Italian life by high speed train

Details

An experience to get deep inside the gay and lesbian Italian life while admiring three of the most appreciated cities in Italy. Milan, Florence and Rome, where to main artworks that have made these cities so much appreciated by everyone. Time to experience the footsteps of great homosexual personalities of the past, from Leonardo da Vinci in Milan to Michelangelo in Rome, passing through the wonderful Tuscany, one of the most gay friendly region in italy.

An experience to get deep inside the gay and lesbian Italian life while admiring three of the most appreciated cities in Italy. Milan, Florence and Rome, where to main artworks that have made these cities so much appreciated by everyone. Time to experience the footsteps of great homosexual personalities of the past, from Leonardo da Vinci in Milan to Michelangelo in Rome, passing through the wonderful Tuscany, one of the most gay friendly region in italy.

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Itinerary

Arrive in Milan and check in at four star hotel in Milan.

Time off to visit Milan: we suggest you to taste some typical dishes of the Milan cuisine (risotto alla milanese, risotto with saffron, polenta, typical local sausages…) and to experience the gay life of the city, especially in its gay area around Porta Venezia and Corso Buenos Aires, in bars such as the Leccomilano, the Mono, the Rainbow. If you want to dance all nigth, don’t miss Borgo and Plastic clubs.

Free morning.

Spend the afternoon in Milan visiting the shopping area: stylish and glamorous. You will find the most famous and trendiest shops and boutiques in Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and in Via Manzoni like Tiffany, D&G, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Bulgari.

Evening off.

Half day tour with private gay guide on the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci.

Your guide is going to show you that Leonardo was secretly in love with one of his disciples, Salaì, with whom he probably had lived an anguishing love story, that Leonardo painted in the portrait of St. John the Baptist, using his beloved Salaì as a model.

You are going to visit the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana that holds an important collection of artworks belonging to Leonardo’s disciples, among which Salaì. In the ancient Ambrosiana Library the original Leonardo’s Atlantic Codex is the greatest Leonardo’s collection of drawings and notes.

The tour will continue visiting the Ancient Art Museum inside the Sforza Castle, where Leonardo worked as an architect, painter and event creator; there you will find the “Sala delle Asse” painted by Leonardo in 1498 and the Art Gallery of the Castle, with splendid paintings made by Leonardo’s disciples.

The last stop will be the Last Supper, the mysterious fresco Dan Brown took as the main subject of his best seller.

The tour will end with an unusual dinner in typical Leonardian clothes in Vaprio, town that hosts the last dwelling of the artist, with the recipes Leonardo wrote and prepared himself! Overnight stay.

Private transfer to the station and high speed train to Florence.

Arrive at the station in Florence and private transfer to a 4* gay friendly hotel, check in.

Time off, to experience the gay life in Florence, in some of the most popular gay bars and clubs of the city: the Yag Bar, the Crisco Bar, the Fabrik, the Tabasco DiscoGay or the Butterfly Kiss.

Florence has also typical dishes to taste: the T-Bone steak called Fiorentina, known worldwide for its amazing quality that comes from the cows of the valleys around Florence

Meet the guide at the hotel and spend 6 hours in a private tour at the Uffizi Gallery and the Bargello Museum.

At the Uffizi Gallery – one of the most beautiful and biggest art galleries in the world- you will see the femininity of the Botticelli illustrations, the perfection of Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings and more. At the Bargello Museum you will be astonished at the Cellini’s statues (Apollo and Giacinto – Narcissus). He was the favorite artist of the Medici family, and was often convicted for sodomy.

During the tour your guide will unveil several hidden stories of Italian artists and their secret loves.

Time off.

Transfer from Florence to Rome with High Speed Train.

Check in at the hotel in Rome.

If you have time for lunch, Rome has so much to offer in terms of typcal food. In the afternoon you will visit the Hendrik Christian Andersen’s House, the Norwegian sculptor who chose Rome as the city to live in and with whom the American writer Henry James had a love sto- ry. Read a quote from his frequent letters to the sculptor:
“Would to God that I could come to Rome and put my hands on you (oh, how lovingly I put them!) But this, alas, is hideously impossible.” February 9, 1902
In the evening, you can experience the Roman gay life in the gay street just next to the Colosseum, with many gay bars such as the Coming Out, where to meet the gay and lesbian locals and have a pleasant night. Overnight stay in Rome.

