LED club to be the most excellent gay club. Elsewhere in Picador Village, a short trip from the Punta della Suina beach, is a very wellknown location for nights filled with music. On the other hand, those looking for natural oases will find not far from the white city of Ostuni a true architectural masterpiece of the Mediterranean in Torre Guaceto, a wonderful reserve. And Ostuni has one of the youngest and most interesting cultural events on the Italian queer scene: Sherocco. A festival at the end of June in a village surrounded by Mediterranean nature, this LGBTQIA+ rights and culture cele bration in its first edition was visited by Paul B. Preciado, Silvia Calderoni, and Vladimir Luxu ria. Beyond traditional summer Pride events, Sherocco Festival represents a new attraction for Italian and international LGBTQ+ tourism. In addition to an unmissable Summer School on

Peschici

Vanda Biffani

Castel del Monte Sherocco Festival

ph. Franco Cappellari

gender studies and queer theory, shows, exhi bitions, workshops, it boasts incredible dance evenings, held with the support of the Puglia Region and Puglia Promotion.

Close to Porto Cesareo is a natural oasis that can be reached from Torre Uluzzo, Porto Selvag gio. The gay area is located near the Grotta del Cavallo. At sunset queer people meet at the Bar del Fico where an LGTBQ+ aperitif takes place every evening.

Towards Taranto is the Ayala beach in Campo marino: a unique, crystalline, transparent sea and a wonderful natural oasis.

The routes to visit along the coast include one that goes from Gallipoli to Leuca, which provi de a beautiful natural backdrop to trendy clubs, and Salento where you pass from the splen dor of the historic town Lecce to a jagged and changing coast where you can snorkel. Or you can choose the Gargano to experience peasant myths and characteristic offshoots from Vieste to Peschici.

After Madonna chose it as an ideal destination to celebrate her birthday, the new hot desti nations the Itria Valley, Cisternino, Loco

Ostuni

ph. Carlos Solito

Locorotondo - Historical center

ph. Carlos Solito

rotondo, Martina Franca, and Ostuni. Inevitably, Alberobello, because of its Trulli traditional domed huts, and other small towns of this area are among the most beautiful in the world. This territory in Puglia has in fact be gun to interest the whole LGBTQ+ community, which is not only looking for busy nightlife, but rather to immerse themselves in the cultural, architectural and beautiful food and wine. Ba roque and Romanesque, alleys between white houses and cobblestones worn by the centuries, hills of olive trees, mysterious symbols, food, crafts, and traditions that are the synthesis of the term “Made in Italy”.

CASTEL DEL MONTE AND THE GUCCI MAISON

In May 2022, the Gucci Maison chose Castel del Monte, a fortress which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, as a symbolic location for the presentation of its “Cosmogonie” collection.

Porto Cesareo - Torre Lapillo

ph. Carlos Solito Vieste

ph. Vanda Biffani

Martina Franca - Arco di Santo Stefano ph. Franco Cappellari

What’ s INN

by Elena Pozza

VULCANO ISLAND - LES SABLES NOIRS

Vulcano, a jewel of the Mediterranean, is the smallest island of the Aeolian archipelago (awarded the title of World Heritage Site by Une sco). It is a still an active volcano and its natural phenomena (including terrestrial and submari ne jet streams, thermal waters with their related baths) make it a true Earthly paradise and a great tourist attraction.

Les Sables Noirs & Spa is a boutique hotel, which has always been considered one of the most pre stigious hotels in the entire archipelago, overlo

oking the Bay of Ponente on the black beaches where natural beauty is combined with style and excellent service.

Entirely renovated, it has 53 rooms each with a terrace or balcony and furnished according to the latest design trends. The Spa of Les Sables Noirs has an exclusive space where you can experience intense moments of relaxation and an immersive regenerating bath. The boutique hotel boasts a private beach, swimming pool with sundeck, and a rooftop lounge bar with spectacular sea views.

Vulcano Island - Les Sables Noirs

Vulcano Island - Les Sables Noirs

Vulcano Island - Les Sables Noirs

TERME DI VULCI

Glamping - No walls, but trees.

Immersed in the wild beauty of the Marem ma, Vulci Spa Glamping is the ideal place for those looking for an authentic experience in na ture, without sacrificing the comfort and discreet fascination of a charming resort.

Thermal baths & Spa

That this is a magical place, you will understand as soon as you set foot in our Thermal baths. Im merse yourself in total relaxation and let the na turally warm waters do the rest.

A modern SPA where you can rely on programs and treatments that have their roots in ancient wisdom. In these lands we could only be inspired by the Etruscans who - more than 3000 years ago - already relied on natural treatments and warm waters to reactivate vital energies.

ACCOMMODATION TYPE:

AMINTA

Spacious, refined, and comfortable, the superior is a tent for 2 people with private veranda surrounded by olive tre es, for those who want to live a dream experience in har mony with nature.

ISVEITA

The Superior Suite has a veranda and private spa bath and can accommodate up to 4 people. The perfect choice to relax and enjoy the silence while soaking in the spa water, surrounded only by nature and the stars.

LAUTNITA

Our proposal for those who want to share an unforgettable experience with family or friends surrounded by nature. The King Suite, with veranda and private spa bath, can accommodate up to 4 people thanks to a large seating area and two double bedrooms.

Terme di Vulci

Terme di Vulci

Terme di Vulci

Immersed in the unspoiled nature of the Alps, Ortisei is one of the increasingly popular destinations for local and international tourists throughout the year. Here is where you’ll find the Alpin Garden Luxury Maison & Spa, an elegant and warm refuge, reserved for an adult clientele, where all senses are stimulated: the view from spectacular panoramas, the taste and smell of gourmet dishes, the sound of the silence, the fresh air of nature and the caressed feel of the Art-SPA wellness center with the new 1,000 square-meter dedicated space.

ISOLA DEL GIGLIO LIGHTHOUSE OF PUNTA FENAIO

To stay in the Faro di Punta Fenaio Resort, a real ligh thouse from the late 19th Century, is a dream come true. It’s been transformed into an extraordinary resort. Live this dreamed experience on the island of Giglio, especially for those who want to spend an out-of-the-box holiday, who are looking for an atmosphere suspended between the sky and sea.

The rooms and suites of the resort are authentic jewels set on the rocky terrain of the island where you can breathe a magical, fascinating atmosphere of unparalleled beauty. The days are best spent relaxing by the sea with the spec tacular backdrops around you. The evenings are when you can immerse yourself in the sound of the sea and get lost in the silence of the stars.

Alpin Garden Luxury Maison & Spa

Alpin Garden Luxury Maison & Spa

Alpin Garden Luxury Maison & Spa

Lighthouse of Punta Fenaio

Lighthouse of Punta Fenaio

Lighthouse of Punta Fenaio

Untold History

think you know everything?

discover your true identity

WHAT TO DO IN MILAN LIFESTYLE, LGBTQIA+ NIGHTLIFE, CULTURE AND MUCH MORE

by Giorgio Romano Arcuri

Modern, welcoming, full of life and open to novelty. Milan has an ever-changing identity, is projected towards the future, but always faithful to its traditions and unique style. Is its unmistakable character that attracts millions of people from all over the world.

