Listen, if you’ve been following my blog, Twitter, or Instagram for any amount of time, you probably know I live for a sexy gay fashion moment. LGBTQ-owned fashion brands are a big part of my lifestyle. I’m always looking for local, independent designers on every trip and (like probably every other gay guy in the world), I’m constantly browsing Instagram fashion accounts (and the insta-hunks) for the newest and sexiest brands out there.

Swimwear is a must-have item for any beach or pool day, and with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to find the right one. For gay men, finding the perfect swimwear can be even more challenging as it needs to be both comfortable and stylish. In this article, we will explore the best gay men’s swimwear brands, including Addicted, 2xist, Modus Vivendi, Charlie, Speedo, H&M, JJ Malibu, Garçon Official, Calzedonia, and yes, even Amazon.

Get Beach-Ready with These 16 Stylish Swimwear Brands for Gay Men

In no particular order, these are my favorite gay swimwear brands. I own an embarrassing amount of sexy speedos and slim swim shorts!

1. Addicted

Addicted is a Spanish brand known for its bold, colorful designs and high-quality materials. Their swimwear features unique prints, vibrant colors, and a range of styles, from briefs to trunks. Addicted’s swimwear is perfect for gay men who want to make a statement at the beach or pool. Addicted has a particularly sexy line of clothing and one of the swim trunks I have from Addicted even includes a built-in cock ring!

The price range for Addicted swimwear is around $50 to $100.

2. 2xist

2xist is an American brand that offers sleek, minimalist swimwear designs that are perfect for the modern gay man. Their swimwear features clean lines and a range of colors and designs. I particularly love 2xist because they’re very obviously a gay brand. So, when wearing them by the pool or on the beach, if you see that 2xist logo, you know they’re gay. Some of the their designs also have extra bits of flair like strings or attachments.

The price range for 2xist swimwear is around $30 to $100.

3. Modus Vivendi

Modus Vivendi is a Greek brand known for its luxurious materials and stylish designs. Their swimwear features unique prints, intricate details, and a range of styles, from briefs to jockstraps. Modus Vivendi’s swimwear is perfect for gay men who want to add a touch of luxury to their beach or pool day. This is definitely a premium brand, it costs it and it looks it!

The price range for Modus Vivendi swimwear is around $50 to $120.

4. Charlie

Charlie by Matthew Zink is a Brazilian brand that offers bold, colorful swimwear designs that are perfect for gay men who want to stand out. Their swimwear features solid, bright colors, and a range of styles, from briefs to trunks. Charlie’s swimwear is perfect for those who want to add a touch of Brazilian flair to their beach or pool day. This is one of my Instagram discoveries and I’ve been drooling over them for a long time. You’ll see their luxury swimwear in a lot of the gay magazines.

The price range for Charlie swimwear is around $30 to $80.

5. Speedo

Speedo is an Australian brand that is known for its high-quality, performance-oriented swimwear. Their swimwear features sleek designs and a range of colors, from classic black to bright neon. Speedo’s swimwear (especially their classic “speedo”) is perfect for gay men who want to swim laps or participate in water sports while still looking stylish. There’s nothing sexier than a simple black Speedo with that swish logo.

The price range for Speedo swimwear is around $30 to $80.

6. H&M

H&M is a Swedish brand that offers affordable swimwear options that are perfect for gay men who want to look stylish without breaking the bank. Their swimwear features a range of styles, from trunks to swim briefs, though H&M swim trunks are definitely most common. H&M’s swimwear is perfect for those who want to try out different styles without committing to a high price tag. They’re also really good about getting the summer trends on point—whether it’s geometric shapes, neon colors, or patterns like flowers or plaid.

The price range for H&M men’s swimwear is around $10 to $30.

7. Violet Los Angeles

Violet Los Angeles is a queer-owned swimwear label designed and made right in Los Angeles — and honestly, it’s the brand I’ve been waiting to find. The aesthetic is rooted in queer nightlife and alt zine culture, which sounds like a lot, but the pieces themselves are surprisingly wearable. This isn’t costume-y or gimmicky — it’s genuinely well-made swimwear that just happens to have a serious point of view.

The standout for me is the Adjustable One Piece — a genuinely unexpected silhouette in the gay swimwear world. Square cut neckline, elastic straps, bungee cords at the side so you can adjust the cut from classic to french cut. Poolside or party, it works for both. The Trad Brief is the more understated option if you want something you can wear to a family beach before it turns into a pool party — it comes in 4am (black) and Sucker Punch (hot pink).

