GAY ATHENS - A GUIDE TO THE GREEK CAPITAL FOR LGBTQIA2S+

Contents:

• GAY ATHENS – A GUIDE TO THE GREEK CAPITAL FOR LGBTQIA2S+
• ATHENS GAY DISTRICT: GAZI
• LGBTQI+ TRAVELERS: A GUI TO GAY ATHENS
• GAY GREECE: QUEER CULTURE, LOL LIFE, AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW! ??
• THE BEST ATHENS GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS ATHENS
• ATHENS, CY OF DIVERSYSPYRIDON KAGKAS·FOLLOW9 M READ·MAR 2, 2020--LISTENSHAREDTATN: ATHENS PRIATHENS IS OFTEN HAILED AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF MOCRACY. BUT ATHENS WAS ALSO THE BIRTHPLACE OF GAY CULTURE. OPENLY PRACTICED AND CELEBRATED, HOMOSEXUALY WAS PART OF THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF ANCIENT ATHENS. TODAY, THE GREEK PAL REMAS A VERY GAY-IENDLY CY, WH UNTLS GAY AND LBIAN BARS, MANY OPENLY GAY CELEBRI, AND A VIBRANT LGBTQI+ MUNY. ATHENS PRI, THE UNTRY’S BIGGT FTIVAL OF DIVERSY, IS HELD EVERY JUNE.LGBTQI ATHENS INFOJT LIKE EVERY VIBRANT EUROPEAN CY, ATHENS N BE A HANDFUL FOR A FIRST-TIME VISOR. HERE’S ALL THE LGBTQI+ LEGALI YOU’LL NEED TO KNOW AND ALL THE ANIZATNS YOU’LL MAY HAVE TO NTACT, WHILE ATHENS.LEGAL STAT ON DISCRIMATNTHE THOR OF THIS ARTICLE ENJOYG A RABOW KE!IN GREECE THERE ARE LAWS PROHIBG DISCRIMATN BASED ON SEX, RACE, AGE, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN; CIVIL UNNS ARE LEGAL, BUT NOT FULL-FLEDGED SAME-SEX MARRIAG; A STAT MANY ERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY WILL SOON CHANGE. THE MAYOR OF ATHENS HAS OPENLY SUPPORTED SAME-SEX MARRIAG AND MANY UPL WA FOR .HOMOPHOBIAFEEL SAFE ATHENS, EVERYONE IS WELE!THERE HAS BEEN A GROWG NCERN OVER HOMOPHOBIA, DUE TO THE RISE OF THE FAR RIGHT GREECE BEE OF THE CRISIS. ALTHOUGH THAT WAS TE, HOMOPHOBIC CINTS ARE RARE. THE BIGGT OPPOSN TO LGBTQI+ ISSU IS HELD BY A FEW PRITS OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, WHO ARE BY AND LARGE REGARD AS “RELICS” BY MOST GREEKS, WHO SEE THE WORLD CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER ATTACKS ON GAY UPL THE LAST 5 YEARS, THAN THERE ARE FGERS ONE’S HAND. ATHENIANS DON’T TOLERATE TOLERANCE.LGBTQI+ ORGANIZATNSTHERE ARE MANY ANIZATNS FOR THE LGBTQI+S OF GREECE AND THE VAST MAJORY OF THEM IS HEADQUARTERED ATHENS. OLKE IS THE MOST PROMENT ONE, PHG OUT THE NON-DISCRIMATORY AGENDA. FOR THE YOUNG CROWD, COLOUR YOUTH IS A H AND VERY ACTIVE ANIZATN (FAMO FOR S PARTI) THAT ACTS MORE AS A MUNY OF YOUNG LGBTQI+ PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE FUN AND CLAIM THEIR RIGHTS, THAN AN OLD SCHOOL NON-PROF ANIZATN. POSIVE VOICE WEL HIV POSIVE PEOPLE, AND IENDS, WHO WISH TO STAND FOR THEIR MUNY AND HELP ANY WAY THEY N TOWARDS A ZERO FECTNS DAY. ATHENS CHECKPOT IS AN NGO THAT OFFERS QUICK AND RELIABLE HIV BLOOD CHECKS