A gay bucket list for Rome: molto bene! 

Oct. 05 2018

by Lachlan

The Eternal City is one of Europe’s most coveted capitals. Rich in history, ancient architecture, and mouth-watering food, Rome is certain to charm you for an eternity. From its cobbled streets, to its Instagram-worthy piazzas, it’s hard to know where to start in Italy’s capital. Fortunately, we’ve done the hard work for you and created a gay bucket list highlighting the best things to do in Rome. How many will you be ticking off for your next gay travel experience here? 

1) Put on your best cologne and head to Rome’s Gay Street (Via San Giovanni in Laterano) and mingle with the locals on the pavement outside. 

2) Experience gelato at its best with a scoop or two from riverside Gelateria del Teatro, they have unique combinations like lavender and peach! 

3) Climb the Spanish Steps with your loved one, and stop to marvel at the city’s skyline from the top. 

4) While you’re at the top, ask one of the resident cartoonists to illustrate the two of you - very romantic. 

5) Head to charming neighborhood, Monti, and soak up local life by drinking some prosecco by the fountain in quaint Piazza Madonna dei Monti. 

6) Dance your Saturday night away to the sounds of Madonna and GaGa at legendary gay club, Planet Roma.

7) Drink cocktails with the cool crowd at super trendy speakeasy, Club Derrière.  

8) Eat delectable food-on-the-go at Trapizzino in trendy Testaccio.

9) Put your selfie stick to use with a one-off shot outside the Pantheon - one of Rome’s most monumental monuments!

10) Hit up Scholars Lounge on a Monday night for pub quiz in English, accompanied with a couple of pints of beer of course. 

11) Dance with the hipsters at Circolo degli Illuminati in the cool Ostiense neighborhood. 

12) Fill your tummy with local food treats at the produce market in Campo dei Fiori.

13) Explore Italian wine at its best with a tasting session at big-name venue, Rimessa Roscioli.   

14) Feel cultured with a session of live jazz at no-frills venue, Charity Cafe in Monti.  

15) Doodle on the paper table cloth while you wait for one of Rome’s best pizzas at heaving pizzeria, Da Remo in Testaccio.

16) Toss a coin into the famed waters of the Trevi Fountain, and feel assured that you will one day return to Rome. 

17) Order a serve of Rome’s best - and cheap - Amatriciana (tomato, pork cheek, pecorino cheese, and rigatoni pasta) at rustic Da Enzo al 29. 

18) Get lost in the narrow streets of Rome’s Jewish quarter, and stumble upon the area’s iconic turtle fountain. 

19) Retrace the steps of ancient gladiators with a visit to the colossal Colosseum.    

20) Go treasure hunting and pick up some bargains at the flea market in Porta Portese. 

21) Experience the original lie-tester by putting your hand in the famed Bocca della Verita (mouth of truth). If you have told a lie, legend has it that the stone mouth will bite off your hand.

22) Rise and shine like a local with a cappuccino and cornetto (local crescent-shaped pastry, often filled with cream) at chic Pasticceria Roscioli. 

23) Dress in all black for a day and head to über-cool Pigneto to jam with the hipsters at one of the local bars. 

24) Free up plenty of space in your camera, and prepare to snap like mad with a walk through the ancient Forum Imperiali.          

25) Appreciate some decadent carbonara at old-school Trattoria Perilli in Testaccio, the décor is that dated it’s become cool again.  

26) People-watch over an Aperol Spritz at slick Obicà in Campo dei Fiori. 

27) Catch a live busking performance at dusk in Trastevere’s Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. 

28) Save your Friday night for some full-commitment dancing at famous gay party Muccassina, at Cube. 

29) Get romantic for an afternoon and head up to Gianicolo fountain to catch a dreamy sunset over Rome, with your new Italian fling. 

30) Feel like a local and buy yourself an ANDDOS or ArciGay UNO Club Card, which will get you into any of the city’s steamy gay saunas.  

31) Head to Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, located just behind Aventine Hill, and take a peek through the keyhole of the garden’s door. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the view. 

32) Find your bear for the night at Bear Mondays at L’Alibi club in Testaccio. 

33) Feel like a local and refresh with a drink from one of the city’s stout fountains - yes you can drink from them.   

34) Take a ride on one of the city’s chaotic buses. Not necessarily pleasant, but something very local. 

35) Mingle with the students for a night, and appreciate seriously low drink prices at the bars in grungy San Lorenzo.  

36) Plan ahead and book a table at Armando al Pantheon for lunch or dinner; a typical restaurant in the shadows of the Pantheon. 

37) Try i Suppli, a deep-fried rice ball filled with mozzarella - delicious.  

38) Grab your choice of reading, and head to Villa Borghese for an afternoon in the sun.

39) Find your new Italian-inspired wardrobe a cool local boutique, David Naman.

40) Hire a vespa for the day, and travel around the city like the locals, imagining you’re on the set of La Dolcé Vita.  

Loved this? Check out our Gay Bucket List to Barcelona, and hop across the Med.