Shop violetlosangeles.com. Prices range from $80–$109. For a queer-owned independent brand, the quality punches well above the price point. Plus they’re released in small batches so you can truly stand out with something unique.

8. JJ Malibu

JJ Malibu is a Canadian brand that offers fun and playful swimwear designs that are perfect for gay men who want to show off their personality. Their swimwear features unique prints, bold colors, and a range of styles, from briefs to jockstraps. JJ Malibu’s swimwear is perfect for those who want to add a touch of humor to their beach or pool day.

The price range for JJ Malibu swimwear is around $25 to $50.

9. Garçon Official

Garçon Official is a British brand that offers stylish, high-quality swimwear designs that are perfect for gay men who want to make a statement. I’m a fan of their underwear which you see in a lot of high fashion magazines, but their swimwear is equally cool. The brand is much more elegant with simple colors like black and gold, and their swimsuit line includes a range of styles, from briefs to trunks. Garçon Official’s swimwear is perfect for those who want to add a touch of sophistication to their beach or pool day.

The price range for Garçon Official swimwear is around $60 to $100.

10. Calzedonia

Calzedonia is an Italian brand that offers trendy swimwear options that are perfect for gay men who want to stay on top of the latest fashion trends. Their swimwear often includes fun patterns and prints, but I have several trunks of theirs which are two-toned complementary colors (ie, a green and yellow pair of swim trunks). Calzedonia’s swimwear is perfect for those who want to try out the latest swimwear trends. Calzedonia as a brand is also attached to the Intimissimi Italian lingerie brand which offers their own swimwear line, though it’s not as varied as Calzedonia. I definitely prefer Calzedonia swim trunks to the Intimissimi ones (though Intimissimi’s underwear can’t be beat!!).

The price range for Calzedonia swimwear is around $30 to $80.

11. Henre

Henre is a French brand that offers high-quality swimwear for men. Their swimwear features classic designs with a modern twist, and they offer a range of styles, from swim briefs to shorts. Henre’s swimwear is perfect for those who want a stylish and sophisticated look. I love the style of Henre’s fashion and first discovered it at a gay gift shop while traveling. My favorite part about the Henre fashion line is each speedo style comes with a complementary shorts style as well, so you can interchange between a swim brief or trunks.

The price range for Henre swimwear is around $50 to $100.

12. Elia Beachwear

Elia Beachwear is a Greek brand that offers trendy and stylish swimwear options for men. Their swimwear features unique prints and patterns, and they offer a range of styles, from classic trunks to swim briefs.

Elia Beachwear’s swimwear is perfect for those who want to stand out at the beach or pool. I first discovered Elia Beachwear at a shop in Palm Springs (one of the gayest cities in America). The brand can be a bit pricey but it’s worth it. Some of their speedo-like swimwear comes with a privacy cup insert so you don’t have to worry about a dick imprint.

The price range for Elia Beachwear swimwear is around $50 to $100. Their clothes are available online through retailers such as DailyJocks.com

13. HUNK

One of my favorite gay swimwear brands is from HUNK (which coincidentally also makes great underwear). The really unique part of their gay swim briefs compared to other brands is in their bold, vibrant colors and unique patterns. The material is also high quality and feels soft but with just the right amount of elasticity. With a soft, lightweight ultra stretch fabric, HUNK swimwear briefs stay comfortably place in the water with maximum versatility whether you’re at the pool or playing beach vollyeball.

Photo above is of Daniel Montoya, the viral Colombian supermodel and adult star. The price for HUNK swimwear ranges between $30 (for swim thongs) to $60 for the sexy swim briefs and swim shorts.

14. Adidas

Adidas bike shorts a great option for gay men who want a versatile swimwear option that can also be used for other activities, such as running or working out. Their shorts are made from high-quality materials and come in a range of colors and designs, though I find the classic black Adidas shorts the sexiest.

While Adidas does have their own swimwear, I think the shorts are perfect for those who want a sporty and functional swimwear option—and a super sexy alternative to a swimsuit. I’ve worn them when I’ve had to travel between the city and the beach such as in places like Tel Aviv where you can dry-off quickly after a swim before heading back into the city.

The price range for Adidas shorts varies widely depending on the style and design. Shop Adidas online here.

15. Cin2

Cin2 is an American brand that offers stylish and sexy underwear options for men. While not specifically designed for swimming, their underwear can be a fun and flirty alternative to traditional swimwear. Cin2’s underwear is perfect for those who want to add a touch of eroticism to their beach or pool day.

The price range for Cin2 underwear is around $25 to $50.