Milan, besides being recognised globally as the Italian capital of fashion, design, art, and finan ce, is also a cutting-edge metropolis when it comes to civil rights and representation of the LGBTQIA+ community. Through the city streets and especially in certain neighbou rhoods, such as Via Lecco or NoLo, you can breathe that air of freedom, of safety and of hi story and culture of the queer community, on a par with the large European cities.

Hereinafter, we will focus on the places, ve nues and unmissable events in the city that has become a real reference point for the LGBTQIA+ community, not only in Italy. Let’s start our tour of this city right away with 8 milestones.

A WALK IN VIA MONTENAPOLEONE

HOW TO GET THERE: Via Monte Napole one is a 10-minute walk from the Duomo, between the ‘Montenapoleone’ and ‘San Babila’ metro stations.

Considered to be one of the most luxurious stre ets in Milan, Via Montenapoleone is the ideal place for fashion and shopping lovers

who are looking for something exclusive to buy or simply to admire, scrutinising shop windows and dreaming of their next high-quality pur chase.

The best of fashion is to be found in the shops located in Via Montenapoleone in Milan: the most famous international brands, from Versa ce to Armani, Dolce & Gabbana to Cha nel, Gucci and many more, display their tren diest products and latest novelties. This floodlit street, has a length of only 350 metres, and it becomes something spectacular during Christmas time: you can walk on red carpets on which usually stand precious Christmas trees decorated with expensive clo thes, handbags, jewellery, and hats. Strolling along the street you are surrounded by scenic illuminations, background music, concerts and stands where you can taste the gastronomic de

licacies of the area. Few people know that Via Montenapoleone is a one-way street running from the cen tre to the ends, and even fewer know that the plaques displayed on the stately palaces are a tribute to famous people who lived here, such as Giuseppe Verdi and Carlo Por ta. It is precisely Giuseppe Verdi, at the for mer convent of San Francesco di Paola (in Via Manzoni, a short distance from the Via Mon tenapoleone exit and located?) who is said to have composed Nabucco, the third opera that decreed the success of the musician and composer.

Visiting Via Montenapoleone is an imperative for anyone in Milan, even if only for a few days! Let us now continue with the other unmissable places in the city that you absolutely must add to your itinerary.

Dolce Gabbana store in Milan, Montenapoleone area

Gucci shop in Milan, Montenapoleone area

CONTEMPLATION OF THE RONDANINI PIETÀ AT THE SFORZESCO CASTLE

HOW TO GET THERE: Underground M1 (Cai roli stop), M1 and M2 (Cadorna stop). Bus 50, 57, 58, 61, 94. Tram 1, 2, 4, 12, 14.

Located inside the Spanish Hospital of the Sforzesco Castle in Milan, the Rondanini Museo della Pietà is one of the city’s best-lo ved places for citizens and tourists: here you can contemplate, observe with amazement and be moved by the Rondanini Pietà, the best-known marble work by Michelangelo Buonarroti, the artist who worked on it between 1552 and 1566, until a few days before his death.

Michelangelo’s last artistic expression takes up the sacred theme of the mourned dead Christ, a theme very dear to the sculptor (re member that, in addition to the Rondanini, the re are the Vatican Pietà of St. Peter’s and the Bandini Pietà).

In the Rondanini Pietà, the canons of perfec tion of the body and of the heroic beauty are abandoned: the dead Christ is slimmed down in his torso and legs, transformed into a

pure emblem of suffering.

This work, which was rethought and modified several times, was created for purely personal purposes: the sculpture was thought to be pla ced on Michelangelo’s burial site. What appears before the visitor’s eyes is therefore a true artistic and spiritual testament of Michelan gelo, which is both a meditation on death and the salvation of the soul.

It is precisely the communion between the sculpture that dramatically unites the figures of Christ and the Virgin during the moment of loss, and the memories of the past enclosed within

Rondanini Pietà

the walls of the Spanish Hospital of the Castello Sforzesco (where, in the absence of medicine, all that remained was prayer) that makes the Pietà Rondanini Museum a place where re spectful silence and ecstatic contempla tion are fully celebrated.

EVENING AT LA SCALA THEATRE

HOW TO GET THERE: Underground M1 Duomo (Red Line); MM3 Montenapoleone (Yellow Line). Bus: Line 61, bus stop via Verdi - via dell’Orso Yes. Milan is also one of the world’s capitals of opera: famous composers, musicians, li brettists, and singers who have made the history of this musical genre have passed through here. The temple of opera, as well as a symbolic and unmissable place in Milan, is the Teatro della Scala, which, for more than 200 years, has hosted the most prestigious productions of the Italian and international artistic scene.

Commonly referred to as ‘La Scala’, this thea tre is a five-minute walk from Milan Cathe dral: getting there is therefore very easy so you must visit it If you are in town. Reservations are required to see the in side of the theatre, and we recommend you schedule the tour in conjunction with rehear sals and performances. But, of course, to better

savour the atmosphere of La Scala, the best way is to consult the programme (online or directly from the playbill displayed outside the theatre) and choose the show you prefer. A very impor tant moment in the ‘calendar of events’ is, of course, the opening of the La Scala season, which coincides with the day of Milan’s patron saint, Sant’Ambrogio, on 7 December. The Teatro alla Scala is a pearl set in the centre of Milan. This building, designed by Giuseppe Piermarini and inspired in its design by the Reggia di Caserta, is rich in history and is the centre of Milan’s cultural, social, and often political life.

The history of the Corps de Ballet, for exam ple, dates to 1778, the very year the theatre was founded. One of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world, the Corps de Ballet has been directed by illustrious choreo graphers and has seen some of the world’s most important dancers, such as Rudolf Nureyev, Roberto Bolle and Carla Fracci, among its ranks.

Mention must also be made of the La Scala Orchestra, which consists of around 135 ele ments, selected from among the best musicians in the world, and which has seen conductors of the calibre of Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and Riccardo Muti take turns.

La Scala Theatre

THE APERITIF IN PIAZZA DEL DUOMO

HOW TO GET THERE: by metro from Stazio ne Centrale, yellow line MM3, Duomo stop; from Stazione Cadorna, red line MM1, Duomo stop. Tram: 15, 2, 14, 16, 24, 27.

The aperitif is an all-Italian tradition, an indi spensable ritual that allows people, from 6 to 9 p.m., to ‘disconnect’ from work, be together and relax.

We are not talking about Happy Hour, even though this term is often used as a synonym for aperitif: Happy Hour is a real substitute for din ner (you go to the club, eat a quick meal and you are ready to go clubbing), the aperitif on the other hand is preparatory to dinner. The custom is to drink a mild alcoholic bevera ge with simple savoury snacks, cold meats, and appetisers. But it is in particular in Milan that the “Aperi tivo” has become an art: Milanese bartenders make the Negroni and Martini cocktails like no one else can. It is no coincidence that Milan is the home of the Negroni Sbagliato, (Wrong Negroni) a variant of the Negroni born in Tuscany that has become beloved since its cre ation: thanks to the presence of sparkling wine, the Negroni Sbagliato is decidedly less alcoho lic, fresh, and less pungent than the traditional Negroni.

What could be chicer and more ele gant than a nice aperitif in Piazza del Duomo? The Bar&Lounge Terrazza Duomo 21 (at Piazza del Duomo 21) offers a wide selection of traditional and sophisticated cocktails, gastronomic specialities, and a comfortable ambience, which at aperitif time offers a wonderful view of the sunset over Milan.

