Bologna is one of the most liberal and LGBTQ+ friendly cities in Italy, full of gay clubs and a lively nightlife scene. Being a university city, there are many students who come to Bologna every year. This has had an impact on making it a vibrant city where fun never fails, and the perfect place to make new acquaintances is right around the corner!
Gay Clubs in Bologna
Bologna offers several gay and gay-friendly clubs, including many small and charismatic bars and excellent nightclubs where you can spend your evenings in the city. Whether you are alone or in company, you will never be bored. And so as not to be unprepared, today we will guide you through the best gay clubs in Bologna.
Jar Jar
(Via del Borgo di S. Pietro, 26 / A)
Located in the heart of Bologna, Bar Barattolo is one of the most popular gay clubs in the city, where you can have a drink or a post-dinner beer in a cheerful atmosphere.
Bart Club
(Via Polese, 47a)
The Bart Club is the most raunchy gay club in Bologna, famous for its theme nights including every Monday evening “in underwear” from 9.30pm to 3am. Thanks to its inclusive welcoming atmosphere that accepts all, you can easily make new acquaintances.
LGBTQ+ Events from RED
The non-profit company RED promotes the social development of the LGBTQ+ community with the aim of improving their quality of life through dedicated initiatives and events. Among the events include some hilarious evenings! Follow their Facebook page to not miss a single one: https://www.facebook.com/redbologna
The Cassero Clubbing
(Via Don Minzoni, 18)
Il Cassero, the first political center for the recognition of LGBTQ+ rights, also has a “clubbing” division that organizes events and evenings dedicated to the community where you can go wild to the sound of music. Here, fun is guaranteed as it is one of the hottest gay clubs in Bologna.
Bologna’s Gay History
After talking about (and hopefully attending!) Bologna’s gay clubs, a nod to its history in LGBTQ+ terms is a must. The city, defined as one of the most gay-friendly in all of Italy, has a long and significant gay history. It is the birthplace of Pier Paolo Pasolini, one of the founders of the LGBTQ+ equality movement in Italy.
It all started in 1977 when the first student uprisings were born, predecessors of the birth in 1978 of the liberation movement called the “Circle of homosexual culture XXVIII June”. The real turning point, however, took place in 1982 with the birth of the Cassero di Porta Saragozza, the first Italian LGBTQ+ center to which the municipality had granted a municipal building in Porta Saragozza. His birth marked an important historical moment for gay rights in Italy and in the course of its history also for the fight against AIDS. Since 2002 he has moved to the Salara.
Continuing with the main stages, in 1985 Arcigay was born in Bologna, which in a very short time acquired 5,000 members, in 1989 a marble plaque was established in honor of the LGBTQ+ victims of Nazi-fascism; in 1995 the first pride was held, Gasp (which translates to “Gays against AIDS for Health and Prevention) and LUO (Free Homosexual University) are born. Also in 1995, Marcella di Folco joined the Bologna city council, then becoming the first trans woman in the world to hold a public office. In 2002, thanks to the Cassero School Project, education on gender identity was brought to schools. In 2023, Bologna will host Varius Voices, the most important LGBTQ+ choral festival in Europe.
