Gay holidays in Greece are "like a Greek god," sunny, salty, and hot- no wonder why the phrase came into existence. If you find yourself in Athens, apart from the three top gay bars that you must visit, there is a gay hotspot that you will particularly love - we are talking about the gay nudist beach Limanakia. If you are looking for a gay beach in Athens, you shouldn't look any further, as this is the most popular gay beach of the area.
Limanakia is a rocky beach with crystal clear waters, just a 30-minute drive from the city center, and it is considered the daytime gay summer hot spot for both locals and tourists. Limanakia is separated into Limanakia A' and Limanakia B'. Limanakia A' is visited mainly by straight, younger people, while all the action takes place at Limanakia B', which is a gay nudist beach, where most people are naked and only a few are dressed, depending on the cove that you choose.
The beach includes 3 big coves, all of which are nudist-friendly, but with greatly different cruising happening at each one. The first section (37.801092, 23.792118) is a mix of nudists and clothed people, it's mainly preferred by couples, and it is the busiest section of all. The second cove (37.8004691506235, 23.79395275849926) is where the fun begins and there is some action going on, mainly where the trees are slightly above the main rock. The third cove (37.79997027554471, 23.795968655148897) is where the real cruising happens, which is for what most people are actually there. In general, you will notice that in Limanakia B' men are in a more relaxed and "flirty" mood.
The blue marks the first section, the green the second one, and the red the third one. The black spot represents one of the entrances to the coves.
Since you are going to need a hotel for gay holidays in Athens, this list with gay recommended hotels in Athens will help you!
*Recommended Hotel
New Hotel, Syntagma
New Hotel is a well-located luxury hotel near Syntagma Square, that features wonderful views over the Acropolis and a brunch worthy of the experience. It's a 5-minute walk from St. Irene's Square, the most gay-popular square in Athens for midday coffee or a pre-night cocktail. Also, Gkazi (Kerameikos) is only a metro station away from the nearby Monastiraki. Staying at this hotel will make your city navigation easy, giving you direct access to many popular gay bars, cafes, clubs, and the gay beach of Limanakia. Check out the distance of Limanakia Beach from the hotel here.
How to Get There
The beach of Limanakia is about a 30-45 minutes drive from the city center, in between Vouliagmeni and Varkiza. After passing the traffic lights by the Vouliagmeni Lake, you will find the beach at about 1.8 km away, driving along the Posidonos Avenue. Keep an eye on the big parking space on your right hand, and you are almost there. Spot the rocky side of the beach around the parking and begin your adventure. In case you don't have a car, use the E22 bus that starts from Syntagma square. You should get off at the bus stop B Limanakia (check Map here).
Tips from a Local Gay Man:
To get to Limanakia, you must pass through a quite steep path, so make sure you wear running shoes to climb down. Wear your flip-flops after you reach the bottom rocks.
There are a few spots by the rocks where you might find slight shade, but make sure to bring your sunscreen and hat, as the rocks reflect the light from the sun. You are also going to need protection if you are planning to take a "tour" of the area.
The only shop/canteen/cafe in the area can be found at Limanakia A', which is a 10-minute walk from Limanakia B'. Getting there, however, means that you will need to pass through the steep, rocky path again, walk by the central road, and all that, under the hot sun. So, water and snacks are essential to spend the day there.
However, if your supplies fall short in the end, there is a guy passing through and shouting, so that you notice him, with beers, water, etc. However, we wouldn't count on him, as it's not certain if he will be there or not.
Most of the cruising happens during the afternoon-evening hours, although, at the 3rd cove, it happens all day long. On the opposite side of the road, right behind the bus station where you take the bus to go back to Athens, there is a cruising spot behind the trees. But be careful as there are some gypsies in the area that might try to steal from you.
Be careful of the beach, as going in and out of the sea is not very simple. There are a few minutes every couple of hours that the sea is quite turbulent, so refrain from going in during this time.
Saturdays and Sundays are quite busy, as people don't work. This creates huge traffic during the afternoon hours, so we highly recommend not leaving the beach between 5-7, as the road that leads to Athens is super busy during this time. To top it off, the Greek buses usually have no AC and going back to the city in a crowded bus, stuck in traffic, and with no AC is a nightmare.