Gay Life in Venice from the Middle Ages to Present Days
Hear about the stories about the cross-dressing in cat masks, exploring the places of cruising from middle ages through the later centuries up to the tolerant attitude of nowadays Venice. Take a trip over the centuries through the gay history of Venice, which is as labyrinthine as the city’s convoluted system of canals. Travel back to Middle Ages, when the practice of sodomy was deemed a sin. Learn about the history of Rolandina, a transgender who was burned at stake, as several other men of all social statuses have being condemned for their same-sex relations in the following centuries. Visit the city as a European tourists did during their discovery trip "Grand Tour" in the 17th century and how Thomas Mann and Frederick Rolfe made Venice a place of homosexual imagery during Belle Epoque. Learn about the fascist attempt to “clean up” the city, while following the location of a music video by a gay-icon as Madonna and checking out how is gay life nowadays in the floating city.
What's included
Meeting point & pickup
Cancellation
Choose a tour option · 2
2 versions of this tour. Pick a date to see prices, start times and what's still open.
Where you'll be
Opens viator.com in a new tab. You book and pay there — Viator handles tickets, changes and refunds. We may earn a commission.
Where this sits in Venice
Venice is about 11 min by road from Venice Marco Polo Airport. Extraordinary and genuinely crowded, and the two are easy to reconcile: stay the night. The day trippers leave around six, and the city that is left — quiet canals, lit windows, footsteps — is the one worth coming for.
More things to do in Venice
Other experiences that run in the same area.
Around Venice
Places worth planning around while you're in the area.