16. Skull & Bones

This was an Instagram discovery for me. Skull & Bones is an American brand that offers trendy and fashionable swimwear options for men. Their swimwear features unique prints and patterns, and even lots of sexy mesh underwear styles.

The Skull & Bones’ swimwear is a bit more subdued than their underwear and is perfect for those who want to make a bold fashion statement at the beach or pool. I found the sizes from Skull & Bones run very small though, so while I usually wear small/mediums, I had to buy a large to find the right fit.

The price range for Skull & Bones swimwear is around $40 to $80.

In conclusion, there are many great swimwear brands out there for gay men, each with its own unique style and price range. By considering the brands mentioned in this article, you can find the perfect swimwear for your next beach or pool day. And with the perfect swim fit, who knows you may even find more than a fun day and land yourself a date!

The post 16 Popular Gay Swimwear Brands – My Personal Favorites for (Sexy) Summer Fun in 2024 appeared first on Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog).

Rome has a siren song that calls to us.

Perhaps it’s the dream of exploring centuries-old ruins in the morning, wandering down a cobblestone street to a family restaurant for fresh pasta at night, and eating gelato on a bench next to an ancient fountain as the sun sets. For Midwesterners, planning a city break to Italy is especially easy now that there are flights from Chicago to Rome offered year-round.

Before you pull the trigger on a booking, let’s cover the options for airports, flight duration, and airlines.

How Long Is the Flight?

When you take off from Chicago to get to Rome, you first need to fly across the Atlantic Ocean before your vacation can start. In most cases, the fastest way to do this is on a direct flight; just over 9 hours is the average time for these. Keep in mind that your journey can vary greatly as a result of weather and air traffic. Additionally, the time of year will also make a difference.

If you’d prefer a route with a connection, your flight will take longer. Plan to spend upwards of 12 hours and over 20 hours getting to your destination, depending on your port of call and layover duration. Many passengers appreciate the fact that they have more leeway when they opt for such routes. It also helps that they have a better chance of finding a seat with the airline of their choice.

I want to get to Rome from Chicago with the least hassle possible. Is a non-stop flight my best option? A nonstop flight is your best bet if you don’t want to wait any longer than possible before visiting all that Rome has to offer. If you have specific requirements you need to meet with your airline, or you want to make sure you can take off at the perfect time, a flight with a connection may be more your speed.

Departing From Chicago: O’Hare vs. Midway

Chicago has two major international airports: O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport.

O’Hare, as Chicago’s primary international airport, offers the majority of long-haul flights to Europe. When searching for flights from Chicago to Rome, this means that passengers will have the most choices in terms of routes, times, and airline options coming from O’Hare. O’Hare’s large international service area means that it is also the most convenient option for most people, given that there will likely be a non-stop or one-stop option that works well for a transatlantic itinerary

While Midway is typically frequented more often for domestic travel, passengers can also certainly start their journey from Midway to Rome. They will probably have to make a stop at another airport (either in the US or Europe) prior to continuing on to Italy. Ultimately, the additional stop may be worth the time for some passengers. Because Midway may also be more convenient for other reasons, perhaps it is the perfect place to launch a journey to Italy from.

It often boils down to the tradeoff between convenience on the ground versus convenience in the sky.

Arriving in Rome: Fiumicino or Ciampino?

Rome has two airports located in different directions for slightly different travelers.

Fiumicino Airport (Leonardo da Vinci International Airport) is Rome’s major international airport, located approximately 20 miles southwest of the city. This is where the vast majority of Rome’s long-haul international flights land, including likely any flight from Chicago. There are many transportation options to Rome to choose from here, including trains, buses, taxis, and car rentals.

Ciampino Airport is Rome’s other airport, located closer to the city center. It is the hub of several low-cost and regional airlines that generally offer short-haul flights to other European cities. It’s much less likely that you’d arrive here on your flight from Chicago; however, if you have a layover within Europe (following another European connection, for instance), you might find yourself here.

Fiumicino likely is the transit port to the Italian capital for the majority of Chicago-based visitors, though.

Airlines Serving the Route

The route from Chicago to Rome is served by a host of different airlines, with some providing direct flights and others only offering a connection to travellers.

These international airlines provide non-stop services to Rome, with many more offering single-stop options with a connecting city in Europe, the Middle East, or Asia. Flight routes might include a layover in Istanbul, Paris, Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, or Madrid, to name but a few. Which carrier a traveler opts for will no doubt come down to a few key variables: the length of the journey, the time of day to departure, the comfort of the seat configuration, and the ease of making the connection.