FOR EE. IT’S LOTED NEAR MONASTIRAKI SQUARE (METRO LE 1&3) AND HAVE VERY DISCREET STAFF.GAY PUBLITNSTHE OLST AND MOST READ LGBTQI+ PUBLITN ATHENS IS ANTIVIS MAGAZE, A GREEK SPEAKG, BI-MONTHLY EE PRS, THAT FOR OVER A CHRONICL THE NEWS AND EVENTS OF THE GAY, LBIAN, BI, TRANS, QUEER AND TERSEX MUNY OF ATHENS AND GREECE. YOU’LL FD AT BARS, UNIVERSI, HOT-DOG JOTS AND MANY OTHER PLAC THAT SUPPORT THE EQUAL-RIGHTS MOVEMENT. ONE STEP FURTHER, COLOURFUL PLA IS A BOOKSHOP-FE THAT HAS ALSO TURNED TO A PUBLISHG HOE. YOUNG (OR JT NEW) LGBTQI+ WRERS ARE WELE HERE, TO FD A PUBLISHG OUTLET FOR THEIR VOICE TO BE HEARD.FTIVALS AND INTERNATNAL EVENTSTHE GREEK CAPAL IS ALWAYS READY FOR BIG LOURFUL PARAS AND OUT FTIVALS! FOR OVER A ATHENS HOSTS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMILLY GROWG PRIS EUROPE EVERY JUNE AND THE LAST UPLE OF YEARS, THE OUTVIEW FTIVAL OF ATHENS DRAWS TERNATNAL ATTENTN WH S SCREENGS AND GUTS!ATHENS PRITHE CY OF ATHENS WEARS S RABOW LOURS WH PRI EVERY YEAR, ON THE SEND SATURDAY OF JUNE, AT SYNTAGMA ( ED TO BE HELD KLAFTHMONOS SQUARE, BUT NOW MOVED TO THE CY’S MA SQUARE). WH UNTLS EVENTS AND PARTI LEADG UP TO THE BIG PARA, ATHENS PRI HAS VELOPED TO ONE OF THE MOST FORMIDABLE EUROPE. IT’S SPONSORED BY THE CY OF ATHENS AND ’S A CTOM FOR THE PARA TO START ON THE ATHENS MAYOR’S MARK! IT WAS 2004 THAT THE FIRST GAY PRI WAS HELD AND SCE THEN, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE AND RPORATNS SUPPORT AND ATTEND TO S EVENTS. NOWADAYS ’S LD AS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMILLY GROWG PRIS THE WTERN WORLD.OUTVIEW FTIVALATHENS ANNUAL QUEER FILM FTIVAL, ALTHOUGH RELATIVELY NEW, HAS GAED EXTREME MOMENTUM AND IS ALREADY CLUD THE MOST IMPORTANT LGBTQI+ EVENTS AND CEMA FTIVALS OF THE COUNTRY. EVERY YEAR, FOR A WEEK MAY, A DOWNTOWN CEMA THEATRE (UALLY THE STATE-OWNED GREEK FILM ARCHIVE’S CEMA) HOSTS AN TERNATNAL FTIVAL CELEBRATG MOVI OM ALL OVER THE WORLD, MA BY LGBTQI+ CREATORS OR WH A STRONG LGBTQI+ THEME. DIRECTORS, ACTORS, SCREENWRERS AND MORE ATTEND THE FTIVAL, THAT ALSO ANIZ FOMS AND WORKSHOPS FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QUEER CEMA.OUT AND ABOUT ATHENSGAY NIGHTLIFEATHENS IS NOTOR FOR S NIGHTLIFE! EXPECT EVEN MORE ELEGANZA EXTRAVAGANZA AT THE CY’S MANY LGBTQI+ CLUBS AND PUBS! AND NOT JT FOR THE DANCG QUEENS! LGBTQI+ TRAVELLERS WILL FEEL WELE TO ANY FE AND BAR OF ATHENS, AS THE YOUNG AND HIP CROWD IS ALWAYS IENDLY AND UP FOR A TALK. FOR THOSE WHO LOVE TO SHOW THEIR DANCG SKILLS, THE ATHENIAN SOUNDTRACK IS A LOUD PLAYLIST FOR EVERY TASTE! DIS DIVAS, POP GUILTY PLEASUR, PROGRSIVE ELECTRONI, GREEK POPULAR MIC? YOU NAME ! THERE IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE THOSE SMALL GAY AND LBIAN BARS.KERAMIKOSTHE OLD GAS