As many a racy pottery-fragment image will attest, the ancient Greeks were generally and artistically open to same-sex relationships. Unfortunately, modern Greek culture is not always so tolerant. Though homosexuality was officially legalized in 1951, it is still socially frowned upon in some areas of the country. Many GLBT travelers in Greece choose to minimize public displays of affection for this reason. Large cities like Athens and Thessaloniki as well as some of the Greek islands such as Mykonos and Lesvos—the latter known in antiquity as the home of poet Sappho, the “lesbian” who started it all—are the centers of GLBT life and tourism in Greece. For a guide to GLBT and GLBT-friendly bars, beaches, and everything in between, check out www.gaygreece.gr.
Athens' Gazi neighborhood is the capital's burgeoning gay residential village as well as a hotspot for trendy restaurants and nightlife, many of which are GLBT-friendly. Athens is also home to a number of gay rights groups, like OLKE (694 743 4353) and Colourful Planet, Greece’s first GLBT bookstore (Antoniadou 6. 210 882 6605; www.colourfulplanet.com).
 |
 |
 |
 |
For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
Facebook
Twitter
You Tube
Foursquare
Newsletter
RSS Feed
Overview