TRAVEL – Pride Journey: Milan & Turin, Italy

In the past decade, I have traveled around the world, visiting 3 continents in the past five years alone. The one destination that always seemed to elude me for one reason or another was my motherland, Italy. For the past decade, I have attempted to organize a visit, but life, or in this case, other destinations, got in the way.

When I received an email in September from the Italian tourism bureau asking me if I wanted to spend a few days in Milan and Turin, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. The two cities wanted to invite LGBT journalists and travel professionals to experience the destinations. It was probably the most spontaneous international trip I had ever been on. Usually, I have a few months to prepare, both physically and mentally, but this time, I had about three weeks.

I decided to travel with only a carry-on and backpack, which is a bit atypical for me but given the short duration of the trip, I thought it would be easiest. Plus, it saves time at the airport.

Flying in to Milan is actually quite simple. There are many non-stop flights from the U.S., however, the airport itself is located about 45 minutes outside the city, so plan accordingly.

Duomo di Milano is...