Top LGBT friendly islands in Greece

Share this post:

Greece. The country of ancient Gods, impressive mythology and the Olympic Games. Greek islands. Pieces of earth scattered around the sea, famous for their sun and the majestic view to the endless blue, suitable for the whole family. But is this what it is all about? Of course not!

Greece features large and active LGBT communities both on the mainland and the islands. Especially during the summer, the islands show an increasing amount of LGBT tourism who arrives here to enjoy the special facilities and the warm-hearted character of the locals. There are many islands which are famous for their gay-friendly and lesbian-friendly features, offering amazing opportunities for all couples who are interested. For those reasons, there are also special events taking place every year on various islands of the country to support homosexual rights and fight homophobia.

# Mykonos

Super Paradise Mykonos 2

Mykonos is the first and by far the most famous island for its homosexual community. Especially in Mykonos, there are places that have been particularly shaped to match the needs of the international homosexual society. First of all, you will find exclusively gay hotels where you can stay with your partner or just enjoy the gay-friendly facilities with a backdrop to the Cycladic sunset. Gay beaches are also very popular among the locals and the tourists and beaches like the famous Elia and Super Paradise are an excellent choice for all those who want to enjoy a swim. Moreover, you won’t have to worry about where to have a drink or a vivid night out since the island is full of gay and lesbian-friendly bars and cafes where you can enjoy the Greek fancy lifestyle of the island. At nights and especially during the summer months, there are parties and beach parties with famous DJs, dancers, and performing acts.

# Crete

Matala Heraklion 2

The second biggest gay and lesbian community is found in Crete. According to statistics, a bigger amount of gay tourism than Mykonos is arriving every year to the island to enjoy a relaxing vacation and incredible scenery. Also, for the first time in Crete, an LGBT Pride Festival has been organized in 2015 to support the rights of all those people who support alternative forms of sexual preferences. More specifically, in Heraklion of Crete, the festival attracted hundreds of men and women who participated actively in the Pride Festival in order to fight against homophobia and sexual racism. This has been a very important step for the consolidation of equal rights for the gay communities which are alive and kicking on insular Greece.

# Lesvos

Skala Kidonion Lesvos 2

On Lesvos island, the birthplace of the famous poetess Sappho, the Annual International Eressos Women’s Festival has been organized for the 13th consecutive year in Skala with hundreds of homosexual couples attending the events of the festival in an amazing gay-friendly location. The island features a long tradition of lesbian lifestyle and has since always been the number one preference for lesbian couples in Greece. The festival included various dance workshops, performances, fashion shows, excursions and many more which guaranteed for another year an amazing time for all those who had been there. The amazing thing about Lesvos is that although it does have a very active gay community, it is not exclusively attractive to those groups, so you will equally meet honeymooners, families or groups of friends. Lesvos is an island that has a lot to offer from cafes to nice beaches and cozy taverns with Greek specialties.

No matter what your sexual orientation is, it doesn’t really matter when it comes to choosing one of those summer paradises in Greece. What is really important is that no matter where you choose to go or stay, the warm-heartedness and discretion of the locals will make you feel at home.

Previous Posts