REFERY DOMAT THE KERAMIKOS SKYLEUSUALLY REFERRED TO AS “GAZI”, THE KERAMIKOS AREA, AT THE KERAMIKOS METRO LE 3 STATN, PLAYS HOST TO THE MOST FAMO GAY CLUBS GREECE. SOME HAVE OVER A OF NSTANT OPERATN AND ARE STILL AS POPULAR AS EVER! OPEN SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK, THE PARTY NEVER STOPS HERE, FOR EVERY LGBTQI+ NIGHT OWL. BEARS, NEXT DOOR GUYS AND GALS, FASHN FORWARD PEOPLE, TRENDY CELEBRI ARE AMONG THE ON JOG THE FUN AT GAZI. OUT FOR A CKTAIL, A BEER OR JT A GLASS OF WE, WHATEVER SOMEONE LOOKS FOR, WILL FD HERE, CLUDG MANY HOT GREEKS! THE SQUARE AT THE CENTRE OF GAZI AREA ALSO HAS MANY F, BURGER JOTS, VROMIKO SANDWICH PLAC AND EVEN A PASTA TO GO, E GAY OR STRAIGHT, AT THE END OF A LONG NIGHT OUT, YOU’LL WANT SOMETHG TO SK YOUR TEETH TO.HISTORIL CENTRELGBTQI+ STREET PARTI ARE NOT THAT UNMON!IF YOU WISH TO START THE NIGHT EARLIER, YOU ULD VIS THE AGIAS EIRIS SQUARE; ’S FULL OF THE HIP “ CROWD” HAVG FFEE, A SNACK OR THEIR FIRST DRKS, AT THE MANY BETIFUL FE/BARS AROUND. A RELATIVELY RECENT ATHENIAN HIGHLIGHT, THE SQUARE IS NOW NSIRED THE DOWNTOWN MEETG POT AND PLACE TO BE FOR ALL ASPIRG FASHNISTAS. ONE N S AT S NUMERO GAY-IENDLY PLAC AND READ A BOOK, NSULT A MAP, OR SIMPLY WATCH THE PASSERBY'S. IN THE PAVED STREETS OM MONASTIRAKI TO SYNTAGMA, YOU’LL FD THE RABOW HEART OF ATHENS BEATG, UNTIL THE SUN UP THE MORNG.VICTORIA SQUARENOT HIP, NOR OL, THE AREA AROUND VICTORIA STATN (METRO LE 1) WAS ONCE THE GO-TO-PLACE FOR GAYS, WHEN THERE WAS NO NCEPT OF EQUAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND MANY PEOPLE WERE STILL THE CLOSET. THE MANY HIDN BARS GAED FAME BACK THEN, BUT ALSO A VOTED FOLLOWG, SO ’S NO SURPRISE THAT SOME HAVE REMAED, ALTHOUGH THEY’RE NOW MORE OF “BOY BARS”. MANY IMMIGRANTS FLOCK TO THE PLAC, SCE MOST LIVE THE AREA OF VICTORIA, GIVG THE GAY BARS A QUE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE ORIENTAL ATTU.KOLDRAG IS AN ART FORM THAT STARTED ANCIENT GREECE!KOL SERV A CHAPTER ON S OWN. FOUND 1994, THE CLUB ORIGALLY AIMED AT HELPG DRAG QUEENS FD A PLACE TO EXPRS THEMSELV. BUT AS WE ALL KNOW IF YOU PUT MANY DRAG QUEENS TOGETHER THE RULTS ARE EHER DISASTRO OR FABULO! AT KOL, FABULONS IS MANDATORY! WHILE MANY CLUBS OFFER DRAG SHOWS (LIKE BEQUEER ), KOL THEY'RE ON EVERY NIGHT! FIERCE AND FUN TAKE CENTRAL STAGE AS INTERNATNAL DIVAS FIGHT FOR THE SPOTLIGHT AND OUR APPLSE. WORD OF WISDOM: MAKE RERVATNS IF YOU WANT TO GET A TABLE!GAY BEACH
• GAY CISG SPOTS
• WHAT ARE THE TOP ATTRACTNS AND ACTIVI TO EXPLORE AND EXPERIENCE GAY-IENDLY ATHENS?
• THE GREEK WAY TO GAY TRAVEL: MYKONOS, ATHENS, CRETE THE SPOTLIGHT!
• 65 ATHENS HOTELS FOR GAY TRAVELLERS
• GAY AREA ATHENS COUNTY
• ATHENS GEIA GAY GUI - SPENDG THE WEEKEND ATHENS, GA
• GAYT PLAC IN ALABAMA FOR 2020