There are some travelers who are also concerned about racking up their air miles points and getting a good deal on their flight options, while others are more concerned about the luggage allowances, the seats in general, and the layover times in the connecting city. Oftentimes, these questions are just as important as the cost of the ticket.

Choosing the Right Flight

The best flights to Rome from Chicago come down to what works best for you. If you’re in a rush, you’ll be looking for the fastest possible means of getting from the Windy City to the Eternal City so you can hit the ground running. If you’re traveling with your favorite airline, you might want to select your departure airport or a flight time that best suits your itinerary.

By looking at flight times, departures, arrivals, and airlines, you’re getting all the info you need to make a well-informed decision. It’ll have you prepared for Rome and what that now famous Italian welcome has in store. 

The post Flights from Chicago to Rome: Duration, Airports, and Carriers appeared first on Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog).

Travel has always been about discovery. People visit new cities for food, culture, scenery, nightlife and the small surprises that make a trip memorable. For some adults, entertainment is also part of that experience, from hotel lounges and live shows to digital leisure enjoyed during quiet downtime.

Australian casino entertainment has developed an appeal for travellers because it blends convenience, atmosphere and curiosity. It is not only about games, but about how people fill the slower moments between journeys.

Travel downtime has become more digital

Even the most active trip includes pauses. Travellers wait at airports, relax in hotel rooms, unwind after sightseeing or take a slower evening after a full day out. These moments are increasingly screen-based.

A traveller might stream a show, check restaurant reviews, scroll through photos, message friends or play mobile games. Digital entertainment fits naturally into travel because it does not require much planning and can be enjoyed almost anywhere with a reliable connection.

For adults curious about casino-style leisure, guides to the best casino online australia can become part of that research process, especially when users want to compare features, understand platform basics and approach the experience with clearer expectations.

The appeal is flexibility. Travellers can explore entertainment privately, at their own pace and without needing to visit a physical venue.

Curiosity shapes travel behaviour

Travellers are naturally curious. They compare neighbourhoods, try unfamiliar dishes, explore local events and look for entertainment that feels different from their everyday routine. This curiosity often extends to digital culture.

A visitor to Australia may notice how local audiences talk about pokies, casino games and online entertainment. Even Australians travelling domestically may compare digital leisure options while moving between cities or regions. The interest often begins with wanting to understand what is popular and how the experience works.

This is similar to how travellers explore other local habits. They may research coffee culture in Melbourne, beach routines in Queensland or food markets in Sydney. Casino entertainment is not the centre of most trips, but it can be one of many leisure categories people encounter while travelling.

Mobile access suits life on the move

Travel rarely happens from one fixed screen. People use phones at the gate, tablets in hotel rooms and laptops when planning the next day. Any digital entertainment that wants to appeal to travellers must work smoothly across devices.

Online casino platforms are judged by the same standards as travel apps and booking sites. Users expect fast loading, readable information and simple navigation. If a page is hard to use on mobile, travellers are unlikely to spend time figuring it out.

A travel-friendly digital platform should offer:

• Clear menus
• Strong mobile performance
• Easy account navigation
• Readable terms and conditions
• Practical payment information
• Visible support options
• Responsible gambling tools

These details matter because travellers are often distracted or working with limited time. A clean experience helps them make more informed decisions.

Entertainment should fit the trip, not take it over

The best travel experiences leave room for balance. A city break should not disappear into a hotel room screen. A road trip should not become defined by apps. Digital entertainment can be enjoyable, but it should fit around the main purpose of travel.

For casino-style entertainment, this means setting boundaries before engaging. Travellers should decide how much time and money they are comfortable spending and avoid treating gambling as a way to fund a trip.

Responsible travel leisure habits include:

1. Set a clear entertainment budget 
2. Keep gambling money separate from travel essentials 
3. Avoid playing when tired, stressed or drinking heavily 
4. Take breaks and enjoy offline experiences 
5. Read terms before accepting promotions 
6. Stop when the activity no longer feels fun 

These habits protect the trip itself. Entertainment should add variety, not create stress.

Casino culture overlaps with nightlife and hospitality

Part of the appeal of casino entertainment comes from its connection to nightlife, hospitality and atmosphere. Travellers often enjoy places that feel social and lively, whether that is a rooftop bar, theatre district, music venue or hotel lounge.

Digital casino entertainment borrows some of that atmosphere through visual design, themed games, live dealer formats and interactive features. While the online experience is different from a physical venue, it can still feel polished and immersive when designed well.