TASTING RISOTTO AND CUTLET “ALLA MILANESE”

Milan and its gastronomy focus on two tradi tional dishes: risotto and cotoletta. Risotto alla Milanese with sautéed onion, boiled in beef or vegetable stock, yellowed by saffron and masterfully whipped is an un paralleled delicacy.

Cotoletta alla Milanese is a must in Ita lian cuisine: traditionally it is veal on the bone, breaded and fried in butter. But the so-called ‘elephant ear’ of beef is the best way to enjoy this dish.

There are countless restaurants where you can try risotto and “Cotoletta alla Milanese”. We recommend these three:

1. Trattoria del Nuovo Macello (Via Cesare Lombroso, 20)

2. Osteria alla Grande (Via delle Forze Armate, 405)

3. Osteria Brunello (Corso Garibaldi, 117)

COOL AND TRENDY EVENTS IN THE CITY: FROM SALONE DEL MOBILE TO MILAN FASHION WEEK

Fashion and design in Milan have their highest representation during the international indust ry events held in the city:

• Milan Fashion Week, which takes place twice a year (in 2022, in June and Septem ber) in various locations, including Palaz zo Serbelloni and Palazzo Reale;

• The Salone Internazionale del Mobile at RhoFieraMilano (in 2023 it will take place from 18 to 23 April) together with the side event ‘FuoriSalone’, which winds its way through the streets of the city and its hinterland with design initiatives and original installations.

During Fashion Week and Design Week, the streets of Milan are filled with events, par ties, workshops, shows, talk shows and meetings that make the city even more vibrant and lively, day and night.

LGBTQIA+ EVENTS: FROM MILANO PRIDE TO FESTIVAL MIX

As we mentioned in the introduction, Milan is a reference throughout Italy for the LGBTQIA+ community. Along the city’s streets you can bre athe an air of freedom and inclusiveness that is more difficult to find in other Italian cities. This is due to all the work that associations, businesses, and the Milan City Council it self have done in recent years. In Milan, one can find countless services, events, venues designed for those whose sexual orientation and/or gender identity are different from those imposed by hetero-normative society.

Certainly, the most important moment for Mi lan’s queer community is the Milan Pride, the pride event for gay, lesbian, bisexual,

transgender, asexual, intersex, and queer people: a wonderful, participatory celebration of freedom that usually takes place every year between late June and early July and ends with a grand final event. The Milan Pride considers all diversities, not only those related to sexual orientation and gender identity, but also those related to disability, ethnicity, immigration, etc. Another event that attracts the attention of Mi lan’s queer community is the Mix Milano Festival, the International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, an appointment with independent cinemas that has been bringing the best thema tic films to the city for over 35 years. The last edition took place in June. Please check the Fe stival Mix Milano website and social pages for the dates of the next edition.

There are many other events dedicated to Mi lan’s LGBTQIA+ community, some of them with sexier overtones, such as the following that will take place in the coming months: Bear Festi val Milano, which takes place every April and is hosted by Company Club; Mister Rubber Italy, with 3 days of fun events, parties, city tours and competitions; Fluid Milano Cir cuit 2023, conceived by the famous DJ Phil Romano.

Milano Fashion Week

Milano Pride

Milano Pride

THE BEST GAY FRIENDLY VENUES IN MILAN

Here is a list of the best LGBTQIA+ venues in Milan, the city that is rainbow any day of the year and that has more and more neighbourhoods consecrated to true 'gay districts', such as the Porta Venezia and NoLo (North Of Loreto) districts.

GAY-FRIENDLY CLUB NIGHTS

BUTTERFLY MILANO + VOGUE

AMBITION at QLAB disco (Via Padova, 21). EVERY SATURDAY

TOILET CLUB MILANO at Black Hole disco (Viale Umbria 118). EVERY SATURDAY

COMPANY CLUB - GAY DISCO (Via Benedir, 14). Every Thursday from 10.30 p.m. there is karaoke. Every Sunday there is ‘Sunday & Night’ with happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m., aperitif from 6 p.m., karaoke from 7.30 p.m. The evening continues with DJ sets.

LGBTQ FRIENDLY BAR

RED CAFÉ MILANO (Via Lecco ang. Panfilo Castaldi 29)

LECCOMILAN (Via Lecco 5)

MONO BAR (Via Panfilo Castaldi corner Via Lecco)

MEMÀ (Largo Bellintani 2)

LOLA (Via Tadino, 6)

POP MILANO - lesbian bar (Via Alessandro Tadino,5)

BLANCO (Via Giovanni Battista Morgagni 2)

NOLO.SO (Via Varanini, 5)

SAUNAS AND CRUISING BAR (ADMISSION WITH CARD)

BANGALOV - gay sauna (Via Calabria 5)

DEPOT - gay sauna (Via Valtorta 19)

HOT DOG - gay sauna (Via Oropa 3)

ILLUMINED - gay sauna and cruising bar (Via Napo Torriani 12)

METRO SAUNA CENTRALE - gay sauna (Via Schiaparelli 1)

ROYAL HAMMAM - gay sauna (Via Plezzo 16)

INFERUS - gay sauna (Via Paisiello 4)

Milano means its neighborhoods.

Milano’s future drive is embodied by the people that inhabit the city’s neighborhoods, each with its own distinctive style and identity, each with its own history, ancient or modern.

5 things to do in Porta Venezia

Multiethnic and queer, Porta Venezia has all the best Milano can offer: green parks, cool bars, East African cuisine, elegant architecture, great shopping (M1 metro stations: Palestro, P.ta Venezia, Lima). Set just outside the city center, it is the rainbow neighborhood where you can be free to be who you want. Built in the Art Nouveau and Futurist eras, Porta Venezia hosts unique modernist villas in the neoclassical district facing the Giardini Pubblici, the local public gardens.

1. Chill out at Giardini Pubblici, with the Natural History Museum and the Planetarium, or be amazed by Villa Necchi Campiglio and Villa Invernizzi (there are pink flamingos in its garden).

2. Walk down Via Melzo to reach Via Malpighi and be amazed by the masterpiece of the Milanese Liberty style of architecture, Casa Galimberti.

3. Do power shopping in Corso Buenos Aires: one of the longest shopping avenues in Europe.

4. Food and drinks! From Eritrean/Ethiopian/Tigrayan zighinì to a taste of ramen or tandoori, from gourmet vegan to Italian cuisine, Porta Venezia has it all. A stiff drink in an LGBTQIA+ bar in Via Lecco or a glass of orange wine in one of the many natural wine bars of the area can be the perfect end of your night out.

5. Walk down Via Plinio (M1 Lima), you’ll get to Bar Basso, a veritable drinking institution which invented Negroni Sbagliato.

DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT ROME

From fast food to Spas, to Gender Fluidity: let’s find out how much we look like the Romans after three millennia of history

by Letizia Strambi

Thegender identity is a modern invention. For the ancient Romans there was no di stinction between homosexuality, heterosexuali ty, and bisexuality. Everyone, within the scope of the power they held, did what they wanted under

the sheets. However, manhood was a value, and the true discrimination was only regarding who took the active or passive role sexually. Women and men could entertain themselves with people of the same sex, although women had to be much

more careful. If a noble liked to have fun with an enslaved person, it was tolerated. Foreigners and slaves among themselves, on the other hand, could be freer from this point of view: considered on the margins of society, it didn’t matter what they did.

