a bear's planet

You won’t believe who these traveling bears took to a Korean sauna

Luigi Cocciolo, 32, and his husband Daniele Catena, 33, have made travel writing a full-time job with their Italian-language blog, Gayly Planet. 

From the campy gay bars of Tokyo to a daily massage schedule in the Philippines, these Milan-dwellers know how to have a gayly good time. Here’s what they shared with us.

Favorite travel destination?

Luigi: I love Japan, from the kawaii culture to the most ancient traditions. It’s a magic country!

Daniele: The few cities around the world I love so much: Seoul, San Francisco and Berlin. 

Where are you traveling next?

Cote d’Azur on a gay cruise in the Mediterranean and then Stockholm, Tel Aviv, and Berlin.

Favorite gay bars/clubs?

Luigi’s pick

  • Atame in Barcelona: This was my first gay bar ever. Every time is like coming back home 😊
  • Campy Bar in Tokyo: Gay life in Tokyo is young but vibrant! We love Japanese drag queens and here you discover the best gay Tokyo.
  • Leccomilano in Milan: Our second home. We come here as soon as we can.

Daniele’s pick

  • Pantibar in Dublin: for me the best place in the world
  • Berghain in Berlin: so queer and fluid and so iconic
  • Woody’s in Philadelphia: a super classic bar in US

What’s your favorite hotel?

NagNe House in Seoul and is a typical Korean house: small but cozy rooms and the decorations make you feel immediately at home. In addition, the owner gave us a small gift when he discovered that we were there on our honeymoon. He also accompanied us on a night of cold and frost to a traditional Korean sauna.

What’s been your favorite eating experience?

In Seoul we tried the famous restaurant Jungsik. It was a real taste experience. But in general, we love to get lost in the food markets. Every time we go in Spain we go directly to some Mercado for tapas and food.

Related: ‘A Bear Named Troy’ on being a fashion icon and where to hang in WeHo

How do you relax while on vacation?

Our kind of vacation is not so relaxing. We try to visit everything we can. We’re not for long time on the beach, but when we seek some relaxation, massages are the answer. In the Philippines, for example, we had at list of massages per day, it was an addiction.

Tell us about how Gayly Planet got started.

It all started during our gaycations in Maspalomas. We were reading a guide of Canary Island and there was nothing about gay life. Hundreds of gay bars, cruising, restaurants, gay beaches and nothing in our mainstream guide. So we said, “We have to do this!”

What’s your favorite Pride town?

Milan is one of the few cities in Italy with a gay street and during the Pride Week we have events every evening. Plus, the parade is a mix of cultures, ages and genders. Anyone can easily fit in the community.

Which city is on your bucket list?

Taipei!

Follow the Gayly Planet travel adventures on Instagram. See our growing list of Prides around the world!

Photos provided by Gayly Planet

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