Travellers who enjoy hospitality experiences may be drawn to platforms that feel easy to browse, visually engaging and clearly structured. However, design should never replace transparency. Attractive visuals are useful only when important details remain easy to find.

Promotions require careful reading

Travellers are used to comparing deals. Flights, hotels, tours and restaurant offers all come with conditions. Casino promotions should be approached with the same careful mindset.

A bonus may look appealing, but the value depends on wagering requirements, expiry dates, eligibility rules and game restrictions. Travellers should avoid making quick decisions based only on headline numbers.

Before accepting a casino promotion, it helps to check:

• Whether a deposit is required
• Which games qualify
• What wagering conditions apply
• When the offer expires
• Whether withdrawal rules are clear
• Whether the platform provides responsible play information

If the details are unclear, it is better to pause. Travel already involves enough decisions without adding unnecessary confusion.

Reviews help travellers compare safely

Travellers often rely on reviews before booking hotels, choosing restaurants or planning activities. That same habit can support safer casino discovery. Review content helps users understand the basics before deciding whether a platform suits them.

Useful reviews should explain game variety, mobile usability, payment methods, bonus terms, support access and responsible gambling tools. They should not rely on exaggerated promises or suggest that outcomes can be guaranteed.

For travellers, review content is most helpful when it saves time. A clear comparison can help someone quickly understand what matters, then decide whether to explore further or move on.

A flexible form of adult leisure

Australian casino entertainment appeals to travellers because it fits the modern rhythm of travel. It is mobile, private and easy to explore during downtime. It also connects with broader interests in nightlife, digital culture and interactive entertainment.

Still, the best travel memories rarely come from spending too much time on a screen. Casino entertainment should remain a small, controlled part of leisure for adults who choose it. With clear limits, careful reading and realistic expectations, travellers can keep the focus where it belongs, on enjoying the journey.

The post Why Australian Casino Entertainment Appeals to Travellers appeared first on Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog).

For most travelers, the ideal setup is one device that handles everything. No extra lenses, no separate camera bag, no second battery to charge. The question is whether a smartphone can genuinely fill that role and not just for casual snapshots but for the kind of photos worth printing, sharing, or looking back on years later. The iPhone 17 makes a strong case for itself.

What is so special about the iPhone 17 camera?

The first thing you notice when shooting with the iPhone 17 is how capable the wide-angle system has become. Both rear lenses are now 48MP: the main Fusion and a redesigned Ultra Wide that replaces the 12MP version from the iPhone 16. In practice, that means sharper detail in landscape shots, better texture in close-ups, and far more flexibility when you’re cropping or editing after the fact.

Low light is where many phone cameras still struggle, but not here. The iPhone 17’s night mode activates automatically and handles dim scenes well. You get clean, well-exposed photos without having to think about settings or fumble with manual controls.

The front camera has also been rethought from the ground up. The new 18MP sensor uses a square design that captures both portrait and landscape orientation without rotating the phone. For anyone who records travel content or shares videos on the go, that’s a small change with a real impact.Add Apple’s ultra-stabilized video with electronic image stabilization to the mix, and your selfie videos stay smooth and steady, even when you’re moving.

How to use iPhone 17 camera effectively?

Knowing your camera’s capabilities is one thing; using it on the road is another. The camera control button is one of the more underrated features here. It gives you direct access to zoom, exposure, and depth without opening any menu, which matters when you’re trying to catch something that won’t wait.

For those using the Pro models of Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup, shooting in ProRAW is worth considering. It captures the full 48MP resolution and preserves more color and tonal information than a standard JPEG. If you use Lightroom or similar apps, you’ll have much more to work with when recovering highlights in a bright sky or pulling detail from shadows.

Storage fills up faster than most people expect, especially when shooting 4K video. Back Market is one of the world’s biggest marketplaces for certified refurbished electronics and has an easy way to get larger capacity iPhone models at a lower cost than full retail, making it easier to travel without the constant fear of running out of space.

One more thing worth keeping in mind is that Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to debut in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. For those watching the space closely, that launch will be significant. But the foldable comes with a price tag well above $2,000 and a limited initial supply. For most travelers today, the iPhone 17 is where the balance between image quality, portability, and price actually makes sense.

On the other hand, travel photography rarely happens in controlled conditions. You’re moving fast, the light changes, and you often don’t get a second chance at a shot. What the iPhone 17 offers is a camera system that handles those conditions without asking much of you.

That consistency is what makes it worth recommending. Because for most trips, it does the job well and fits in your pocket. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

The post Is the iPhone 17 the ultimate travel camera? appeared first on Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog).

