Naples, often celebrated as the birthplace of pizza, has always been a crossroads of people, trade, and cultures. It is also a city where fluid identities have long existed, woven into everyday life and local traditions.

Our journey begins in the historic center, along the street known as Spaccanapoli. This iconic route is part of the ancient network of streets called the Decumani, laid out as early as Greek times and still shaping the heart of the city today. Here, we encounter the centuries-old figure of the femminiello: a person assigned male at birth who expresses femininity through behavior, roles, and social presence.

In historic Naples, the femminiello was not a marginal figure, but a central presence in neighborhood life. They took part in community gatherings, festivals, games, and popular traditions. Many locals also attributed to the femminiello a positive symbolic value, considering them a bringer of good luck, especially in contexts connected to rituals, family events, and traditional games.

As we continue through the historic center, we reach the Cathedral of Naples, where the narrative shifts from the profane to the sacred. Here we introduce a story that originates outside the city yet deeply belongs to it: the Madonna of Montevergine, regarded as the protector of the marginalized and, according to popular tradition, also of queer love.

We then arrive at Piazza Bellini, a lively social hub and one of today’s key meeting points for Naples’ LGBTQ+ community, symbol of a city where identities have become more visible and continue to evolve.

The walk continues toward the sea. We will stroll along Via Toledo, Naples’ main shopping street, and conclude our tour at Gran Caffè Gambrinus, the historic café once frequented by the openly gay writer Oscar Wilde, who moved to Naples in 1897 to escape the conservative atmosphere of Victorian England.