GAY ATHENS – A GUIDE TO THE GREEK CAPITAL FOR LGBTQIA2S+

This betiful serene hotel is the perfect gay uple getaway if you’d rather stay somewhere more private and romantic, rather than somewhere by and full of partyg travellers. Thgs to see and do AthensAsi om the obv Acropolis & Parthenon and the wonrful Acropolis Mm there are many other thgs to do Athens that the gay muny like to do cludg;.

Sultry Athens may not wear s rabow hu as loudly as Mykonos or Amsterdam; but the Greek pal has a boomg gay and lbian scene that’s wag to wele you wh open arms, all year round.

Noiz will keep you dancg until the early morng wh a mostly lbian crowd; while Soda2 is one of the most tablished gay clubs town wh a mastream mob and two stag.

ATHENS GAY DISTRICT: GAZI

Formerly a gas works area, Gazi has shed s once dtrial sk, and is now home Athens do not have an intified gay district, most gay life n be found around the Gazi neighborhood. Especially if you are planng to stay and explore the central neighborhoods of the cy, you’ll have no problem spottg gay-iendly f, bars and events and mglg wh the lol crowds.

LGBTQI+ TRAVELERS: A GUI TO GAY ATHENS

Athens is home to an abundance of gay bars and f spread throughout the most central neighborhoods like Kerameikos, Syntagma and Monastiraki, rangg om unrground hip bars to zy all-day f and flashy cktail bars. Jt a few mut away om Gazi Square, S-Cape is a relatively spac gay nightclub that featur several dance floors and bars where guts n socialize and dance unr the sounds of electronic techno mic.

Whether you’re the tellectual type, the art lover or the beach bum, Greece is among the most welg gay-iendly untri Europe, and is slowly but steadily evolvg to a muny of openns and cln. So y, many Greek same-sex upl live openly and publicly and happily among fay, iends and lleagu a society that is takg step – albe baby steps – towards gay liberatn. The annual Gay Pri Para Athens and Thsaloniki and events which take place Athens every year June and the Internatnal Ersos Women’s Ftival held annually on the island of Lvos September are a great chance to mgle while on holiday.

✔︎If you haven’t ed gay-foced bookg apps or are visg an off-the-grid statn like a remote island or village the mountas, don’t be surprised if you book a room wh a double bed and upon arrival the host scrambl to change to two sgl. Athens Pri has as s ma objective the SLK visibily and pri, ALKE and the Associatn for the Support of Consecrat foc on stutnal claims, such as the expansn of polil marriage and habatn to gay upl, the creatn or extensn of laws to protect the people of Lebanon om hatred and vlence and full medil support for transsexuals volved genr reassignment, while the Lbian Group of Athens publish the extraordary magaze “Dalika” and engag screengs, parti century discsns aimed at the strength of lbian inty.

GAY GREECE: QUEER CULTURE, LOL LIFE, AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW! ??

Wh a tramark of the Whe Tower, Thsaloniki holds tense thrills for gay tourists, sce great cultural events such as the Thsaloniki Pri or the Panorama Gay Ftival are enthiastilly supported. In Athens there are lovely and lively central neighborhoods such as Monastiraki and Gazi where gay mglg blossoms earnt, wh a large number of excellent clubs, f and bars offerg qualy entertament attractg bright, betiful crowds.

Top island statns like Mykonos and Santori as well as several other optns that have bee more gay-acmodatg over the years such as Skiathos and Paros, also offer the idyllic batn of stunng lotns and top notch venu wh an excg and enticg. Greece's northern pal, Thsaloniki, is also beg a popular statn for gay tourists, somethg enthiastilly backed by the cy's progrsive Mayor Yiannis Boutaris, wh some great events (cludg an annual ternatnal gay film ftival) and lol as well as holiday packag geared to gay travelers om around the world now on offer.

A great social triumph was celebrated by the gay muny December 2015, when the ernment passed - wh a wi parliamentary majory - a legislatn grantg gay upl full marriage rights, offerg same-sex upl the optn of havg civil partnerships, th offerg them full marriage rights, but not necsarily.

THE BEST ATHENS GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS ATHENS

"Homophobia is still rampant the church, state, police and all polil parti wh meagre exceptns, " says gay psychotherapist and wrer Leo Kalyvorias, who has been volved gay rights activism for many years, "but this don't mean LGBT people don't live full happy liv, at least major urban centr. Although a passnate gay uple smoochg bang the middle of a village square is likely to be owned upon (or give an old man at a nearby kafenen a stroke), LGBT dividuals Greece- both the lol and pecially the tourist variety are generally weled wh open arms.

Any gay visor worth his salt will know that post-dtrial Gazi, the area you will fd upon emergg om Kerameikos metro statn on the blue le, is the gay village of the pal, wh numero optns for all levels of entertament om dk 'til dawn and some hidn gems like art galleri or sign shops, as well as the popular Alexanr Sna, which also serv as a limed-space acmodatn. Eiris Square Monastiraki is another gay hotspot, where you n sip ffee or a drk at Rooster, or choose among a plethora of bars, rtrants, f and clubs as well as enjoyg lic Greek and ethnic street food, and stor sellg trendy vtage clothg and lorful flea market goods. Bookstore: An all-gay bookstore, Colorful Pla, (Antoniadou 6, Victoria Sq) Maly sells Greek language lerature but also has a variety of gay foreign prs, DVDs and gay gui books to Greece.

On the lol ont, Athens Pri is partnerg wh OLKE (Gay and Lbian Communy of Greece), Thsaloniki Pri and Posive Voice on the telephone hotle 1528 to support LGBT youth. New Hotel on Filenon Street right by Syntagma Square, is part of a new generatn of upliftg sign hotels and gay-iendly, as is popular and stylish Frh Hotel a block om Athas Street near the Athens Market and close to Agia Iri Square.

