Take me to your gay beach
Without a doubt, one of the draws to Ostuni are the nearby gay beaches. Torre Guaceto’s gay and nudist beach is hugely popular and a local favourite. Known nationally, and internationally, the hard to reach beach draws visitors all summer long.
Lamaforca and Torre Pozzella are mixed beaches, but draw a gay crowd. They are busy cruising spots, drawing men who for various reasons, prefer not to go to gay beaches. They are both incredibly popular with married men who come for something other than the sun and the sea.
You will see guys waiting in their cars, or standing by the paths that lead into the woods. Once in the woods, which only stretch back a short distance, just follow the paths and the men.
Both cruising areas are popular with men who identify as straight (Torre Pozzelle more so). Most people are likely to say hello and ask you what you are looking for before inviting you to follow them.
Beware though! We have seen police cars drive up and down the stretch of road that leads to Lamaforca from time to time, pulling drivers over to check their documentation.
If you do continue onto Lamaforca’s beach you will notice a gay presence close to the carpark side of the beach.
Check out our Puglia by beach guide to Lamaforca and Torre Pozzelle, Ostuni’s gay cruising beaches for detailed instructions on how to find the gay spots at both, plus more information on what to expect when you get there.
Where to stay in Ostuni
The best way to experience Ostuni as an urban destination is to stay in its centro storico, the historic centre in and around Piazza della Libertà. We wouldn’t go further south than Parco Rimembranze. To the east we suggest no further than 2 streets away from Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi. Heading west anywhere from Paragon 700 towards the piazza. Try to stay within the boundaries shown below.
If you choose an apartment in the circular area, be sure to check the parking arrangements. This area is a controlled ZTL, a zone where traffic is limited to residents with permits. Drive into it during certain hours, even accidentally, and an automatic fine will follow.
If you are visiting between May to September you will definitely want an apartment with air conditioning, mosquito screens, and most importantly, a roof terrace. Irrespective of how beautiful and authentic the interior, without a terrace you be selling yourself short of the essential Ostuni experience: morning coffee on the terrace, aperitivi as the sun sets.
Our favourite is, of course, apartment Q40 Ostuni. Gay owned and run, it is spacious and has 3 separate terraces, including a sun deck on the top terrace. We recommend booking apartment Q40 Ostuni on booking.com.
We haven’t received any payment or incentive to promote apartment q/40 but we have used the apartment to stay in and to arrange photoshoots for our own guides for no charge. Some of those photos are featured in this post.
