Gay Greece Guide 2023: 5 Top Gay Destinations & Gay Islands in Greece

Gay Greece immediately conjures up stunning images of Mykonos, whose reputation as a gay destination precedes itself but there are so many more spectacular places to consider when thinking about gay Greece.

From many other beautiful Greek islands such as Ios, to bustling cities on the mainland including Athens, we have complied a shortlist of the top gay destinations in Greece.

Greece’s popularity as a gay destination goes hand in hand with the fact that LGBTQ+ rights are fairly well advanced in Greece and  it is considered to be liberal country but as is the case in many places, some of the older generations aren’t so forthcoming.

However, as a gay traveller heading to places that attract tourists from all over the world, our experience has made us feel very welcome as a gay couple in Greece, we even took a gay sailing trip around the Greek islands back in 2019.

Take a look at our ‘Gay Greece Destinations’ list below and get planning your next trip!

The Hottest Gay Destinations in Greece!

Greece has so much to offer and there are plenty more places that we need to go back and explore!

However, when thinking about gay Greece and some of the hotspots for gay travellers we can’t speak highly enough about the following destinations.

Take a look and hopefully you will be inspired to make Greece you next gaycation!

Mykonos – ‘The Gay Greek Island’

Undeniably the most popular gay destination in Greece, Mykonos has been attracting gay travellers for years.

Mykonos is well known for its beautiful cobbled streets, whitewashed building, miles of beaches and its seriously stylish beach clubs.

Combined with its thriving gay scene with plenty of gay bars and gay beaches, Mykonos could be described as a gay playboys paradise.

Peak ‘gay season’ in Mykonos is at the end of August centred around one of Europe’s biggest and most popular gay circuit parties, Xlsior Mykonos.

Check out our full Gay Guide to Mykonos to see why this is the number one gay Greece hotspot.

Athens – ‘The Gay Greek City’

If you are looking for a more cultural city experience then Athens could be the gay Greek destination for you.

With the iconic Acropolis which is a must visit, amongst many other historical ruins, it’s an intriguing city steeped in Greek history, mythology and some incredible Greek food.

In terms of ‘gay area’, this is centred around Gazi, named after the fact that this area was home to the old gas works.

Gazi is considered to be the upcoming, cool place where young people spend their evenings to eat, drink and party.

It may therefore be no surprise that this is where the gay bars and gay clubs in Athens have found a home.

If you still need a beach day there is a gay beach nearby to Athens you can also visit.

Head over to our full gay guide to Athens to learn more and plan your trip.

Ios – ‘The Alternative Party Island’

When you think of that postcard picture of a Greek Island this is it!

Ios is known for its lazy days any party fueled nights and when we visited, we found one small gay bar called Pride Bar Ios which was a lot of fun.

We also visited Pathos Bar for sunset which was absolutely incredible.

Pathos Bar is set up on a cliff with a stunning pool and tiers of seating for amazing views out over the ocean. If there is one bar/lounge you visit make sure it is this one.

As places like Santorini become more popular (with too many tourists), places like Ios still give you the opportunity to explore without so many tourists, especially since it has no airport so you can only arrive by sea!

To stay in style check out Liostasi Hotel and Suites or Relux Ios Design Hotel which both get rave reviews.

Check out the Full Gay Guide to Ios.

Crete – ‘The island for everyone’

Crete was one of our first vacations together as a gay couple and the first place either of us visited in Greece.

It is the largest of the Greek islands with plenty to explore from its fine sand beaches, including its pink sand beaches in Elafonisi to its more mountainous terrains inland which we highly recommend exploring for the day in a hire car.

With Crete being such a popular tourist destination, we found it was very welcoming for us as a gay couple on both of our visits (to Hersonissos and Malia respectively).

This is especially true around the places that attract young travellers such as Malia, which is somewhere for a cheap fun night out (quite ‘brits abroad’) but we would recommend staying elsewhere such as Sisi which is stunning!

In terms of gay nightlife, there are a couple of places that are known to frame themselves as gay friendly and we noticed on both visits that places come and go.

The ones that keep being mentioned are La Brasserie, YOLO and Ababa Bar.

Crete has plenty of beautiful all-inclusive hotels on offer. We stayed at The Grand Hotel in Hersonissos our first time which was a great 4*, if you want something top class check out the 5* Nana Princess Suites, Villas and Spa.

Take a look at our Gay Crete Travel Guide here.

Skiathos – ‘The Romantic Gay Greek Island’

Skiathos is another Greek island popular with gay travellers but not one that we have personally visited yet.

However, Ben’s cousin and his partner have been year after year and have found Skiathos to be very gay friendly all over!

A common theme with many of these Greek islands is that they only have a small gay scene.

Skiathos has just one small gay bar in town called De Facto Bar ran by a lady called Christina – make sure to go and support this bar!

In terms of beaches, Skiathos has a lot to offer and in particular Little Banana Beach (great name!) is the most popular for gay travellers. It’s gay and nudist section being to the far-right end of the beach.

There are a lot of self catering apartments on the island but if you are looking for a more up-market place to stay check out Skiathos Princess, Atrium Villas, or Bourtzi Hotel.

Still need some inspiration for your stay in Greece? Take a look for more hotels.

Practical Tips for your Gay Greek Vacation

• The currency is the Euro
• The main language is of course Greek but we had no trouble getting by with English. As ever, do make the effort to learn some words please.
• Not everywhere has airports. For example Mykonos, Athens and Crete do, but Ios does not. Make sure to take this into consideration when planning your trip.
• Travel by ferry between islands is a cheap and easy way to get from place to place (albeit slow). For example we booked a ferry from Mykonos to Crete which can take 5+ hours.
• Water – this depends where you go, in Athens you can drink tap water but on some islands it is recommended to buy bottled, check for the specific place you are travelling to.
• A bit like Spain, things are fairly relaxed in Greece so don’t expect anything in a rush!
• Make sure you try Ouzo!

After writing this we really want to go back to Greece as soon as possible! We will keep adding to this list as we travel more extensively, let us know where you plan to go or have been!

Pin this for later!

Note:  This post has affiliate links. You won’t get charged any extra for using the link but we will receive a small commission for each referral. Please note, all opinions are still our own. You are not obligated to use the links but we appreciate it if you do. Thanks.