Rome
Rome Travel Guides
Written by the specialists who plan our trips to Rome: where to go, when, and what is worth knowing before you book.
All Rome Travel Guides
Rome for Repeat Visitors: What to Do After the Main Sights
Rome is one of those cities that most travelers feel they have not finished with after a first visit. The Colosseum, the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain: these are genuinely extraordinary things and deserve the attention they get. But the city that Romans actually live in, the one that operates beneath and around the tourist circuit, takes longer to find and rewards the effort considerably.
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Rome vs Milan: Which Italian City Is Better for Gay Travelers?
Homosexuality and Italian culture have been intertwined for as long as either has existed in recognizable form. Suetonius documented the sexual lives of the Caesars with a candor that left little to the imagination, and the Roman Empire's attitude toward same-sex relations was one of pragmatic acceptance.
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A Luxury Gay Guide to Rome
Rome is one of the most fascinating cities on the planet. As the capital of the Roman Empire, it governed territories stretching across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Today, ancient temples, amphitheaters and imperial palaces sit alongside apartment buildings, restaurants and streets full of people getting on with their day. Watch Gladiator II before you arrive, then visit the Colosseum to discover where Hollywood took liberties.
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The Best Hotels for a Honeymoon in Italy, From Lake Como to Rome
A honeymoon in Italy might begin with a few nights overlooking Lake Como, continue through Venice or Florence, and end with long dinners in Rome. The hotels you choose shape those days, whether you want a private terrace, a substantial spa or a beautiful base for exploring on foot. For same-sex couples, the welcome is just as important.
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Italy vs. Greece: Which is Better for a Luxury Honeymoon?
Choosing between Italy and Greece for your luxury honeymoon is not easy. Both countries provide unimprovable romantic settings and flawless weather. Yet each destination creates distinctly different honeymoon experiences that appeal to different romantic sensibilities and travel preferences. From exploring the ruins of the Roman Empire to partying in Mykonos, there's so much to see in Italy and Greece. Let's find out which one is the best for your honeymoon.
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The Best Train Journeys in Italy for Luxury Travelers
There is a version of Italy that you only see from a train window. The terracotta rooftops of hill towns that no road quite reaches. The Apennines rising and falling between Florence and Rome. The lagoon opening up around you as you approach Venice, water on both sides and the city materializing ahead as it has appeared to travelers arriving this way for centuries.
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Beyond Positano: 7 Amalfi Coast Towns Only Locals Know About
While Positano captures millions of Instagram posts with its pastel houses, the Amalfi Coast is home to six enchanting villages that only locals whisper about. From Atrani's claim as Italy's smallest municipality to Vietri sul Mare's centuries-old ceramic workshops, these hidden gems offer the same breathtaking Mediterranean beauty without the crowds.
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Exploring LGBTQ+ Art in Italy: From the Romans to the Renaissance
Standing before Donatello’s bronze David in Florence, there is time to notice what photographs rarely capture: the delicacy of his stance, the curve of his hip, the contrast between his slight frame and Goliath’s sword. For LGBTQ+ travelers, exploring Italy’s art can bring another dimension to these encounters, opening conversations about male beauty, same-sex desire and the lives of the artists behind the masterpieces.
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Planning Your First Trip to Europe
For many Americans, a first trip to Europe is more than a vacation. It is a milestone. It might be something you have dreamed about for years, researched endlessly on Instagram, or talked about as a someday trip that finally feels within reach. It can also be overwhelming. Europe is not one destination. It is dozens of countries, languages, cultures, and travel styles packed into a relatively small area.
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Pompeii or Herculaneum – Which Should You Visit?
Few places in the world provide such an extraordinary glimpse into ancient life as Pompeii and Herculaneum, two Roman cities famously preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. While both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and remarkable in their own right, they offer distinctly different experiences. The choice between Pompeii and Herculaneum ultimately depends on your interests, time constraints, and the type of experience you want.
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The Best Gay Beaches in Italy
Italy doesn't have a gay beach culture on the scale of Spain's, there's no Sitges, no Maspalomas, nothing with that level of international name recognition or year-round infrastructure. What it has instead is a handful of good spots, spread out and mostly seasonal, each one tied to a specific town. Torre del Lago in Tuscany comes closest to a dedicated gay beach town, complete with its own nightlife.
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Trips through Rome
Rome’s Gay Legacy: A Luxury LGBTQ+ Tour Through the Roman Empire
Tailor-made VacationThe Roman Empire's relationship with sexuality was fundamentally different from the morality imposed by later Christianity. Same-sex relationships existed openly among the elite, were documented in historical records, and shaped the empire's political and cultural landscape. What's often sanitized in standard history books becomes viscerally real when you stand in the actual spaces where these emperors lived, ruled, and loved. This isn't revisionist history.
10 days tailor-made from $7,500 per person View trip
Ancient Rome Luxury Tour: The Colosseum to Pompeii
Tailor-made VacationAt its peak, the Roman Empire stretched from Britain to Syria, but its heart always remained in Italy. This nine-day journey takes you through the empire's most spectacular sites—from the Colosseum where gladiators fought to the buried streets of Pompeii, from Hadrian's architectural masterpieces to the villas where emperors escaped the heat. Expect private expert guides, five-star hotels, and access that brings imperial Rome to life without the crowds.
9 days tailor-made from $10,470 per person View trip
Art & Cooking in Milan, Sorrento, Pompeii & Rome
Tailor-made VacationItaly has long been celebrated as a mecca for lovers of art, history, and food. In this exclusive journey, you'll traverse the enchanting cities of Milan, Sorrento, Pompeii, and Rome, where art, culinary craftsmanship, and luxury living create an extraordinary tapestry of experiences. Your Italian adventure begins in Milan, Northern Italy's gem. With a gay-friendly guide, explore iconic landmarks like Via Montenapoleone, the Milan Cathedral, and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
10 days tailor-made from $4,180 per person View tripThe best trips begin with a conversation, not a booking form.
Frequently asked questions
Traveling with Out Of Office
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specializing in tailor-made vacations and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury vacations, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalized experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with traveling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveler, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalized service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ vacations?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalized itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travelers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of traveling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
One named specialist, first inquiry to homecoming. No call center, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.