The taverns, of which one of the most beautiful is today preserved almost intact in the excavations of Ostia Antica, usually also offered companions and escorts, usually waiters or waitresses from very low social backgrounds.

They were a sort of modern fast food for everyone, just as today our spas are not too different from the ancient baths.

Ostia Antica is an ideal place to discover the daily life of the ancient Romans, similar to Pompeii al though less known. At the time, there were the taberna vinaria, which provided only quick drin ks, the caupona, which also offered to sleep and popina, a place for the sale of drinks and hot food.

A beautiful one is undoubtedly the Thermopoly of Via Diana.

All that is missing is a host and the food: you can sit at the travertine counter and observe the shel ves where food and drinks were displayed. The basins for washing dishes, a large jar for storing food and a masonry stove is intact. There is also a

delightful outdoor space for patrons. But what did the ancient Romans eat? In Rome, on the Appia Antica there is still a restaurant today, the Hostaria Antica Roma, whose “host”, Paolo Magnanimi, has taken up the ancient De Re Coquinaria recipe book by Apicius to revi ve the authentic cuisine of the ancient Romans. He recreated a sort of Garum, the ancient orien tal fish sauce, the Pullum Oxizomum, a chicken appetizer, the Patina cotidiana, a sort of lasagna prepared without tomato sauce (which had not yet been invented at the time), the lagana, ancient flat bread, filled with pork, pecorino and fennel.

Termopolio Ostia Antica

Moretum cream cheese flavored with coriander, celery seeds, pecorino cheese and garlic. Many notable people have discovered these dishes and have talked about them in the media all over the world, from Japan to the USA. Among the latest, Uma Thurman, in Italy for the filming of the new Netflix movie “Old Guard 2”. While staying with her staff in a villa on the Appian Way, she ordered the patina cotidiana and the oxizomum chicken. Upon delivery, Uma asked Magnanimi everything he knew about the cuisine of the an cient Romans, and in exchanged signed an au tograph for him. Shortly after, Charlize Theron also tasted the famous dishes, and in this last part of autumn there was a visit from Sylvester Stallone, who chose to have lunch with the co tidiana patina.

Even the baths of the ancient Romans tell us that we are not very different from them. They facili tated social relations, but also gave access to all the healing services that were practiced there, such as massages and gymnastics. We also find the thermal baths in Ostia Antica: through the vestibules, we reached the apodyteria (changing rooms) and a large frigidarium (a room with cold baths) with high cross vaults. The heated rooms were facing south, in order to make the most of

exposure to the sun’s rays: the first room, octa gonal in shape, was probably a helio-fireplace (room dedicated to sunbathing); followed by a laconicum (room for sweat baths) and saunas. The idea that saunas are meeting places for socia lization was born millennia ago. And the system was the same: like modern spas, we switched from hot to cold to reactivate blood circulation. The men of ancient Rome were particularly at tentive to the well-being of their bodies. They first proceeded with exfoliation using clay and a sponge, sand and oil, then massaged with va rious products, including a preparation based on soap plants, and finally did the peeling with a metal scraper called strigil (an example we find in the Vatican Museums in Rome, where there is the famous statue of the athlete who cleanses from sweat).

According to a Roman superstition, sweat and the remnants of the peeling were collected to create an ointment called rhypos (filth), from which it was believed that energy and strength could be obtained.

Men and women experimented with very pain ful treatments: incandescent walnut shells were thought to have hindered regrowth, or maybe spurned it.

Uma Thurman’s autographfor the Hosteria

Paolo Magnanimi, Sylvester Stallone and Massimo Magnanimi at Hosteria Antica Roma

CAPRI REVOLUTION

Wild and rebellious like no other destination, the island has a history as the preferred refuge of LGBTQ+ artists, writers and emperors immersed in its unique landscape

by Letizia Strambi

Jumpon a comfortable hydrofoil a short trip from Molo Beverello in Naples and you are on one of the most fascinating islands in the world: Capri. It has unique characteristics that make it a unique place for the luxury of its nature, elegance, glamor, views, shopping, and crafts.

The history between Capri and its queer tourists begins with the Roman Empire. Here, Tiberio bu ilt a wonderful villa where he could afford to dress as a woman and wander around undisturbed. A destination for romantic travels, it has always had a revolutionary soul within it, which comes from the culture that permeates it.

Even today, for anyone in love, it is an essential destination, even if this international fame deri ves from a series of historical appeals that have made it a refuge from the world, and a place whe re you can be yourself by rebelling against what the world considers “normal”.

It must be said that all this allure is not due to a dedicated welcome, from a precise invitation, but from the simple acceptance and inclusion that turned out to be a great opportunity for the islanders to discover themselves and, sometimes, to rebel against social stereotypes of oppression. Its great popularity rose between the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s. It was an unmissable stop on the grand tour. Aristocratic

visitors and artists from Northern Europe deci ded to create their refuge here, with splendid villas, where art was free to express itself as it wished.

Even today you can admire the Villa Lysis, built in 1904 by Jacques d’Adelswärd Fersen, the Parisian nobleman who chose the island for his voluntary exile after being overwhelmed by scandals that convinced him to leave his native country.

Villa Lysis is linked to the queer history of Count Fersen. Gorgeous and elegant, eccentric and luxurious, it became the intimate refuge for the nobleman’s love affair with the young Ro man Nino Cesarini.

Montepulciano

Over time it became the meeting place for ar tists, intellectuals, poets, and writers who arri ved in Capri at the beginning of the twentieth century and who were able to describe and exalt its myth. The German painter Paul Hoecker also lived in Villa Lysis after being expelled from his country for using his mercenary love as a model for a Madonna. An intolerable scandal in Ger many. Hoecker also painted several portraits of Nino Cesarini within these walls.

Capri is therefore a place of knowledge, a world apart, a confinement by choice outside the bit terness of the world that makes you feel diffe rent. This was how Oscar Wilde lived as soon as he came out of prison, when he chose the

island as a place to foster his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, reopening an internatio nal scandal that deepened the island’s reputa tion of transgression and disobedience. The Scottish writer Norman Douglas took refuge in Capri following a scandal that inspired his most famous novel, Siren Land, in which the link between sexuality and wild nature is reaf firmed and blends together, in ways typical of Ancient Greek culture. A first hint of naturism that later developed more after the war.

Capri, in fact, is also the protagonist of Capri Revolution, a beautiful film that explores the bond with nature through the narration of a seg ment of history that has long been kept hidden.

Oscar Wilde in Capri

Director Mario Martone, famous for a film cal led “Il Giovane Favoloso”, in which he depicts the friendship between Leopardi and Antonio Ranieri, uses the Visconti style of realism to tell the true story of a naturist and utopian com mune that once lived in Capri in the beginning of the 1900s. The theme of Capri Revolution centers on the difficulty of women to affirm themselves, but also explores the impossibility of a real bond with the people and the nature of the island alone.

In fact, while choosing to rebel and merge with the people of the commune who have chosen the island as a place of freedom, the female pro tagonist seeks to escape the patriarchal, crude, and male chauvinist society of the island. But once there, she finds impurity in so-called free dom of the people who live in the commune, a trait inconsistent with their own ideological choices.

Capri is a universal symbol of beauty and rebel lion with inclusive tourism woven throughout its history. The inclusion is so pervasive that today there is no club, or exclusively LGBTQ+ place. LGBTQ+ folks are welcome everywhere.

