Rome Gay Pride

Rome is city of many facets. Despite being home to The Vatican, and generally strongly held religious beliefs, the Eternal City also puts on an incredible Pride celebration each year in June. Rome Pride offers a lively parade along with plenty of festive celebrations in the city. While the LGBTQ scene in Rome may not be as robust as the one found in Milan, you are guaranteed to experience a colorful side to the Eternal City this June. 

It may come as a surprise to some, but Rome is no stranger to Pride. The inaugural Gay Pride Rome first took place in June, 1994, and while the development has been a relatively slow process, Pride and the general LGBTQ scene in the city is continuing to go from strength to strength. The very first WorldPride took place in Rome in 2000, with a week-long festival that attracted a host of gay activists from roughly 40 countries. An estimated 70,000 marchers participated in the rally, setting the precedent for the many WorldPrides to follow.

Rome Pride again achieved a claim to fame in 2011, when EuroPride hosted its annual celebration in the Eternal City. The impressive event welcomed headline act, Lady Gaga, and attracted a large number of people, cementing Rome Pride as noteworthy staple in Europe's Gay Pride calendar. 

Today Rome Pride is a fun-filled day that usually takes place on a Saturday in June. The parade normally kicks off from Piazza della Republicca, close to Roma Termini station, and travels through the city streets before finishing up at Piazza Venezia. Following the parade each year, many of the city's gay bars and clubs host special events and parties to keep the celebrations going well into the night. With a law passing civil unions for LGBTQ people in 2016, the general openness and acceptance towards the community is improving in the Eternal City, and the annual Roma Pride is a testament to this. So will we be seeing you at Gay Pride Rome this year? 

For more details on Rome Pride 2024, be sure to check out the event's official website.