Tier 2 · Accepted in the cities#19 in tier 2
Italy
Civil unions since 2016; no marriage. The lowest-ranked Western European country on ILGA-Europe.
- Same-sex activity
- Legal
- Recognition
- Civil unions / partnerships
- Region
- Europe
- Confidence
- High
- Reviewed
- September 2026
Acceptance
Moderate.
Travel advice
Go, and stay in the cities and beach towns on our list. Read the room once you leave them.
Where the boys go
Rome, Milan, Bologna.
Method
Tiered on the legal status and social acceptance of gay men and LGB people using ILGA World, the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Human Dignity Trust, the Williams Institute, Pew, the Spartacus Gay Travel Index, Equaldex and court rulings. Where two tiers are plausible we choose the more cautious one. How we tier. Last reviewed September 2026.