ATHENS, CY OF DIVERSYSPYRIDON KAGKAS·FOLLOW9 M READ·MAR 2, 2020--LISTENSHAREDTATN: ATHENS PRIATHENS IS OFTEN HAILED AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF MOCRACY. BUT ATHENS WAS ALSO THE BIRTHPLACE OF GAY CULTURE. OPENLY PRACTICED AND CELEBRATED, HOMOSEXUALY WAS PART OF THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF ANCIENT ATHENS. TODAY, THE GREEK PAL REMAS A VERY GAY-IENDLY CY, WH UNTLS GAY AND LBIAN BARS, MANY OPENLY GAY CELEBRI, AND A VIBRANT LGBTQI+ MUNY. ATHENS PRI, THE UNTRY’S BIGGT FTIVAL OF DIVERSY, IS HELD EVERY JUNE.LGBTQI ATHENS INFOJT LIKE EVERY VIBRANT EUROPEAN CY, ATHENS N BE A HANDFUL FOR A FIRST-TIME VISOR. HERE’S ALL THE LGBTQI+ LEGALI YOU’LL NEED TO KNOW AND ALL THE ANIZATNS YOU’LL MAY HAVE TO NTACT, WHILE ATHENS.LEGAL STAT ON DISCRIMATNTHE THOR OF THIS ARTICLE ENJOYG A RABOW KE!IN GREECE THERE ARE LAWS PROHIBG DISCRIMATN BASED ON SEX, RACE, AGE, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN; CIVIL UNNS ARE LEGAL, BUT NOT FULL-FLEDGED SAME-SEX MARRIAG; A STAT MANY ERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY WILL SOON CHANGE. THE MAYOR OF ATHENS HAS OPENLY SUPPORTED SAME-SEX MARRIAG AND MANY UPL WA FOR .HOMOPHOBIAFEEL SAFE ATHENS, EVERYONE IS WELE!THERE HAS BEEN A GROWG NCERN OVER HOMOPHOBIA, DUE TO THE RISE OF THE FAR RIGHT GREECE BEE OF THE CRISIS. ALTHOUGH THAT WAS TE, HOMOPHOBIC CINTS ARE RARE. THE BIGGT OPPOSN TO LGBTQI+ ISSU IS HELD BY A FEW PRITS OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, WHO ARE BY AND LARGE REGARD AS “RELICS” BY MOST GREEKS, WHO SEE THE WORLD CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER ATTACKS ON GAY UPL THE LAST 5 YEARS, THAN THERE ARE FGERS ONE’S HAND. ATHENIANS DON’T TOLERATE TOLERANCE.LGBTQI+ ORGANIZATNSTHERE ARE MANY ANIZATNS FOR THE LGBTQI+S OF GREECE AND THE VAST MAJORY OF THEM IS HEADQUARTERED ATHENS. OLKE IS THE MOST PROMENT ONE, PHG OUT THE NON-DISCRIMATORY AGENDA. FOR THE YOUNG CROWD, COLOUR YOUTH IS A H AND VERY ACTIVE ANIZATN (FAMO FOR S PARTI) THAT ACTS MORE AS A MUNY OF YOUNG LGBTQI+ PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE FUN AND CLAIM THEIR RIGHTS, THAN AN OLD SCHOOL NON-PROF ANIZATN. POSIVE VOICE WEL HIV POSIVE PEOPLE, AND IENDS, WHO WISH TO STAND FOR THEIR MUNY AND HELP ANY WAY THEY N TOWARDS A ZERO FECTNS DAY. ATHENS CHECKPOT IS AN NGO THAT OFFERS QUICK AND RELIABLE HIV BLOOD CHECKS FOR EE. IT’S LOTED NEAR MONASTIRAKI SQUARE (METRO LE 1&3) AND HAVE VERY DISCREET STAFF.GAY PUBLITNSTHE OLST AND MOST READ LGBTQI+ PUBLITN ATHENS IS ANTIVIS MAGAZE, A GREEK SPEAKG, BI-MONTHLY EE PRS, THAT FOR OVER A CHRONICL THE NEWS AND EVENTS OF THE GAY, LBIAN, BI, TRANS, QUEER AND TERSEX MUNY OF ATHENS AND GREECE. YOU’LL FD AT BARS, UNIVERSI, HOT-DOG JOTS AND MANY OTHER PLAC THAT SUPPORT THE EQUAL-RIGHTS MOVEMENT. ONE STEP FURTHER, COLOURFUL PLA IS A BOOKSHOP-FE THAT HAS ALSO TURNED TO A PUBLISHG HOE. YOUNG (OR JT NEW) LGBTQI+ WRERS ARE WELE HERE, TO FD A PUBLISHG OUTLET FOR THEIR VOICE TO BE HEARD.FTIVALS AND INTERNATNAL EVENTSTHE GREEK CAPAL IS ALWAYS READY FOR BIG LOURFUL PARAS AND OUT FTIVALS! FOR OVER A ATHENS HOSTS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMILLY GROWG PRIS EUROPE EVERY JUNE AND THE LAST UPLE OF YEARS, THE OUTVIEW FTIVAL OF ATHENS DRAWS TERNATNAL ATTENTN WH S SCREENGS AND GUTS!ATHENS PRITHE CY OF ATHENS WEARS S RABOW LOURS WH PRI EVERY YEAR, ON THE SEND SATURDAY OF JUNE, AT SYNTAGMA ( ED TO BE HELD KLAFTHMONOS SQUARE, BUT NOW MOVED TO THE CY’S MA SQUARE). WH UNTLS EVENTS AND PARTI LEADG UP TO THE BIG PARA, ATHENS PRI HAS VELOPED TO ONE OF THE MOST FORMIDABLE EUROPE. IT’S SPONSORED BY THE CY OF ATHENS AND ’S A CTOM FOR THE PARA TO START ON THE ATHENS MAYOR’S MARK! IT WAS 2004 THAT THE FIRST GAY PRI WAS HELD AND SCE THEN, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE