Queer Venice: Gay History Tour from Past to Present

Rolandina and Medieval Justice. Discover the story of Rolandina Roncaglia, the first documented transgender person in Italy, burned at the stake in 1355. Her tragic end reveals how brutally LGBTQ+ individuals were treated in medieval Venice.

The Gnaghe: Cat-Masked Crossdressers. Walk through Venice’s former red-light district, where in the 15th century crossdressers known as gnaghe prowled the arcades wearing cat masks and meowing seductively to passersby.

When Sodomites Went to Church. We’ll stop at a church whose arcades were placed under state surveillance in 1488 to prevent same-sex cruising—evidence of hidden queer networks even in religious spaces.📜 4.

The Too-Gentle Historian. Pay homage to a Venetian historian of the Renaissance, known for his Diarii. His exceptional kindness earned him admiration—but also raised suspicions in a less tolerant era.

The Gay Poet of the 1970s. We’ll pass by the home of a pioneering Italian poet who came out in the early 1970s and later took his own life. His verses were among the first in Italy to speak openly of same-sex desire.

Casanova and the Spies at the Theatre. In this area once stood the world’s first public opera house—also a place for same-sex encounters. Giacomo Casanova, as a spy for the Venetian state, recorded what he saw.

A British Poet and a Venetian Porter. On this quiet canalbank, a famous British writer and early gay rights advocate met—and not by chance—a handsome 19-year-old Venetian porter.

Public Announcements of Sodomy Sentences. In this square, proclamations were read from a statue's base, including the names of those sentenced to death for sodomy. Its proximity to the bustling Rialto market ensured a large audience.⚗️

A “Suspicious” Pharmacy. Here stood a notorious pharmacy known as a meeting spot for sodomites. Even being seen near it could be grounds for arrest—or worse.

Madonna in Baroque Venice. Palazzo Zenobio, a gem of late Venetian Baroque, was used as the indoor set for Madonna’s Like a Virgin music video in the 1980s. Today it bridges high culture and queer pop iconography.

Saint Sebastian: A Queer Icon. Explore a church decorated with paintings by Veronese, who is also buried here. Discover why Saint Sebastian, depicted in semi-nude martyrdom, is considered the patron saint of the LGBTQ+ community.

A Gay Bar That Denied Everything. Visit a once-famous bar known among gay travelers in the mid-20th century. Though the founder denied its reputation, its legacy lives on in queer memory.

A Gondolier and a German Writer. Learn about a romance between a Venetian rower and a German author that unfolded in this historic palace—between admiration, desire, and heartbreak.

The Lesbian American Painter. Outside this elegant hotel, discover the story of an American painter who lived here and was openly queer, collecting both artistic fame and romantic scandals.

The Bisexual British Artist. A celebrated British poet lived in this palace. His work—and life—testified to a rich and complex emotional world shaped by both male and female lovers.

The night crusiing in Venice. This now-vanished church was listed in a 1450 law as one of the nighttime cruising spots for sodomites, proving queer desire had a long, often hidden, history in Venice.