Rome is a place to unpack and stack up days.

Where, more than the hotel, the neighborhood you choose should create the tempo of the trip. A good choice will mean solid and balanced days full of walking, eating, and drinking, with few of the necessary, but stressful, taxi rides to get from here to there!

If you arrive by train, and in general as a tourist, staying near Termini is a good idea. And actually, from Rome Termini, there are several train options to Naples, always on the mind of anyone visiting the capital.

First-time Visitors: Centro Storico and The Pantheon Area

For the first trip, most come to the Centro Storico, and with good reason. Within walking distance are the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. It’s just nap, café, meal, shopping stop, church, café, nap without looking at a map or worrying about a car.

Here, transition into the oldest buildings, restored buildings, and ghastly attics over the streets. Rooms tend to be undersized, but the tradeoff in a compact vacation within walking distance from most everything is an equally small price to pay.

However, you must expect it to be busy. Crowds gather in the plaza, especially in the fall and on weekends, when the numbers double. A room off the plaza will provide a silent night, at least until April or October.

Luxe: Via Veneto, Parioli and The Spanish Steps

The luxury hotels of Rome are mostly located on the Via Veneto and are now closer to the Spanish Steps. Most spaces have grander entrances, more rooftop terraces, better-maintained properties, and have the bar in the same place. Just set your sights on the category and name, and find a space that fits you.

On your own luxury vacation, if you are really looking for a location alone and seeing the tromping around Rome as work, then add the Spanish Steps. Pros: the shopping streets, the restaurants, the shopping, the town… everything is quite close.

But also look at Nomentana and Parioli. This area is near the Spanish Steps and has a wealthy, calm feel to it. Small shops dot the area, while Villa Borghese is always nearby for a morning walk or nighttime run.

Boutique Hotels: Monti and Trastevere

Monti easily wins as Rome’s most interesting neighborhood for visitors who prefer atmosphere to monuments. Vintage shops, wine bars, bookstores, artisan shops, and small squares fill the area. The streets around Via del Boschetto and Via Urbana stay alive most of the day without ever becoming totally overrun.

Trastevere attracts a different type of visitor. This is where you come for restaurants, bars, and long dinners. Nights somehow stretch in this part of town. I know several travelers who spent entire nights here and never wanted to leave the neighborhood.

Small boutique hotels and apartments run the accommodations market. Some independent guesthouses find space, but apartments definitely appeal to people who’d rather feel like a local for a few days than a full-time tourist in the centro storico.

Budget and Solo Travelers: Testaccio and Termini

Testaccio really hits the mark for budget travelers looking to avoid the tourist rush while still finding two Palladian churches in their backyard. The area also remains well-suited for public transit (streetcar, bus), and the nightlife is never as over-the-top-all-the-time as in Trastevere. Solo travelers, especially those okay with taking part in Rome’s after-hours eating and drinking, find that a good balance.

Termini always deserves a second thought, especially for travelers looking at a short-term stay in town or an Italian itinerary dominated by the rail lines. The quality of hotels around the area varies pretty significantly, although lots of smart budget and mid-range deals sit within easy walking distance of the station.

Families: Prati and the Vatican Area

Prati takes the prize for family travel, at least when you have the typically curious and potentially whiny child in tow. Streets are wider. Sidewalks are more forgiving for strollers. Every-day-Rome doesn’t pile up on you in layers like the centro storico (historic center). Plus, you’ll encounter more apartment-style accommodations here, which still tend to offer better deals than comparably sized regular rooms in the historical center.

Practical Notes Before You Book

Rome hotel breakfasts are typically expensive for what you get. Only when you book a great place with breakfast included do you do better than at a café nearby with a cappuccino and cornetto. Consider booking early. Easter, late spring, and September through October always book well, especially good B&Bs and vacation rentals. Waiting until the last couple of months can mean fewer choices and much higher prices. The right room can make or break how you feel about Rome.

The post A Thorough Selection of Hotels in Rome, for Every Kind of Traveler appeared first on Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog).

I came to skiing late, and sideways — the way, I suspect, a lot of queer people come to things that have traditionally felt like they weren’t built for us. I didn’t grow up in a family that skied. Nobody in my immediate world treated a February half-term trip to the Alps as a rite of passage. Skiing, in the version of it I’d absorbed from the outside, was a sport for a specific kind of person: wealthy, white, straight, and entirely comfortable in a world of matching salopettes and après-ski bars with questionable music.