Surely no life could be complete without at le ast one night spent in this symbol of Mediterra nean delight that is the Anema e Core tavern, or to experience the atmosphere of the Number One disco, or to see the Blue Grotto and Fara glioni. Only there, as director Martone helps us understand, are we able to breathe the island’s wild and rebellious essence.

Anema e Core tavern

ITALY MOVES FAST FORWARD TO LGBTQ+ INCLUSION IN HOSPITALITY. THE ‘QUEERVADIS CERTIFIED PROTOCOL’

by Giovanna Ceccherini

Italyis in the bucket list of many travelers in the world. For the LGBTQ+ communi ty, it remains the cradle of culture, because of its connection with Roman and Greek antique history. Homosexuality, too, was part of antique every-day life and its regulation was also part of military training.

In recent times, when Diversity and Inclusion are a main topic of discussion-especially in the travel industry - Sonders and Beach Italy, in alliance with the Italian Association of Gay and Lesbian Tourism, has created a Protocol, to

monitor and measure the capability of destina tions/, of LGBTQ+ inclusivity, both in terms of governance and in terms of strategic marketing. The ‘Queervadis Certified’ Protocol aims to help and monitor the pursue of goals in terms of diversity management and in terms of the mar keting strategies, which organizations adopt to catalyze the LGBTQ+ attention. An inclusive service, capable of responding to the LGBTQ+ traveler’s expectations is part of an overall work, in which business policies play a big role when leading a more and more inclusive market.

Periodic audits are planned, in order to give and maintain the certifications during years. RINA, an international certification body, is in charge for surveillance on companies applying to the Protocol. Also, the protocol, which was created in Italy, follows the Nation Plan of Resilience (PNRR), which mentions inclusivity as a ma jor pillar to be pursued after the pandemic and aiming to guarantee conditions of well-being for everyone, citizen or traveler. The protocol also aims to boost destinations to become more and more hospitable for the LG BTQ+ community As it often happens, private business can be trailblazers for what public or ganizations will consider positively later on. This double connection- Travel Organization and Ter ritory-represents a new way of looking at busi ness: we can get the best quality and the best hospitable destinations only when public and private sector speak the same language, the lan guage of ‘ no one is left behind’. In effects, the protocol has already met the atten tion of some hotel chains and private organiza tions (UNA Hotels, Leonardo Hotels, Best West ern Italia, just to name a few), but at the same

time also some municipalities have applied and been certified, such as Milan and Crema (the small town, setting of the movie ‘Call Me By Your Name’).

Next steps are the creation of an internation al Certification Scheme, partnered by RINA and the adoption of a digital platform for re views where it will be possible to give word to the users of the QueerVadis certification and which will share the consumer’s perception of an organization and/or destination in terms of inclusion. These info will be elaborated and will define new strategies of improvement and sus tainable growth.

SICILY

SWEETNESS AND WONDERS OF NATURE

Foods, stories, and beaches to see and experience at least once in a lifetime: a real must for any traveler

by Titta Gruppo

Traveling

through the salt pans of Tra pani, stopping in Dattilo where there a bar that sells the best cannoli in the world, with a ricotta made from the milk of sheep that have grazed shrubs that grow only under the Selinunte temple. Eat a cassata on the top of Mount Erice, where the last pastry chef has kept the recipes of cloistered nuns secretly handed down over the centuries since the time of The Leopard. Slip into the dazzling white of the Scala dei Turchi as Luigi Pirandello did as a child. Admire the infinite beauty of Segesta with its majestic temples overlooking natural oases and rivers. Contemplate the centuries-

old olive trees that stand out in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, or the gold of the Pala tine chapel in Palermo. Enjoy arancine on the ferry to Messina, stuffed sardines at the Ballarò market. Discover Etna between sparks of fire and snow. Enjoy a show of puppets who pass on the millennial love of the paladin Orlando for his Angelica. There are a thousand things that a person should do at least once in their lifetime, and many are in this land of harsh mountains and excruciating sweetness. Then there are also the beaches. Queer nobles knew this well since the nineteenth century. Here they came to take shelter from a world that

did not accept them, to seek acceptance betwe en the compromises of the poverty of the people of the time and the richness of nature and tra ditions that here are the synthesis of everything you can look for on Earth to feel good. Many beaches have their roots in the glory of the past, and have been famous for a few centuries, but today’s beaches chosen by the LGBTQ+ community are among the most be autiful in Italy.

In Sicily, the historic destination of the LGBTQ+ community is Taormina, thanks to Wilhem von Gloeden, a photographer baron who portrayed young people as cherubs, fauns and terrestrial and wooded deities. Among the places that form the background of these ancient photographs is the beach of Spisone, between Mazzarò and Le tojanni, which was once forbidden to women. Today called “Spiaggia delle Rocce Bianche”, it remains one of the undisputed destinations for LGBTQ+ naturist tourism. More recently, the famous Fondaco Parrino is a beach located between Letojanni and Sant’Alessio. The latest travel preferences skew toward Ca tania more than Taormina among young people, and in particular Le Capannine in the sandy

Scopello

part of Playa di Catania, also a meeting place in the evening for entertainment and music. Naturists from Catania prefer the Simeto Oasis over the mouth of the river of the same name, which is very wild. Also, for those who practice nudism, they can delight in the naturist beach of Caito, beyond the port of this beautiful city that never sleeps.

The gay-friendly paradise in the province of Agrigento is Le Dune beach, popular both in summer and in winter at sunset with a landsca pe very similar to that also found in the Canary Islands.

Another wonder is Eraclea Minoa, one of the most beautiful beaches in Sicily, which is also a naturist beach.

Near Noto, in Eloro, we find the Vendicari natu re reserve, where a space is reserved for a nudi st beach; and likewise in Modica, near Sanpieri, near an abandoned factory there is a beautiful gay-friendly beach.

Finally, the most famous LGBTQ+ beach in this area, between Palermo and Trapani, is Balestra te, also one of the first naturist beaches in Sicily. Palermo has a history as a leader in the LGBTQ+

Saline ph. Igor Zhuravlov

Palermo market

Ancient Greek theatre in Taormina on background of Etna Volcano

Pride movement, with events dedicated to the dawn of the island, thanks to the birth of the Arcigay movement in the capital. This is why it is full of clubs and meeting places, but also of beaches such as that of Barcarello in Sferraca vallo, which can be reached by foot after just a a half hour walk through a nature reserve. Finally, you can close at the Pop Summer so larium on the Isola delle Femmine with direct access to the sea and an aperitif at sunset. For lesbians, the gorgeous black bays of Strom boli or the chic bays of Pantelleria are favorites. In particular, Stromboli, which is wilder, still has fishermen intent on sewing their nets at sunset with white beards from Ulysses, and the sea of a unique blue hue created by the black bottom of lava. Every few minutes the volca no throws explosive sparks and rumbles. It is reassuring for the islanders, because if it were to keep quiet they would be worried. The stre ams of lava pierce the black of the mountain. Observing it by boat at night, the island offers a spectacular starry sky towards which the vol cano’s lapilli are thrown, like an ever-changing, always unique artificial fire.

Scala dei Turchi near Agrigento

Temple of Segesta

Street Palermo

Village of Marzamemi, Siracusa

FRESIA HOTELS & RESORTS

TUSCANY

THE PLACE TO BE YOURSELF

Florence

Tuscany

is the cradle of humanism and

it is historically supportive of the idea of civil rights. Naturally inclusive, tolerant and progressive, this is reflected in the tourism sec tor that has dedicated experiences on offer for LGBTQ + travellers.