In the morning, you will meet our gay friendly local guides and delve into the core of the ancient city: you will see the Forum, the Palatine Hill that housed the imperial residences, and the Colosseum, famous for its ghastly gladiatorial combats.

While exploring the archaeological sites, you will learn about Romans’ sexual mores (in which same-sex love played an important role) and listen to the lurid tales of the emperors’ sex lives.

After a lunch of traditional Roman specialties, you will cross the river and visit the Vatican. Here is the irony of a superb collection of homoerotic art being housed by an institution having a long history of homophobia. You are going to see the sculptures that recall the homosexual iconography, such as the Apollo del Belvedere, with a ‘twink’ face and a ‘bear’ body; then the magnificent Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo, gay and Catholic, who expressed this inner struggle through the “chiar- oscuro” in his paintings and several homosexual characters, as the angels kissing one another or two men kissing to celebrate their assumption.

Evening off.

Our day begins with a drive into the countryside to Tivoli, where we visit two great villas: Villa Adriana, Emperor Hadrian’s country retreat (where he built a temple to his lover Antinous, who was worshipped as a god after his death in the Nile), and Villa d’Este, with its splendid Renaissance gardens and fountains.

In the afternoon time to relish thermal baths at the Terme Albule, a beautiful and modern building with wellness and healthy treatment in a completely renovated environment.

Overnight stay in Tivoli Hotel.

Breakfast in hotel.

Private transfer to station or airport.

End of services.

Sforza Castle, Milan
Ponte Vecchio, Florence
Villa d'Este, Tivoli (Rome)

What's Included

Accommodation
Escorted Tours
Professional gay-friendly guide
Ticketing
Transport

What's Excluded

Everything not clearly mentioned on what's Included
Meals
Personal extras
Personal insurance
Tips

Additional Information

The tour is fully customizable to suit your needs. 

 