When I finally did go — in my early thirties, dragged along by a partner who’d been trying to get me there for years — I went with the prepared scepticism of someone who expects not to see themselves reflected in a place. What I found was more complicated than that. Not a revolution, but something shifting. A world that is, unevenly and imperfectly, beginning to reckon with who it has historically been for — and who it could be for instead.

This is what I actually found in the Alps, and what I think it means.

The Starting Point: What Ski Culture Has Been

It’s worth being honest about the baseline before talking about progress. Alpine ski culture has a particular history. It grew up around European aristocracy and wealthy American tourists in the early twentieth century. It codified itself, over the following decades, into a set of signifiers — the right brands, the right resorts, the right social rituals — that were not subtle about who was welcome. The expense is not incidental; it has always been part of the point.

For LGBTQ+ travellers specifically, the picture has been mixed. The Alps are, broadly speaking, in countries with relatively strong legal protections — France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy (more recently). But legal tolerance and cultural welcome are different things, and ski resorts have not historically been known as particularly progressive social environments. The après-ski bar with its particular brand of loud, boozy masculinity; the group dynamics of ski holidays; the assumption that everyone’s romantic partner is of a different gender — these add up to a texture that can feel, at minimum, like a place you’re tolerated rather than genuinely included.

I want to be careful not to overstate this. I’ve never felt unsafe in an Alpine resort, and I know queer travellers who’ve been going to the Alps for decades without incident. But there’s a difference between safety and belonging, and it’s the latter that I’ve been watching for.

Chamonix: A Different Energy

Chamonix was the first place that genuinely surprised me. It’s a town that has always attracted a certain kind of outdoor adventurer — not the resort-hopper who’s there to be seen, but the person who came because of the mountains and stayed for the mountains. That draws a different demographic: younger, more international, more countercultural in a broad sense. The climbing and mountaineering community that gives Chamonix much of its identity has never been particularly concerned with the social conventions of traditional ski culture.

Walking around Chamonix in winter, I noticed a few things. The town has a visible queer presence in a way that, say, Courchevel does not. There are bars and restaurants where the clientele is noticeably mixed in ways that go beyond the usual ski resort demographics. The outdoor sports community — climbers, trail runners, alpinists — tends to be more interested in what you can do than in the social performance of who you are. That’s not the same as active inclusion, but it creates an environment where you’re less likely to feel like an anomaly.

The town itself is also just genuinely interesting. It has the cultural density of a place that takes itself seriously beyond the skiing season — bookshops, independent restaurants, a serious film and arts scene in the warmer months that leaves traces in the winter. For the kind of traveller who finds purely resort-focused destinations a bit thin, Chamonix offers something with more texture.

Getting there is straightforward from Geneva — around 90 minutes, and well-served by transfer, which covers the route regularly. It’s also a good base for the surrounding region, with Italy and Switzerland both reachable for day trips. For solo LGBTQ+ travellers in particular, the ease of access and the international, cosmopolitan feel of the town make it a more comfortable first Alpine experience than some of the more traditional resorts.

The Broader Question: Is the Industry Changing?

The honest answer is: yes, but slowly, and with significant variation between resorts.

The most visible shift has been in marketing. Ski resorts and tourism boards that once produced promotional materials featuring exclusively heterosexual couples and nuclear families have, in the past decade, begun to diversify their imagery. This is easy to be cynical about — rainbow-washing is real, and a stock photo of two men in ski jackets doesn’t tell you much about whether you’ll actually feel comfortable in a place. But representation in marketing does matter at some level, because it signals who a destination is actively trying to attract.

More substantively, some resorts have made genuine efforts at cultural change. Verbier has hosted LGBTQ+-oriented events. Several French resorts now partner with operators who specialise in LGBTQ+ ski trips, which create a critical mass of community that changes the social atmosphere of a place for the week they run. The LGBTQ+ ski event circuit — which includes dedicated weeks in various Alpine resorts — has grown significantly in the past ten years, and the fact that mainstream resorts are now actively competing to host these events is itself meaningful.

The equipment and rental industry has also changed, more quietly but perhaps more significantly. The growth of adaptive skiing — programmes designed for people with physical disabilities — has pushed the industry to think more broadly about who can participate in the sport. The same infrastructure and mindset that makes a resort genuinely accessible for disabled skiers tends to correlate with a broader culture of inclusion. Resorts that have invested seriously in adaptive programmes — Chamonix, Les Arcs, and a number of Austrian resorts among them — tend to have a different feel.

Where the Gaps Still Are

I don’t want this to read as an uncritical endorsement of where the ski world has arrived. There are real gaps, and pretending otherwise doesn’t serve anyone.

