Host Story: Building a Community in Tuscany

Aug. 29 2023

by Lachlan

Meet Luca and Stefano, two welcoming hosts from the beautiful town of Versilia in Tuscany, Italy. If a trip to Italy wasn't already alluring enough, the promise of a beautiful stay with these boys sure will be! For Luca and Stefano, it is important to create a safe space where LGBTQ+ travelers can feel free to be themselves and feel a part of one big family. Along with this, their proclaimed "fridge full of prosecco" and outdoor Jacuzzi are pretty tempting, too! 

Why did you become hosts on misterb&b?

Luca and I became interested in the world of tourism a few years ago: we had an extra room and liked the idea of welcoming friends into the house so that they could discover the beautiful things around us. Since that first room, we have grown a lot! misterb&b was the first portal dedicated to hosting for the LGBTQ+ community that we discovered, and it allowed us to get to know many people, some of whom have become real friends. Hosting people from the community is very important to us, knowing that we create a sense of connection wherever we are! To know that there are friends everywhere, even if you don't call them 'friends' yet.

What does hosting for the LGBTQ+ community mean to you?

For us, it is very important to be able to say to the people in the community, 'This is a safe place where you can be whoever you want to be.' Luckily, Italy has made a lot of progress in recent years, but being hosted by other people in the community allows us to be freer: to know that we are there for each other, that we are doing something for ourselves, not as an 'individual' but as part of a big family! It's a kind of activism: We have the LGBTQ+ flag on our facade, and we are very proud that the place where we live is full of people who are happy about it.

In your opinion, what attracts guests to Versilia/your region of Italy?

Versilia is the northernmost part of Tuscany. It is an area famous for its private beaches, luxury shopping, restaurants, and nightclubs. But it also offers a lot for the naturalistic aspect: the Apuan Alps with many hiking and trekking trails, lakes rich in flora and fauna, a large natural park, and a beautiful gay beach where you can practice naturism. And let's not forget the ease and speed of reaching many important places such as Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Livorno, Cinque Terre, etc. Moreover, Versilia is one of the most important gay destinations in Italy. We are well prepared to give our guests lots of advice!

What is your best memory of a guest?

Unfortunately, we don't always get to spend time with our guests. Still, when we can, we love to listen to their stories, have an aperitif at sunset, and organize a dinner with our friends for an authentic local experience. We bring back many good memories: the first one that comes to mind is an afternoon spent picking apricots together with two French guys in our garden! Lots of laughter, and at the end, we ate the fruit together with a bottle of prosecco in the warm water of our Jacuzzi! At the end of the summer, we visited them in France and spent a few days discovering Burgundy together. The best thing is still the same: getting to know each other and creating bonds beyond a holiday!

Do you feel more involved with the LGBTQ+ community since you started hosting?

I would say that the awareness of being part of a rich and diverse community has increased: hosting people who tell us about their experiences, who come on holiday in search of many different things (nature, relaxation, fun, etc.) allows us to keep our minds sharp and remind us that we are all different and all special. If possible, we also try to involve our friends so as to widen the "network" of the LGBTQ+ Community and create one big family!

Describe your perfect day in Versilia/your region.

Versilia is a land where time does not pass and where you can breathe the 'Dolce Vita.' One does not come to Versilia to 'do things' but to enjoy what one likes. If I could create the 'perfect day in Versilia,' I would say it starts at 9 a.m. with an Italian breakfast (cappuccino and brioche). You can use the remaining time to tour the villages in our hills and stop for lunch in the mountains. Returning to the coast to enjoy the sea will only take 15 to 20 minutes. Back home for a swim in the Jacuzzi at sunset, a quick shower, then an aperitif on a seafront rooftop, dinner at one of the restaurants on the beach, and then dancing in a club or strolling along the seafront or through an old town. I recommend going to bed not too late! Because the next day, there will be a thousand more things to discover! Or it could be a long day spent relaxing on the beach!

How has hosting impacted your life?

It has actually become a real job, so it has inevitably changed our habits; however, it allows us to discover many things and make friends. And we are much more aware of the importance of 'being present' in LGBTQ+ community issues!

When is the best time to visit Italy, and why?

In our opinion, the best times are spring and autumn: they are warm and pleasant (however, you have to watch out for the weather!). July and August are high-season months: scorching, good weather, but also high prices and lots of people! It depends on whether one prefers to relax or have fun.

Give us three reasons why you recommend hosting on misterb&b

1) To feel an active part of the LGBTQ+ community, doing something concrete to create safe places to be ourselves

2) To meet lots of friendly people and create beautiful friendships

3) To earn a few euros, because it's all well and good, but we mustn't forget that you earn money!

Why should a guest stay with you?

This answer is easy! Because we are 15 minutes by car from both the gay beach and the mountains because we have an outdoor Jacuzzi where you can stay without swimwear because there is always a bottle of prosecco in the fridge! We are two very sociable guys, and we like to organize aperitifs and dinners to give our guests a nice experience immersed in the atmosphere of Versilia.

Loved this? Discover more of our hosts on our page dedicated to misterb&b host stories and make new connections.