Insolito Club

About this place Insolito Club

Insolito ("unusual" in Italian) is the closest thing Naples has to a flagship gay venue — a bar-club in the Chiaia district that balances the functions of cocktail lounge, neighbourhood gay bar and weekend dance space within a relatively small footprint. Chiaia is one of Naples' most attractive neighbourhoods: elegant 19th-century buildings, the Riviera di Chiaia waterfront promenade and a cluster of upscale bars and restaurants that spill onto the pavement. Insolito's position in this neighbourhood gives it a more polished character than the city's reputation might suggest. The early evening is cocktail-oriented — an excellent Negroni, good local wines, a free aperitivo spread Thursday through Saturday. After 23:00 on weekends a DJ takes over the small basement dance floor and the crowd tightens. Drag shows run on selected Saturday nights. The crowd is mixed gay/lesbian with queer-friendly straight regulars from the Chiaia social scene. This is a venue that reflects Naples' ability to be simultaneously traditional and unexpectedly open — staff are warm, the atmosphere is inclusive and the music is good.