Among the artistic treasures of cities like Flo rence and Siena, there are the troubled love sto ries of homosexual and bisexual artists, stories of oppression and freedom that now constitute important reference points for a unique reinter pretation of some of the founding historical and artistic movements of Western culture.

However, it is above all today that Tuscany looks to diversity as it evolves, grows and em bodies values: an essential element for a con

nected and open community, with a wealth of history but also looking to the future.

For this reason, this theme gathers ideas, itine raries and offers for LGBTQ + travellers and all those who are interested in having an original perspective of the territory, including curiosi ties, history and beauty.

Tuscany has established its Charter of Values of inclusive tourism, shared by the economic ope rators involved in the production system of the tourism sector. The goal is to create a virtuous circle according to which from an economic de velopment it is possible to generate social pro gress and vice versa.

Tuscany, through activities aimed at supporting tourism in the region, also promotes a more inclusive and open society, being aware that communities able to enhance diversity are cha racterized by greater cohesion, produce a better quality of life and create greater opportunities for everyone.

Montepulciano

© NicolaSantini.com

Capobianco beach - Elba Island

Chianciano Terme

TRAVEL TIPS

THE COAST AND THE ISLANDS. Tuscany offers a wide number of beautiful gay-friendly beaches to visit, from cliffy to those with fine sand, there’s the ideal beach for all types of tra vellers. Some of these are reference points for the Italian LGBTQ+ community that meets here in the summer for fun and pure relax.

Costa Etruschi Alta

Saturnia

THE ETRUSCANS. if there’s any region where we can find traces of the ancient Etruscan civi lization, it’s Tuscany. We still don’t know much about the Etruscans, which makes their civiliza tion all the more fascinating and mysterious. We owe everything we know to the necropolises that reveal their stories through artefacts, frescoes and finds of all kinds. For those who want to le arn more and perhaps understand how the Etru scans used to love each other, there are some unmissable places to learn about LGBTQ+ love in Etruria (the ancient Tuscany name).

ART&THE CITIES. Tuscany is the cradle of the Renaissance and known all over the world for its immense artistic and cultural heritage. But every historical centre has its unusual stori es and curiosities: palace conspiracies, lives, loves and settings such as historic cafes that have united the city and the Italian LGBTQ+ community in the past.

WELNESS. Tuscany is sulphurous land of an cient volcanoes such as Monte Amiata and it’s rich in natural thermal springs with waters that

regenerate both body and spirit. From Versilia to Maremma, there are all over spread out in the territory many places to enjoy a relaxing moment in contact with nature. The tradition of wellness in Tuscany has its roots in ancient times. The springs were already known at the time of the Etruscans who, like us today, loved to enjoy moments of relaxation in the warm waters of the natural baths. Subsequently, the Romans also appreciated its beneficial and cu rative properties, leaving behind their traces.

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION HERE:

Tuscany is the place to be #enchanted by crystal-clear waters and lush nature, #confident in natural SPAs to regenerate, #delighted by artistic marvels, #fabulous in exciting dance nights: Tuscany is the place to be #yourself!

Lucca

MCARTHURGLEN SERRAVALLE DESIGNER OUTLET

IN ITALY

The first outlet in Italy, Serravalle Designer Outlet, remains today the largest luxury outlet in Europe and a true international shopping destination

Luxury Plaza

McArthurGlen

Serravalle Designer

Outlet is an international shopping de stination only 50 minutes from Milan, the italian fashion Capital. So, no tour or holiday in Italy is complete without a stop here at the largest De signer Outlet in Europe. It is the first outlet in Italy, inaugurated in year 2000, and remains to day the largest luxury outlet in Europe and a true international shopping destination.

It is serving over 200 nationalities worldwide, and can offer to everybody an outstanding shop ping experience among over 300 Brands - all together - from Italian and International fashion.

You can find here iconic and elegant Italian brands discounted up to 70% off all year round. Gucci, Prada, Armani, Versace, Fendi, Valen tino, Ermenegildo Zegna, Salvatore Ferragamo, Alberta Ferretti Moschino, Loro Piana, Tod’s, Dolce & Gabbana are here as also Saint Laurent, Burberry, Givenchy, Stella Mc Cartney, Polo Ralph Lauren, Jimmy Choo, Moncler.

So Serravalle Designer Outlet make a tourist shop like a local, choosing among Made in Italy, the great italian tailoring, shoes and design, but with the advantage to have also a Tax-Free shop ping experience that bring even more savings on top of outlet prices for not European tourists.

In every time of the year, you can find the excep tional quality of the collections walking in an open-air elegant environment, with beautiful architecture inspired to an italian village to get

THE GROUP

McArthurGlen Group is a leader, owner, developer and manager of Designer Outlets in Europe, founded by Kaempfer Partners in 1993. McArthurGlen, a pioneer of Designer Outlet retailing in Europe, has developed over 695,000 square meters of retail space. The company currently manages 26 McArthurGlen Designer Outlets in ten countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom, with revenues that in 2019 exceeded 4.5 billion euros. The centers are home to the most sought after and exclusive luxury brands and offer more than 90 million fashionloving customers savings in a dynamic, high-quality shopping environment.

HINT TO THE OTHER MCARTHURGLEN DESIGNER OUTLETS IN ITALY

Noventa di Piave Designer Outlet very close to Venice

Barberino Designer Outlet immersed in the Florentine countryside

Castel Romano Designer Outlet the only Outlet of Rome

La Reggia Designer Outlet the biggest Outlet of Southern Italy, close to Naples, Caserta and Pompeii.

Balenciaga

the same relaxing atmosphere you have in small italian town: enjoying avenues and squares en riched with fountains and sculptures created by important contemporary artists. When is time to stop don’t forget you are in Italy: here you can find 14 restaurants, italian café, and ice-creams shops. And more: you can be free in shopping as much as you want, McArthurGlen Serravalle Designer Outlet offers several services such as hands-free shopping and luggage drop off, Guest Lounges, free parking, free wifi, and a big children play area, including baby parking and a Waterpark. Serravalle is easily accessible by shuttles buses from 4 locations from Milan downtown including Central Station, The Sforza Castle and Piazza Duomo. When you’ll come to Serravalle you will discover that is located in the beautiful area of Monferrato, surrounded by hills and vineyards where the famous Gavi wine is produced. Out side the outlet, before or after shopping, there are many opportunities for tours and experien ces: wine tastings among the many canteens, cooking classes, bike rides along the paths of Fausto Coppi (the Italian legend of cycling born in these areas), truffle hunting and much more. For fans of archaeology, we suggest a visit to the archaeological site of Libarna, an ancient roman city, the amazing fortress of Gavi or some of the many churches and castles. The Outlet is also a preferred starting point to visit the Ligurian Riviera with the hamlets of Portofino and Le Cinque Terre.

mcarthurglen.com/it/outlets/it/ designer-outlet-serravalle

RAINBOW MACARTHURGLEN

McArthurGlen Group, of which Serravalle Designer Outlet is part, has always been aware of its responsibility towards the communities in which it operates. In addition to artistic and cultural projects, the group has worked over the years with various initiatives and projects aimed at enhancing the concepts of inclusion and diversity, giving voice to stories and experiences of people who represent the value of life in its authenticity. Today, McArthurGlen Designer Outlets are proud to present themselves as safe and inclusive places, breaking down all types of barriers. In particular, Serravalle is a welcoming environment that has supported Pride in Milan for several years and safely welcomes about 6.5 million visitors a year from all over the world.

