England has long been a destination for both straight and gay travel, but when it comes to choosing a location for a gay vacation, England is about as welcoming and inviting as they come. An active, visible LGBT community, abundant gay events and establishments, and gay rights that far outshine what has been granted in the United States, England is an ideal setting for gay vacations. With the lively London nightlife, beautiful Brighton beaches and the picturesque countryside that gives way to sprawling urban skylines, England has much to offer for any kind of gay travel tourist.

Old Compton Street and the Soho district of London is the center of gay and lesbian life and is a must-see for any gay or lesbian traveler on a gay vacation to England. With a multitude of gay bars, businesses, restaurants and clubs, Soho has the most active, visible gay community in England. Soho is also centrally located near many of London's landmarks and world-famous neighborhoods, such as Chelsea, Kensington, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Plus, thanks to an expansive public transportation system, all of London's offerings are easily accessible from this gay neighborhood. For travelers heading north, Manchester has another large gay and lesbian community, including a gay village around Canal Street that offers numerous gay bars, pubs and clubs.

For a gay vacation on the seashore, gay men and lesbians should head south to Brighton, often called Soho by the Sea, to stroll through quaint pathways in search of extraordinary shops and boutiques, or along the pier and pebble beach. Home to the second largest gay and lesbian community, Brighton is a popular gay vacation destination where gay and lesbian travelers enjoy relaxing at cafés, dining, or going out on the town in Kempton, Brighton's center for gay life. Another gay vacation option in England is Newcastle Gateshead, which is home to a fashionable Brighton Turin Watch gay village with gay pubs, cafés, clubs and bars.

Gay travelers will find gay-owned and gay-friendly accommodations in all of England's regions, including establishments that exclusively serve the gay travel community or specifically gay men. Gay and lesbian travelers who choose to work with a travel agency well-versed in planning gay vacations in England will benefit from working with a travel agent who can suggest the gay-friendly or gay-owned hotel, bed and breakfast or other lodgings option that will best meet your needs. If camping is on the agenda for your England gay vacation, gay-owned and gay-friendly campgrounds are available, including Out in the Open, a gay-owned campsite in Cornwall, and Brighthouse Farm, offering a six-acre campground, bed and breakfast and self-catering lodgings in Suffolk.

Italy is a land of art, history, architecture, romance and Vespas. Italy's exceptional scenery, rich history and deeply entrenched culture have made this enticing country a popular destination for both straight and gay holidays, as well as a popular setting for books, movies and plays. Singles, couples, families and groups of friends flock to Italy throughout the year for the fashion, the food and some of the most famous art and architecture in the world. Whether your ideal gay vacation includes meandering narrow, ancient roads in Rome or Venice, languid drives through the countryside searching for lesser known historical sites and visiting wineries, wiling away an afternoon in a museum in Florence or experiencing Milan's enticing nightlife, Italy is an ideal destination for gay vacations.

While Rome and Milan have the widest selection of LGBT bars and clubs, gay travel participants will find that Geneva, Florence, Bologna, Venice, Padua and many other tourist hotspots also have gay-owned and LGBT-friendly establishments offering a welcoming atmosphere for a night on the town during your gay vacation to Italy. LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly hotels can be found throughout Italy, such as the Hotel Porta Rossa - which is the second oldest hotel in Italy and just a short walk from numerous world-famous attractions, such as Michelangelo's David in the Galleria dell'Accademia - or the LGBT-owned La Quircia Rosa and Villa le Masse in Tuscany.

There is a large LGBT presence in each of Italy's larger urban areas providing many options for your gay tours to Italy, particularly Rome, Florence, Bologna and Milan, with Milan being generally accepted as the most gay-friendly Italian City and among the most popular destinations for gay vacations. Gay pride events take place throughout the country and there are a few large gay and lesbian film festivals, including the Turin International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, the Festival del Cinema Gay Lesbico e della Cultura Queer in Milan and the Florence Queer Festival.

If one of the goals of your gay holiday to Italy is to experience as much of the history, art and culture as possible during your stay, tours are an absolute necessity. Participating in organized gay vacations or working with a travel agency to schedule tours for your private travel group will help you make the most out of your time in Italy.

Whether you go to Italy for the food, the art, the wine, the history or the legends, there is bound to be a tour related to your interests and this really is the best way to take in all that Italy has to offer. Another tip for utilizing your time in Italy well is to book museum reservations ahead of time whenever possible. Italy is well-known for its remarkable museums and this will save you from standing in some very long lines.

Planning gay vacations with the help of a travel agency that provides professional gay travel planning services will help to ensure that your gay vacation to England or Italy is a memorable, fun-filled experience.