AND RPORATNS SUPPORT AND ATTEND TO S EVENTS. NOWADAYS ’S LD AS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMILLY GROWG PRIS THE WTERN WORLD.OUTVIEW FTIVALATHENS ANNUAL QUEER FILM FTIVAL, ALTHOUGH RELATIVELY NEW, HAS GAED EXTREME MOMENTUM AND IS ALREADY CLUD THE MOST IMPORTANT LGBTQI+ EVENTS AND CEMA FTIVALS OF THE COUNTRY. EVERY YEAR, FOR A WEEK MAY, A DOWNTOWN CEMA THEATRE (UALLY THE STATE-OWNED GREEK FILM ARCHIVE’S CEMA) HOSTS AN TERNATNAL FTIVAL CELEBRATG MOVI OM ALL OVER THE WORLD, MA BY LGBTQI+ CREATORS OR WH A STRONG LGBTQI+ THEME. DIRECTORS, ACTORS, SCREENWRERS AND MORE ATTEND THE FTIVAL, THAT ALSO ANIZ FOMS AND WORKSHOPS FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QUEER CEMA.OUT AND ABOUT ATHENSGAY NIGHTLIFEATHENS IS NOTOR FOR S NIGHTLIFE! EXPECT EVEN MORE ELEGANZA EXTRAVAGANZA AT THE CY’S MANY LGBTQI+ CLUBS AND PUBS! AND NOT JT FOR THE DANCG QUEENS! LGBTQI+ TRAVELLERS WILL FEEL WELE TO ANY FE AND BAR OF ATHENS, AS THE YOUNG AND HIP CROWD IS ALWAYS IENDLY AND UP FOR A TALK. FOR THOSE WHO LOVE TO SHOW THEIR DANCG SKILLS, THE ATHENIAN SOUNDTRACK IS A LOUD PLAYLIST FOR EVERY TASTE! DIS DIVAS, POP GUILTY PLEASUR, PROGRSIVE ELECTRONI, GREEK POPULAR MIC? YOU NAME ! THERE IS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE THOSE SMALL GAY AND LBIAN BARS.KERAMIKOSTHE OLD GAS REFERY DOMAT THE KERAMIKOS SKYLEUSUALLY REFERRED TO AS “GAZI”, THE KERAMIKOS AREA, AT THE KERAMIKOS METRO LE 3 STATN, PLAYS HOST TO THE MOST FAMO GAY CLUBS GREECE. SOME HAVE OVER A OF NSTANT OPERATN AND ARE STILL AS POPULAR AS EVER! OPEN SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK, THE PARTY NEVER STOPS HERE, FOR EVERY LGBTQI+ NIGHT OWL. BEARS, NEXT DOOR GUYS AND GALS, FASHN FORWARD PEOPLE, TRENDY CELEBRI ARE AMONG THE ON JOG THE FUN AT GAZI. OUT FOR A CKTAIL, A BEER OR JT A GLASS OF WE, WHATEVER SOMEONE LOOKS FOR, WILL FD HERE, CLUDG MANY HOT GREEKS! THE SQUARE AT THE CENTRE OF GAZI AREA ALSO HAS MANY F, BURGER JOTS, VROMIKO SANDWICH PLAC AND EVEN A PASTA TO GO, E GAY OR STRAIGHT, AT THE END OF A LONG NIGHT OUT, YOU’LL WANT SOMETHG TO SK YOUR TEETH TO.HISTORIL CENTRELGBTQI+ STREET PARTI ARE NOT THAT UNMON!IF YOU WISH TO START THE NIGHT EARLIER, YOU ULD VIS THE AGIAS EIRIS SQUARE; ’S FULL OF THE HIP “ CROWD” HAVG FFEE, A SNACK OR THEIR FIRST DRKS, AT THE MANY BETIFUL FE/BARS AROUND. A RELATIVELY RECENT ATHENIAN HIGHLIGHT, THE SQUARE IS NOW NSIRED THE DOWNTOWN MEETG POT AND PLACE TO BE FOR ALL ASPIRG FASHNISTAS. ONE N S AT S NUMERO GAY-IENDLY PLAC AND READ A BOOK, NSULT A MAP, OR SIMPLY WATCH THE PASSERBY'S. IN THE PAVED STREETS OM MONASTIRAKI TO SYNTAGMA, YOU’LL FD THE RABOW HEART OF ATHENS BEATG, UNTIL THE SUN UP THE MORNG.VICTORIA SQUARENOT HIP, NOR OL, THE AREA AROUND VICTORIA STATN (METRO LE 1) WAS ONCE THE GO-TO-PLACE FOR GAYS, WHEN THERE WAS NO NCEPT OF EQUAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND MANY PEOPLE WERE STILL THE CLOSET. THE MANY HIDN BARS GAED FAME BACK THEN, BUT ALSO A VOTED FOLLOWG, SO ’S NO SURPRISE THAT SOME HAVE REMAED, ALTHOUGH THEY’RE NOW MORE OF “BOY BARS”. MANY IMMIGRANTS FLOCK TO THE PLAC, SCE MOST LIVE THE AREA OF VICTORIA, GIVG THE GAY BARS A QUE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE ORIENTAL ATTU.KOLDRAG IS AN ART FORM THAT STARTED ANCIENT GREECE!KOL SERV A CHAPTER ON S OWN. FOUND 1994, THE CLUB ORIGALLY AIMED AT HELPG DRAG QUEENS FD A PLACE TO EXPRS THEMSELV. BUT AS WE ALL KNOW IF YOU PUT MANY DRAG QUEENS TOGETHER THE RULTS ARE EHER DISASTRO OR FABULO! AT KOL, FABULONS IS MANDATORY! WHILE MANY CLUBS OFFER DRAG SHOWS (LIKE BEQUEER ), KOL THEY'RE ON EVERY NIGHT! FIERCE AND FUN TAKE CENTRAL STAGE AS INTERNATNAL DIVAS FIGHT FOR THE SPOTLIGHT AND OUR APPLSE. WORD OF WISDOM: MAKE RERVATNS IF YOU WANT TO GET A TABLE!GAY BEACH