Race remains the most glaring one. Alpine skiing is overwhelmingly white, in its participant base, its marketing, its cultural references, and its professional elite. The barriers are multiple — cost, cultural associations, geographic access, representation — and none of them are being addressed with any urgency by the mainstream industry. For travellers of colour, the experience of being visibly in the minority in an Alpine resort can range from mildly uncomfortable to genuinely alienating, and the industry’s response to this has been, at best, tokenistic.

The cost problem is also not going away. Skiing is getting more expensive, not less. Climate change is compressing the viable season and pushing resorts toward higher altitudes, which increases infrastructure costs, which get passed to consumers. Lift passes, equipment rental, accommodation, food, transfers — the all-in cost of an Alpine ski holiday is significant, and it’s the primary reason why the sport’s demographic profile has not changed as dramatically as the marketing might suggest. Inclusion that requires significant financial resources is not really inclusion.

And the après-ski culture, while it varies by resort and by venue, is still in many places characterised by a particular kind of heteronormative excess that can be exhausting if you’re not the intended audience. This is not unique to skiing — it’s a version of the same dynamic you find in many mass-participation sports cultures — but it’s worth naming, because it shapes the texture of a trip in ways that go beyond the formal experience of being on the mountain.

What Inclusive Skiing Actually Looks Like

The most genuinely inclusive ski experiences I’ve encountered have had a few things in common.

They’ve been in resorts with a strong identity beyond the skiing itself — places with cultural depth, interesting food, independent businesses, a reason to be there in summer as well as winter. Chamonix fits this description. So does Innsbruck, which functions as a proper city and happens to have ski areas attached to it. So does Zermatt, though it’s expensive enough that the financial barrier is significant.

They’ve tended to be in resorts where the community of people who live and work there year-round is visible and valued, rather than resorts that shut down entirely at the end of the season. When locals are present — in the restaurants, the bars, the daily life of the town — it changes the culture. You’re in a real place rather than a temporary entertainment facility, and real places tend to have more social complexity and more genuine welcome.

And they’ve been easier to navigate as a solo or queer traveller when the logistics have been handled well. This sounds mundane, but it matters. Travelling alone or as a same-sex couple to an Alpine resort involves a series of small moments where you’re either made to feel normal or subtly reminded that the infrastructure was designed with someone else in mind. A transfer service that simply treats you as a customer without comment, accommodation that doesn’t assume your room configuration, a ski school that doesn’t make assumptions about who you’re with — these accumulate.

A Practical Note for LGBTQ+ Travellers Considering the Alps

If you’re queer and ski-curious — or an experienced skier who’s wondered whether the Alps are worth it — here is what I’d actually tell you.

• Chamonix is the most genuinely welcoming Alpine resort I’ve been to, and the one I’d recommend most enthusiastically to LGBTQ+ first-timers. Its character — outdoor-focused, international, countercultural in a quiet way — creates a more comfortable environment than the more traditional resort towns.
• Verbier and Zermatt are worth considering if budget isn’t a constraint. Both have a cosmopolitan, international clientele that creates a reasonably inclusive atmosphere, and both have made more deliberate efforts at LGBTQ+ welcome than many Alpine resorts.
• The dedicated LGBTQ+ ski weeks that run at various resorts throughout the season are worth looking into if you want community alongside the skiing. The social experience of being in a resort with a critical mass of queer travellers is genuinely different, and these events have grown significantly in quality and variety.
• For the practical logistics — getting from Geneva or other airports to your resort — pre-booking transfers removes one variable from the equation. The Chamonix transfer from Geneva is well-established and takes around 90 minutes; having it sorted before you arrive means one less thing to navigate on the day.
• Don’t let the marketing tell you who the Alps are for. The mountains don’t care.

The Honest Conclusion

The ski world is getting more inclusive. Not as fast as it could, not as thoroughly as it should, and not evenly across resorts or across the different dimensions of inclusion. The financial barrier remains the biggest structural problem and nobody credible is close to solving it. The racial homogeneity of the sport is a genuine failing that cosmetic diversity in marketing doesn’t address.

But on the specific question of LGBTQ+ welcome — which is what I went to the Alps to assess — the answer is genuinely more positive than I expected going in. Chamonix in particular felt like a place that has absorbed enough different kinds of people over enough decades that it has stopped needing to perform a particular version of itself. You can just be there, on the mountain, doing the thing. That’s not a small thing.

I’m going back next winter. Make of that what you will.

The post Is the Ski World Getting More Inclusive? What I Found in the Alps appeared first on Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog).