This October, acclaimed gay historian Andrew Lear of Oscar Wilde Tours leads travelers on an exploration of gay history and same-sex artistic treasures during a grand new expedition, Gay Italy: From Caesar to Michelangelo and Beyond. Slated for Oct. 9–18, the journey gets underway in Rome, where the secret lives of emperors are exposed, Caravaggio is celebrated and tours take in the settings made famous in legendary operas including Tosca. Next up is Naples and the erotic displays at the Gabinetto Segreto, a “secret museum” room located at the Naples National Archaeological Museum.

The tour continues to the stunning setting of the Amalfi Coast, Capri and south to the ancient Greek city of Paestum, with time to relish well-preserved Greek temples and homoerotic wall paintings. Florence and its collections of fabulous Renaissance art complete the tour. Lodging all along the way centers on stunning and unique hotels. Participants partake of authentic local cuisine and exquisite wines from three of Italy’s fabulous culinary regions, with treats that include pizza Margherita in the restaurant where it originated, delectable gelati, succulent handmade buffalo mozzarella, and heavenly local babà al limoncello cakes infused with lemon-flavored liqueur. Maximum group size is 18, and a single supplement may apply.