Anyone who knows anythg about the Greek islands knows that Mykonos is one of the world's leadg gay tourism statns - and one of the most fun too, among other hot plac like Barcelona and Ibiza.

Most of the popular gay bar / clubs are the ma town or hora and clu Jackie O' Bar and VooDoo, which ed to be known as Pierro's (the Paraportiani Church area nearby is a renown cisg area), and Porta Bar nearby, while Glam club has also veloped que a followg. Sandy Elia beach which has a great fish rtrant as a cent rehments and snacks service om your rented sun lounger is by far the most "out" gay beach and even has a rabow flag claimg ; for a ls by optn.

GAY CISG SPOTS

Fira and Perissa are Santori's most gay-iendly towns, and Tropil and Murphy's Fira are the most '' plac, although Fran's Oia is also a lovely venue, pecially if you lie back a ck chair unr the stars on s scenic rooftop at night. Cycladic gem Paros has never been a classic gay statn but some aspects of are very appealg to LGBT visors, who feel wele here and n be pretty, sandy beach wh glamoro nightlife, pecially.

Ty and naturally geo Folegandros, also a Cycladic island, is known for s breathtakg vistas, awe-spirg beach and laid back, romantic ra; fact recent years gay.

Milos is also creasgly nsired a top romantic statn for gay travelers, not least bee of the island's famoly large variety of magnificent, tranquil landsp and beach and credible sunsets. There is no official gay and lbian scene (although last summer the island anized the 1st Internatnal Gay Culture Ftival) but there are a few beach and bars that attract discerng, non-straight visors om around the globe.

WHAT ARE THE TOP ATTRACTNS AND ACTIVI TO EXPLORE AND EXPERIENCE GAY-IENDLY ATHENS?

For gay upl lookg for some privacy a remote, natural settg, though not so remote that you n't enjoy the beach, rtrants, archaeology and nightlife of the betiful and tly Greek island of Kea, Agrikea offers the kd of pist settg people dream about. While is not exclively for gay women jt as Mykonos is not exclively for gay men, both beg popular wh fai, honeymooners, artists and jt pla old tourists, Skala Ersos is probably as close as you n get to a Mec for gay women, and beg on the. It’s loted near Monastiraki Square (Metro Le 1&3) and have very discreet PublitnsThe olst and most read LGBTQI+ publitn Athens is Antivis Magaze, a Greek speakg, bi-monthly ee prs, that for over a chronicl the news and events of the gay, lbian, bi, trans, queer and tersex muny of Athens and Greece.

Directors, actors, screenwrers and more attend the ftival, that also aniz foms and workshops for those who wish to learn more about queer and About AthensGay NightlifeAthens is notor for s nightlife! KeramikosThe old gas refery domat the Keramikos skyleUsually referred to as “Gazi”, the Keramikos area, at the Keramikos Metro Le 3 statn, plays host to the most famo gay clubs Greece.

