AboutLisa Expertise Can recommend daytrips from Lucca, can give car directions from most places in Italy, and can help you plan an itinerary. But cannot recommend hotels and restaurants! I'm also no expert on train travel. For a train time table and info on Eurail passes, check out:
http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/fares_schedules/index.htm
Experience I've been to Italy many times, and have traveled to Egypt, India, Nepal, Israel, Fiji, Turkey and other places in Europe and the Caribbean.
Question QUESTION: I am trying to find the section of Florence that is a gay section. I need to get a hotel but want to stay in the part of the city where there are gay clubs, however i dont know the city, can u help
ANSWER: Hi Gary,
Here's something I found on Frommers:
The Gay & Lesbian Scene
The gay nightlife scene in Florence isn't much, and for lesbians it's pretty much just the Thursday through Saturday nights mixed gay-and-lesbian party at the Flamingo Bar, Via Pandolfini 26r (tel. 055-243-356), whereas the rest of the week it's men only. The main bar is downstairs, where an international gay crowd shows up in everything from jeans and T-shirts to full leather. Upstairs are a lounge and a theater showing videos and the occasional show. September through June, the ground floor becomes a dance floor Friday and Saturday nights pumping out commercial pop and lots of disco. The bar is open Sunday through Thursday from 10pm to 4am (until 6am Fri-Sat).
Florence's dark room is the Crisco Bar, Via Sant'Egidio 43r east of the Duomo (tel. 055-248-0580; www.crisco.it), for men only. Its 18th-century building contains a bar and a dance floor open Wednesday through Monday from 9pm to 3am (until 5am weekends). They also have male strippers and drag shows some weekends.
The only real gay dance floor of note is at the Tabasco Bar, Piazza Santa Cecilia 3r (tel. 055-213-000). Italy's first gay disco attracts crowds of men (mostly in their 20s and 30s) from all over the country. The music is techno, disco, and retro rock, but entertainment offerings also include cabaret, art shows, and the occasional transvestite comedy. In summer, foreigners arrive in droves. It's open Sunday through Thursday from 10pm to 3 or 4am (until 6am Fri-Sat). Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday it's all disco; Wednesday is leather night. They've also recently opened up a gay cruising bar called Silver Stud, Via della Fornace 9 (tel. 055-688-466).
Cover charges vary, but it's generally 10€ ($13) or less and often includes the first drink.
------------------------------------
Here is a map of Florence with directions from the Flamingo Bar to the Crisco Bar (I couldn't find Piazza Santa Cecilia (cut and paste the entire following url and paste into your browser):
QUESTION: thank you for being so fast with your answer, i still have one question, i am not sure how big florence is, i just do not iknow what part of the city to stay in. it seems thre are many different sections but i dont know which is which, i will not have a car.
Answer Hi again Gary,
You're very welcome. The David Hotel may look far from the night life, but it's only 1-1/2 miles. Check out the map:
The other hotel, Torre di Bellosguardo is just under three miles from the night life. So, unless you love walking or don't want to pay for taxis, you should stay at the David.
The other choice is to stay in a non-Gay friendly hotel which might not be as fun. I think I'd go for the David and enjoy all the walking. I stayed in Venice two summers ago and walked everywhere. I stayed in an out-of-the-way place and walked off all the wine and pasta. It was fabulous!