Burberry and Gucci

BARILLA AND THE JOY OF GOOD FOOD OPEN THE 2022 IGLTA 38TH GLOBAL CONVENTION IN MILAN

“Take a traveler who chooses the wrong path. If the path makes them discover things about themself - and about the world - that they never would have known and that make them a better personcan we still say that that path was the wrong one?”

With these words Barilla, the family-owned, pasta and bakery company with a presence in

more than 100 countries, starts telling its Di versity and Inclusion journey, in a couple of mi nutes video you can easily find in YouTube. It’s a story of pauses, rerouting and decisive moves to change the company culture, a distinctive approach to learn from others in order to acce lerate their progress, as well as obtaining input from their employees. A journey to seize the moment to learn, grow, and foster inclusivity.

It’s during the same journey, back in 2020 that Barilla became aware of the 38th edition of IGLTA Global Convention. What an opportunity for the food Company to share the same table at home, in Italy and offer a moment of joy and meaning during the opening soirée.

A pandemic was not enough to discourage this commitment and finally in October 2022 the opening reception will occur in the sumptuous setting of the magnificent Sforza castle in Milan.

It’s well known that the best deals and the best conversations are made at the dinner table. It’s the best location to talk about travelling, good food and common values. It’s the right place to invite a Michelin star chef, even a courageous activist like Viviana Varese, the Italian chef who breaks down the barriers around the LGBTQ+ community and a “champion of change” in the world, thanks to its commitment to social inclu sion with a strong focus on inclusiveness for both staff and suppliers. All these motivations convin ced Barilla to ask Viviana to sign the menu.

“In five decades of working on diversity challenges, never have I seen a company embrace so quickly, passionately and successfully diversity, inclusion and equality for its employees. Barilla has set the standard for other companies to match and has proceeded with authenticity and substance”.

David Mixner, Civil Rights Activist , Barilla D&I External Advisor

At a dinner, pasta can be without any doubt an incredible and universal sign of love. The menu proposes three choices of amuse-buches by BluRhapsody, the Barilla brand that uses 3D printing technology to create unique pasta sha pes. Viviana Varese interprets the three shapes with superb mastery - Kalpis, Clam and Sfera –using the shape and high customisation potential to her advantage. The amphora, aka Kalpis and Sfera are in fact produced using the colours of the rainbow: powerful symbolism in a glance. Colour, passion and activism are therefore con veyed in Viviana Varese’s recipes.

Following the new Barilla “Al Bronzo-Lavorazio ne Grezza” pasta, inspired by traditional drawing methods and based on a mixture of fine, 100% Italian grains.

Behind each recipe there is a story made up of passion, quality, people and values. That’s why each of Barilla products tells its story and the story of its commitment to people and the world we live in.

KEY BARILLA COMPANY

MILESTONES:

Since Barilla began participation in 2015, every year the Company has earned a 100% score in the Human Right Campaign (HRC) annual Cor porate Equality Index (CEI), which ranks major corporations on how they support LGBT+ emplo yees.

The Barilla Group is the first Italian company to support the Standards of Conduct for Busi ness promoted by the Office of the High Com missioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) aimed at tackling LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, and intersex) discrimination in bu siness. The Standards of Conduct for Business outline certain rules of conduct that companies

should adopt toward LGBTI employees, sup pliers, customers, and distributors. They range from respecting and supporting the human rights of the LGBTI community in where companies do business, to eliminating discrimination and pro viding support for the LGBTI workforce.

Barilla developed ongoing relationships with the LGBTQ community, from meeting with im portant activists and stakeholders to deepening relationships with organizations such as the Tyler Clementi Foundation and GLAAD, Parks in Italy, Autre Cercle in France and Prout at Work in Germany. Barilla employees have marched in many Pride Parades in cities such as Milan, Chi cago, Paris, Cologne, and CEO Claudio Colzani signed the CEO Action for D&I pledge, commit ting to advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Barilla sponsors OPENLY, a global digital platform delivering fair, accurate and impar tial LGBT+ news. Developed by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Openly has the ambition of becoming the ultimate destination for trusted LGBT+ news and information from around the world.

2021 marks another significant milestone in the Diversity and Inclusion journey. Barilla is the first Italian family-owned food company to receive the premier 2021 Catalyst Award for initiatives that have accelerated progress for women and in creased inclusion for all within its organizations around the world. Barilla is being honored for its turnaround to become a model of inclusion for their LGBTQ+ employees and all underrepresen ted groups working for the company. Barilla continues on this journey with humility, knowing that learning from others and learning from mistakes can be key enablers to positive change.

ph. Azzurra Primavera

Viviana Varese

VIVIANA VARESE’S INTERVIEW

ForViviana Varese cooking is syno nymous with life; it requires passion, commitment, creativity, dedication, and humi lity. All qualities that the Michelin-star chefborn in Salerno in 1974 - has shown since, as a child, she started cooking in the family’s fish restaurant. Her personal and professional path led her to leave Campania to grow, learn and perfect her profession skills in top restaurants. Today Viviana leads her restaurant VIVA in Mi lan, onto Eataly Smeraldo.

On 26 October, on the occasion of the opening evening of the 2022 IGLTA Global Convention, Barilla asked Viviana to sign the different pa sta recipes proposed to the prestigious guests of the evening: two shapes of the new Barilla “Al Bronzo-Lavorazione Grezza” pasta and three choices of amuse-buches by BluRhapsody, the Barilla brand that uses 3D printing technology to create unique pasta shapes.

On this occasion Barilla chats with Viviana and share common values such as passion, courage and inclusion.

Barilla: Let’s start with the basics. What is your relationship with pasta? Do you have a favorite format or an anecdote to share with us?

Viviana Varese: Pasta is fundamental for me, it represents Italy and the Italian spirit, I have always loved it as a chef and as a person, it is the protagonist in my menus and is the main dish of our tradition and also of innovation in the kitchen.

As a famous pasta maker once told me “Pasta must be lived”, it must be cooked and treated with love and care, starting from the grains with which it is made, to the ingredients with which it is served.

My favorite format is penne lisce :-)

B

arilla: When we discussed the invol vement of a chef at the opening gala of the 2022 IGLTA Convention, we had no doubts in calling you and asking you to be our ambassador. The passion with which you lead your commitment to abused wo

men, your LGBTQ + activism and your entrepreneurial approach in wanting to restore dignity and economic indepen dence to minorities speak for you. Why did you choose us?

Viviana Varese: I believe that in this histori cal moment it is essential that not only small companies take an interest in these issues and rights that involve all of us, but above all lar ge companies. I am happy that an internatio nal company like Barilla takes care of these matters and supports these events, because it is thanks to this type of projects that the voice rises to higher levels and can be heard.

Barilla: We recently coined again our pur pose: “the joy of food for a better life”. We want our products to represent opportunities for joy, emotion, sharing. Don’t you think we have something in common? What is your way of doing business?

