For many gay travellers,
Gay Greece is related to a certain island, the queen of gay life: Mykonos. Gay life in Greece, whatsoever, is much more than that. Greece has been developed so much the last years, that it is actually among
the most liberal countries in Southeast Europe.
The Greek gay community enjoys the
majority of the gay rights, including
cohabitation, while it's fully protected by the government. Overall, Greek people are gay-friendly and familiar with gay lifestyle (especially in Athens and Mykonos), however, older generations are still coping with it.
The
active gay community of Greece has led to the creation of a
vivid gay scene in many major destinations, while its reputation among the gay travelers has been highly increased the last years. It's also a popular stop for
various gay cruises as well as
Europe's gay mecca for summer holidays. Let's discover some of the most gay-popular destinations in Greece.
Gay Athens is about gay clubbing, sightseeing, and making new contacts. The city boasts the most organized gay scene in Greece and its environment makes it great for both
winter and early spring vacations. The city is home to
numerous gay bars, which usually get crowded on Fridays and Saturdays. Most of the gay bars of Athens are found in Gkazi Area, but you will find a couple on Monastiraki as well. During the weekdays, gay clubs organize various special nights to attract crowds like
Greek Mondays and Drag Thursdays.
Mykonos... Well, Greece is not only about Mykonos, but we would be lying if we said that Gay Mykonos is not something that every gay traveller should experience. Mykonos is popular as the gay island of Greece for like ages. It's visited by thousands of gay men every summer, and the locals are familiar with gay lifestyle. Don't be surprised if you find gay couples holding hands or kissing in public. Naturally, the best season to visit Mykonos is Summer. The island transforms into
a big gay hotspot, so think of it as a gay bar, just bigger... much bigger.
Elia Beach and
Jackie O' are the most popular gay hotspots!
Gay Crete's reputation is steadily on the rise,
while its annual gay visitors surely exceed Mykonos'. The
local gay scene of Crete is pretty unorganized, and the local gay community is discreet. You will find some traces of gay nightlife at
Heraklion and
Chania - the cities that attract the most gay crowds. To balance the lack of gay scene,
Crete is home to numerous gay beaches. Most of them are discreet and hidden, but once you find them, you will realize that there is a lot of action going in Crete. Especially with married men.
Gay Santorini is about watching the sunset with your other half, or relaxing with a picture-perfect backdrop after your Mykonos Gay trip.
Gay couples are in love with this island. It's not difficult to guess why: Santorini is among the most romantic destinations around the world to spend your honeymoon, no matter your sexuality. The elegant and romantic atmosphere of Santorini makes it an absolute "no" for
single gay travelers!
Thessaloniki is the 2nd largest city in Greece, however, its gay scene is pretty discreet and underground. There are
a couple of gay bars in the city's center while Thessaloniki is the home of the
first transvestite bar in Greece. You will find gay men all over the city, especially in the unique and cozy cafe bistros in the center.
Islands like
Corfu, Syros, and
Lesbos might not feature an organized gay life, only being the home to one, two or even none gay bars, however, gay travelers, especially Greeks, tend to visit them frequently
for summer holidays. The majority of these islands have nudists beaches which are frequented by gay travellers, while, in some of them, you might even find gay-only beaches!
Talking about Greece, we could not but refer to its
Mediterranean Atmosphere, Golden Sun, and Crystal-Blue beaches. There are actually
numerous gay beaches around Greece, while the areas with no exclusively gay beaches usually feature a nudist beach that attracts mainly gay audiences.
Limanakia in Athens is among the popular gay beaches in Greece!
Regarding
the gay events in Greece,
XLsior is definitely the most
popular one, taking place in
Mykonos while attracting many
Gay Instagram "Celebrities". Moreover, the
Gay Prides of Greece have peaked the interest of the gay locals, while many men from Europe visit Greece to support the gay community as well. The top gay Prides in Greece take place in
Athens, Thessaloniki, Patra, and Heraklion.