The square at the centre of Gazi area also has many f, burger jots, vromiko sandwich plac and even a pasta to go, e gay or straight, at the end of a long night out, you’ll want somethg to sk your teeth to. Victoria SquareNot hip, nor ol, the area around Victoria statn (Metro Le 1) was once the go-to-place for gays, when there was no ncept of equal rights movement, and many people were still the closet.

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Easily accsible by b or r, right before the astal suburb of Varkiza, Limanakia is a rocky beach that started off as a nudist beach but evolved to a semi-nu gay beach. Somewhere well hidn, unr the Natnal Highway that pass through, li a small rocky beach wh pebbl that is for nudists and history through a different perspectiveToday the Greek pal is a very gay-iendly statn, hostg the biggt Pri Para the untry and offerg numero queer activi! Pl: Plato’s famo Symposium tak place the hoe of Agathon, a gay Athenian tragic poet who was the lifelong pann of Psanias, when he receiv a prize for his first tragedy.

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Submted ByLotnhotwhekneathens DetailsAthens, Tennsee (Uned Stat)GayboydyPilot gas statn right off the terstate on 231View DetailsLebanon, Tennsee (Uned Stat)duberman2013STONE BRIDGE PARK RESTROOMView DetailsFayetteville, Tennsee (Uned Stat)TINYOgburn ParkView DetailsParis, Tennsee (Uned Stat)chance08Park by eletric panyView DetailsShelbyville, Tennsee (Uned Stat)chance08Old stone fort park manchterView DetailsManchter, Tennsee (Uned Stat). Head to the gay-iendly beach of Alimos, Vouliagmeni, or Limanakia, where you n soak up the Mederranean sun, swim crystal-clear waters, and socialize wh like-md travelers a welg environment. If you’re town for clubbg, you may want to look out for those close to Monastiraki Metro statn, sce this provis a direct 5-mute nnectn to the Gazi gay clubs.

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Same-sex sexual activy has been legal sce 1951, gay marriage sce 2015, and s hate speech and hate crime legislatn is among the most prehensive all of Europe.

That said, Greek society has ls of an “out and proud” attu than others, so you may raise a uple of eyebrows wh public displays of affectn outsi of the immediate gay and tourist areas. Gay Holidays Greece n mean a lot of thgs: Long nights the amazg gay bars of Athens, sunbathg at Elia Beach Mykonos - one of the most famo gay beach the world, romantic honeymoon alternative islands, gastronomic experienc and adventuro walks some of the most betiful and breathtakg landsp of the Mederranean.

But Greece has somethg even more important to offer to Gay Travellers: a distctive & unique gay scene and mentaly, which is not siar to any other untry around the world. In this article/gui, we will help you disver some classic rmatn about Gay Travellers who are planng their next holidays Greece, revealg at the same time a few ‘well-hidn’ secrets that will upgra your trip to an even more fascatg vatn. In Mykonos, you won’t have to go to a gay place to meet other guys, sce the island is full of gay travellers like you, who are enjoyg this spectacular place.

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Even ‘Elia Beach’, the so lled “gay beach of Mykonos”, prents a lm and easy gog attu that will allow you to enjoy the nature, the sea and the handsome men around you. The upg Gay Beach hot spot of the island is fely the ‘JackieO Beach’ at Super Paradise, which stands out as one of the most prtig gay beach bars the world. Every year durg Augt, Mykonos hosts the Top Gay Ftival, XLSIOR FESTIVAL, which attracts thoands of handsome men om lerally all over the world, who love partyg & dancg to fabulo mic by some of the most popular DJs.

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Last but not least, the amazg gay iendly hotels Mykonos will enhance your overall experience, givg a note of fort, elegance and style to your acmodatn on the island.

Athens, the vibrant and never sleepg pal of Greece, featur the most anized gay scene the untry wh gay bars, clubs & rtrants, snas, shoppg areas and several cisg spots. Gazi area (metro statn: Kerameikos) and Agias Eiris Square (metro statn: Monastiraki), are the top gay areas Athens, where most of the highly popular gay hotspots are loted.

For example, the famo gay bar ‘Enola’ is Valaorou Street, one of the most vivid neighborhoods of the cy; but the popular gay cisg bars as well as the famo ‘Splash’ Sna are loted near Vardari area and pecially at Aodis Street. Over the last few years, one of the most beloved statns for gay travellers Greece, is Crete, an island which many thk of as nservative due to s tradnal character.

At the same area, you will also fd the gay iendly ‘Home Hotel’, which hosts the popular Saturday Night Parti as well as barbecue gathergs durg lazy Sunday noons.

For your acmodatn, you will fd numero excellent gay iendly hotels Crete, but if you nsir yourself a luxur traveller, then have a look at the Top Luxury hotels at the renowned Elounda Area.