Viviana Varese: I have a manifesto, exposed in my restaurant, in an artistic form and words, which contains my vision and my being, my way of understanding life and also my work and my

activity as an entrepreneur. Among these words there is joy, enthusiasm, freedom, passion, har mony, love, biodiversity, sharing, sustainabi lity ... which is why I believe that today those who do business with this approach are in line with me and with what I do and try to do.

Barilla: In 2021, you received the 50 Best “Champions of Change” award - de dicated to those who lead positive change in the community. What are the most relevant challenges in the food community, the one we belong to?

Viviana Varese: Trying to cook well, being attentive to what we put on the plate are the starting point of every restaurant activity. Cooking is a political act because if I feed my customers paying attention and care for the in gredient and for the environment with a view to respect for small producers, making choices of sustainability and support for biodiversity, but also doing continuous training to my em ployees and young people who wish to under take this work, I am acting for the future and to make it better.

ph. Azzurra Primavera

Viviana Varese

TRADITION, INNOVATION, WONDER. IT IS THE COMBINATION OF THESE THREE ELEMENTS THAT HAS LED BLURHAPSODY® TO COME UP WITH A NEW WAY OF MAKING PASTA. OF COURSE, WE COULD NOT CHANGE THE INGREDIENTS: SEMOLINA AND WATER, WHICH ARE UNTOUCHABLE. WE HAVE THEREFORE DESIGNED A TOOL, USING 3D PRINTING, TO GIVE PASTA EXTRAORDINARY SHAPES.

INDULGE IN AN INSTANT OF PURE WONDER.

Credit foto by Cristina Linguanti

Iwrite

Here we are LOOKING FOR PARADISE?

these notes long before the elections for the renewal of the Italian parliament are held. I thus don’t know what the situation is in which you are reading me now. However, the one thing I know is that whatever political brand is going to govern, Italy is not a homo phobic nation nor is it afraid of the new. I am aware that, as everywhere, there are exceptions here too – but generally speaking, that’s it. My life, in its small way, gives an evidence. I am a crossdresser, one of the first ones, if not the first ever, to have come out in Italy. I was born in Milan and have always lived there, so I can confirm that what is said about my city is true: it is an open-minded European metro polis – after all, Expo 2015 was not held there by chance.

It is not the only Italian city of this kind. The re are Venice, Florence and Rome for instan ce. Although different, they have been used for centuries, i.e. even more than Milan, to in teracting with tourists and visitors, to the full advantage of their cultural growth. Well, read my lips: I, the man in a sheath dress and high

heels, have worked in Florence and Rome for many years. And when I say “worked” I mean “worked”: with office hours, public relations to carry out, even institutional contacts.

As for my private life. My wife is Sicilian, I tra veled around the island with her for over twenty summers. I met people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. And everywhere down there I have friends who support me and appreciate me. On our other island, Sardinia, I worked so much, and still do, at an institutional level as well, here too surrounded by people who have beco me fraternal friends.

And then: Naples, one of the most engaging places in the world; Bologna, the city of my pa rents; Turin, where I have relatives and have also had countless partners; Genoa, where my wife lived during her university years and where I held tens of events; the whole of Apu lia, from north to south, practically my second home considering the time I spent there and the amount of local people I know. I could go on but I just stop. Italy is waiting for you. With such a big smile.

Stefano Ferri

Started

ibis Milano Centro,

staff

all over

rhythm

IN MILAN

you are travelling for business

pleasure, ibis Milano Centro will be your perfect starting point.

will be waiting for you in the very heart of the city, just a few steps from the Central Station and the Repubblica metro stop, which will take you in a few minutes to discover Milan Cathedral, La Scala Theatre and the famous «Fashion Quadrilateral».

JULIUS CAESAR AND NERO

Unpredictable love affairs in ancient Rome

Homosexual relationships in the an cient world, which were hidden and the symbol of shame for so long, have left traces throughout Italy.

Although historiography attempted to define Julius Caesar’s homosexual relationships as a “youthful mistake,” there is no longer any doubt that the most vigorous of the Roman emperors, most certainly did not disdain relations with other men.

One of his great loves was Nicomedes IV the king of Bithinya. Caesar was blinded by his oriental beauty which led to a love affair that la sted in time, even if it was scoffed at by his ene mies. Dolabella, for example, defined Caesar as the “rival of the queen and inner edge of the regal litter.” Curione wrote of the “brothel of Ni comedes” and Bibulus called him the “Bithynian queen”. Cicero said in the Senate that Caesar had defended the daughter of the Bithynian king “for obvious reasons.” And even Caesar’s legions in Gaul at the time of his triumph went about sin ging under their breath: “Gallias Caesar subegit, Nicomedes Caesarem” “Cesare has dominated the Gauls, Nicomedes has dominated Caesar.” In those days things were not that much diffe rent than the way they are today. Homosexual relationships were not punished by law, but they were considered dishonourable, especially if the

role was a passive one. On the other hand an ac tive homosexual relationship underlined a man’s virility.

But Caesar was not new to homosexual love. Plutarch tells us that as a boy he was in love with Sarmentus, while Catullus talks about Mamurras. Endless stories about the empe ror’s homosexuality were bandied about, from Cicero to Suetonius, only to do the rounds again in the Middle Ages, up to Dante Ali ghieri who refers to Caesar and Nicomedes during his journey among the sodomites in Purgatory.

But Caesar was not the only emperor who liked the company of other men. Nero, according to Suetonius, married the young Sporus, a beauti ful young boy who covered his head for the cere mony with the flammeum, the traditional red veil brides wore in those days – and he also came with a dowry. And Nero, who was “very much in love did not stop at covering him with kisses for all to see.” But Sporus was soon replaced by Nero’s new love Doriforo who was a husband to the emperor.

This freedom was not reserved for emperors. Homosexual marriages, without any legal standing were frequent, so much so that they were banned in 342. And today here we are talking about them all over again.

Alessio Virgili

Presidente AITGL Ente Italiano Turismo LGBTQ+

Italy can actually be a very comfort zone for everybody and everywhere. But be fore choosing your personal itinerary, take your time and think about what are you loo king for. I guess you already know that Milan and the sorrounding area is the richest part of the country. It is perfect than for business people, fashion victims, luxury addicted tra velers. For the relations it cultivates with the rest of the Western World, it also offer a very open minded society, and a real gay friendly lifestyle. That’s why it was my beloved base in the last 25 years. But this time l’d like to suggest you to try a little more complete esperience. That means: go South! On sum mertime, off course, to ejoy sea , beaches, outdoor activities, and genuine fun. Let me also remind you, for more, that southern part of Italy is the youngest one of the country. Be

GO SOUTH

ready than to meet everywhere the human beauty at its best. Unfotunately just a few of the foreign people knows that Italy South of Rome can be samely attractive during fall, winter and spring too. By the way, this point is obvious and well known, referring to the big cities like Naples or Palermo, Catania or Syracuse. Full of life and locations to be visited all the year long. Instead not enou gh people from abroad is aware of the rich and diverse nature and art offered by Pu glia, Basilicata and Sardinia, just to make very first examples. Mountains and hills instead of seasides, courtesy and cheaper accomodations. Same food and wine, but no crowds, slow times, deeper meetings, love stories, may be, instead of fast sex. Plea se let’s try, enjoy if you will appreciate my advice, and let me know.

Alessandro Cecchi Paone

@cecchi.paone

Anchorman, University Professor, writer, human and lgbtq+ activist, IGLTA italian Ambassador