LGBTQ Florence

Florence’s history boasts a number of significant milestones: 
in 1786, it became the first city to abolish the death penalty, under Grand Duke Leopold I;
in 1853, during the reign of Leopold II, penalties for homosexuality were abolished.

Even earlier, the Medici dynasty, which held the reins of the city from the 15th to the 18th century, promoted art, culture and tolerance: among the numerous representatives of the family, some were certainly homosexual: Pope Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici, 1475-1521), Ferdinando II (1610-1670), and Giovanni Gastone de' Medici (1671-1737). During  the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, in Florence, there was a series of  places where homosexual meetings could be held.
 

Associations

Today, LGBTQ travellers can find valuable support from AITGL – the Italian Gay & Lesbian Tourism Association, a non-profit organisation founded in 2009, whose primary objectives include making Italy an increasingly welcoming country by providing tourist information, assistance – including legal support – and dedicated services. 
This objective is shared in Florence by Azione Gay e Lesbica, which organises various initiatives and events in the city. 

Clubs

Florence is a welcoming city with a variety of venues, cafés and gay-friendly nightclubs; we’d like to mention a few that have been around for many years: the Piccolo Café  very popular within the LGBTQ+ community, hosting live music evenings and serving aperitifs and dinners;  Queer, a bar open to everyone, serving excellent cocktails, and the Crisco Club, a men-only cruising club with an international clientele; last but not least, the drag queen nights at Twist Bistrot.

To unwind after a day of sightseeing, there is the Florence Baths sauna, the only one of its kind in the city; a welcoming setting with a lovely garden, open to men only.