Bologna

Bologna, capital of Emilia-Romagna, has three nicknames: La Dotta (the learned), La Grassa (the fat) and La Rossa (the red). It is home to the world’s oldest university, founded in 1088, which keeps the city young and lively all year. Its red-roofed historic centre is lined with nearly 40 km of porticoes, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which lead you from Piazza Maggiore and the Neptune Fountain to the medieval Two Towers. It is also arguably Italy’s food capital: think tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini in brodo and mortadella, best enjoyed among the market stalls of the Quadrilatero.

Bologna also has a special place in Italian gay history. Cassero was founded in 1982 in one of the medieval city gates, Porta Saragozza, and is today the community’s cultural and party hub at Via Don Minzoni 18, with a bar, a dance floor and a busy calendar of club nights, drag, theatre and film. The scene is compact, political and very welcoming. Start the evening at a central bar like Barattolo, then follow the night to Cassero or to the bigger club parties on the city’s outskirts.

The two highlights of the year are Bologna Pride in June, one of Italy’s most activist-minded Prides, and the Gender Bender Festival in late October and early November, a ten-day celebration of queer dance, performance, film and parties. In summer, Cassero’s open-air season keeps the courtyard busy from May to September.