Despite Italy’s reputation as a homophobic country which indeed is true in many ways, Rome does have something to offer to LGBT visitors besides its museums and cultural venues. The local scene is relatively small when compared to other capital cities, but still very vibrant and most importantly - on the rise!

Take a cultural side track into one of Rome's lesser known areas; explore a neighborhood built in the 1940s as a model for the Rome of the future. EUR is an architectural masterpiece built in marble and stone hosting the museum of Roman civilization and brand new aquarium Sea Life opening summer 2013.

Rome’s music scene, more often than not, happens beyond the historic center – more open to rooted residents than to new visitors. However, there are plenty of musical surprises to find across the city from trendy to traditional venues to especially imaginative street musicians. With some foresight, even those places furthest afield will be worth the effort to know.

Follow the famous shaved ice drink along the Tiber river and into Rome's most characteristic neighborhoods. A sophisticated way to cool off during the summer heat and enjoy a bit of Rome's culinary history.

Rome, the Eternal City, is a place of astonishing landmarks, but also a city with remarkable history. Besides the glorious moments of the Roman Empire, in modern Italy, there is an event that marks the love to the nation of every Italian: the Republic Day, on June 2nd. In this day, 67 years ago, Italians had chosen Republic over Monarchy by universal suffrage. Since then, the day is marked for celebration in the Eternal city. Let us see what is going on this day!

In summer, Gay Village takes over a huge site of historic parkland and transforms it into an outdoor entertainment complex with bars, two dance floors, an open-air gym, an exhibition space and an outdoor cinema. There's live music, theatrical performances, film screenings and a whole lot more!

Explore Rome's hottest new attraction: Eataly. A culinary theme park with all-Italian foods and more. There are choices for all tastes: Drink an Italian IPA in the beer room, have fried prawns and white wine, have a Florentine steak and a glass of barolo, find the ultimate cook book, learn how to make pasta, etc, etc.

Countless films have depended on Rome as a backdrop for narratives that just wouldn’t fit anywhere else in the world, and the city has borne and fostered some of the world’s most renowned filmmakers. Today, Rome celebrates the art of film through top-notch festivals catering to every audience and covering every genre, from blockbuster to avant-garde.

Via Veneto’s macabre church, Santa Maria della Concezione dei Capuchins, purposes a lasting meditation on death. Among the city’s ruins, reliquaries, crypts or catacombs, this place may prove to be the most potent momento mori in Rome. Here one finds the bones of over 4,000 Capuchin monks re-assembled as elaborate interior ornaments. In stark contrast to the Veneto’s glamorous reputation as a celebrity playground of smart, spacious cafes, this unforgettable Capuchin church reminds us, rather, to live more with the inevitable in mind.

Rome has something for everyone regardless of gender, socio-economic status, hairstyle, taste in music or preference in gelato receptacle. Whether you’re hawking that proverbial shoestring, or you’re looking to jumpstart the Italian economy through personal expenditure, there’s a side of Rome to fit your budget.