This walking tour offers a compact yet meaningful journey through Bologna, one of Italy’s most progressive cities in terms of LGBTQ+ history and activism.

The tour begins in the lively university district along Via Zamboni, long known as a center of student movements and social change. During the 1970s, this area witnessed the rise of early gay activism in Bologna, including the Collettivo Frocialista, one of the first openly gay activist groups in Italy. At number 1 once stood the iconic Club Kinki, a pioneering queer-friendly nightclub that helped shape Bologna’s inclusive nightlife scene.

From here, the walk continues to Via Borgonuovo, the birthplace of Pier Paolo Pasolini, one of Italy’s most influential intellectuals and one of the first public figures to openly identify as gay. In works such as Comizi d’amore, Pasolini explored themes of sexuality and society, leaving a lasting mark on Italian culture.

The tour then reaches Piazza Maggiore, in front of Palazzo d’Accursio, the historic city hall. This building is closely connected to Marcella Di Folco, the world’s first openly transgender city councillor, elected here in 1995, a milestone for LGBTQ+ rights in Italy.

The route continues toward Porta Saragozza, once home to the Circolo di Cultura Omosessuale 28 Giugno, one of the earliest LGBTQ+ associations in Italy. Nearby, in the Giardini di Villa Cassarini, stands a pink triangle monument dedicated to homosexual victims of Nazi persecution, one of the first memorials of its kind in Italy. Facing the monument is Piazzale Marcella Di Folco, named in honor of her activism.

Next, the tour stops at the Stefano Casagrande Gardens, dedicated to activist and performer “La Cesarina,” founder of the Cassero LGBTQ+ Center, one of the most important LGBTQ+ cultural institutions in Italy, and creator of Miss Alternative, a historic charity event supporting HIV/AIDS awareness.

The walk continues to La Salara, today home to the Cassero, Bologna’s historic LGBTQ+ center and the local headquarters of Arcigay, Italy’s main national LGBTQ+ organization.

A short distance away is the headquarters of the Movimento Identità Trans (MIT), one of Italy’s leading organizations advocating for transgender rights, active since 1979.

The itinerary also includes the BLQ Checkpoint, Italy’s first LGBTQ+ sexual health center, offering testing, prevention, and community support services.

The tour ideally concludes with a view toward Villa Aldini, where Pier Paolo Pasolini filmed scenes from his final work Salò, closing a journey that connects LGBTQ+ history, activism, and identity in Bologna.

A short walk, yet a powerful story of Bologna LGBTQ+ history and activism.