The Voice of Our Clients

Ian
Ian
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My husband and I booked the tour of the “Vatican in a gay light” for one morning during our trip to Rome. Our guide, Dario, was very knowledgeable of the historical significe of the art works as well as many of the anecdotes that provided context. We learned a great deal and truly enjoyed ourselves. This tour is too notch! Thank you.
Matt Berg
Matt Berg
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Excellent pre-cruise Quiiky tour in Venice. Great guide who had so much intimate knowledge of Venice. Besides being very handsome he is a local resident for more than 2 decades with so much intimate knowledge that you can’t get from a guidebook. This is my second time using Quiiky for tours and transfers; they’re my first choice in Italy!
Dan & Vince
Dan & Vince
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First I would like to thank you and your company and all involved for a wonderful trip. From beginning to end we continued to be amazed by all the wonder service we received from all of you. We had a fabulous time for our anniversary. All the guides were great and all better than we expected. It is hard to pick a best as they were all awesome, that being said, three stand out for being most personable and had a excellent sense of how to move us along our tours. Quiiky gets 5 out of 5 for all other ratings. Yes, we would positively reccommend for anyone considering travel to Italy. AND, Giovanna, you’re the best.
Tony & Joseph
Tony & Joseph
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We appreciate Quiiky incredible attention to detail. We didn’t have to worry about a thing. The drivers Quiiky arranged were always early, communicated with us very effectively and even called the hotels to inform them we were en route. The guides were all incredibly knowledgeable, kind, fun, and eager to answer our questions. The hotels were beautiful, spacious, and had lots of great amenities. Staff at each hotel were also immensely helpful. We’re happy to be a reference for anyone. We are grateful for all Quiiky did to listen to our specific requests and create an agenda that was perfect for us.
 John Bindlechner-Wigan
John Bindlechner-Wigan
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We adored our Quikky tour of the Vatican with our guide Claudio. We had been a little apprehensive about visiting the Vatican but this tour is the way to go! Claudio had an expert knowledge of the art collection and we enjoyed hearing the "other", more scandalous stories of the private lives of Michelangelo and the popes. We loved our visit to the museums, Sistine Chapel, grotto and St Peters - I recommend joining the queue and adding on the view from the dome of the basilica - well worth the stairs!
Denis Dallaire
Denis Dallaire
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The excursion to Capri was great! The headphone system worked really well and the guide Andrea was super nice and fun! He was a really good guide and would not hesitate to have him again. The food and drink offerings were very good. Thank you for a wonderful experience!
Richard Hurlbut
Richard Hurlbut
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Overall, we were thrilled with our tour with Quiiky. We were particularly pleased with our guides and drivers in Salerno, Rome, Florence and Venice. And given the crowds in some locations, the front-of-line privileges were particularly welcome. Money well spent!...... I would recommend any of the guides to anyone considering a similar tour. It was these private tours, and the guides’ depth of knowledge, that made all the difference.....Again, we had a wonderful time and would definitely use Quiiky again should we return to Italy.
Oliver Broad
Oliver Broad
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Thanks for a great alternative tour of the Vatican. Having visited back in 1999 I wanted something a little different to do with my husband who had never visited before. It is great to see Quiiky offering tours with a twist and can most definitely recommend this one for your next visit to Rome.
Greg Brady
Greg Brady
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First had a wonderful pre-cruise Quikky tour in Venice. Our guide was super friendly, knowledgeable, and a great deal of fun. Then I went on a tour of the Vatican and our tour guide was incredible. He is an expert on the Vatican and on the pertinent gay history (which turns out to be much more than you might even think). He literally made the Vatican come alive and provided one of the more fascinating tours I have taken anywhere. And the two wonderful owners of Quiiky picked us up and took us on a vehicular tour of Rome. Others got back from Rome complaining of the crowds and the heat... we got back energized, happy, and filled with fascinating information after an afternoon filled with fun and personalized care. Don't make the mistake thinking you will get an equivalent tour from a straight guide/company -- if you are gay, Quiiky is the way to go.
Auston Matta
Auston Matta
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I highly recommend Quiiky Travel for any guided visit to Rome or Italy. I was both surprised and entertained by everything GAY I learned about the Vatican on my tour. They are passionate about providing an excellent travel experience and I have no doubt that you would enjoy one of their tours or travel products.
Denis Dallaire
Denis Dallaire
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What a wonderful experience to Messina and Taormina. Antonio was a great guide with good knowledge and history-telling. Really enjoyed the history of the museum Cusena. Again the food and drinks on the boat were very good. Thank you so much!
Santiago Stanley
Santiago Stanley
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Our excursion to Messina and Taormina today was excellent. Antonio was amazing. Our food experience was on point … starting with the granita and Brioche in Messina and the arancini and cannoli in Taormina!!! The boat trip around the bays was spectacular and the food again!!! Eggplant Parmesan and the sardine dish and olives… Again Antonio was patient , knowledgeable sweet and always on time!! Excellent experience!!!
Adam Martindale
Adam Martindale
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We had a fantastic tour of the Vatican with Paolo from Quiiky. Paolo was knowledgeable, personable, fun and really gave us a different insight into the history of art and the gay artists that are part of the Vatican’s history and more! Highly recommended!
Theron Clark Stuart
Theron Clark StuartGroup Traveller
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It was easy to schedule our tour. Everything was explained in great detail, so there was no confusion on the day of the excursion. The vans were spotless and comfortable. Our guide for the Colosseum was exceptional in every way. He was cute, knowledgeable, witty, flexible and engaging. We met so wonderful folks and shared a wonderful lunch with the guys from our group. Could not have been happier with Quiiky.
Curtis Korchinsky
Curtis KorchinskyGroup Traveller
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Fantastic company to work with. Very easy and simple…..and good value. Will definitely book with them again!
Ron Davis
Ron Davis
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BEST TOUR COMPANY YOU COULD WISH FOR! I have done two tours in Rome with this amazing company and both times it was 20-30 people Expert process, memorable tours, top notch experience. We arrived by cruise ship and they handled everything. Regardless of how you arrive you will receive a tour that is personal and you feel like you w learned secrets and things you would never ever have heard or known. I wholeheartedly recommend them.
Bob Kobosky
Bob Kobosky
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Highly recommend Quiiky.com for tours/day trips in Italy. They did an AMAZING job on our tours in Palermo and Naples as well as arranging a wonderful beach day for us when we disembark in Civitavecchia before heading to the airport in the late afternoon.
Heinz Steinmetz
Heinz Steinmetz
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Interesting and entertaining! Well organized small group with an experienced and friendly guide.
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Departure:
Milan

Italian life by high speed train

From € 2,000

Duration: 9 days/ 8 nights
Destination: Milan
Inspiration: Art & Culture

Why Book with us

100% LGBTQ FRIENDLY

Gay owned company

ITALIAN SPECIALIST

Offices in Rome & Milan

24/7 SUPPORT

Customer care available 24/7

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