Athens

Gay Athens · City Guide

First trip to Athens? Then our gay Athens city guide page can help you get from A to Z.

Athens

Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world with a recorded history that spans over 3,000 years. Regarded by many as the birthplace of civilisation, the city is brimming with culture and a treasure trove of archaeological monuments.

Today, the city is the metropolitan capital of Greece and is considered one of the most happening and lively destinations in Southern Europe. Athens is undergoing a significant transformation in terms of regeneration. After years of austerity, graffiti-covered buildings are becoming art galleries, abandoned garages are repurposed as cafes and innovative entrepreneurs are invigorating the city's restaurant scene.

Athens also boasts an energetic and diverse gay scene that has grown in recent years. The scene has made its way from the underground and into the mainstream and as such, gay travelers can find a number of gay-focused venues throughout the city.

Gay Rights in Greece

Gay sex was decriminalised in 1951. Male prostitution has been legal since May 2006. Wide-reaching anti-discrimination laws came into effect in 2014, adding to limited protections that had been available since 2005.

The age of sexual consent is 15 for everyone. On 24th December 2015, same-sex cohabitation agreements came into force. These same-sex civil unions grant all the rights of marriage except adoption.

However, the Greek Orthodox Church continues to denounce homosexuality as a sin. Coming out can still be a challenge for many gay people. According to a 2016 report by ILGA-Europe on LGBT+ rights, Greece came 15th out of 49 countries in Europe.

Gay Scene

The gay scene in Athens has developed rapidly over the past few years. Most of the scene is located in the Gazi district, which has become known as the 'gay village' (located near Kerameikos / ΣΤ.ΚΕΡΑΜΕΙΚΟΥ metro station). Nightlife starts late in Athens. With a couple of exceptions, most gay bars don't open until 10 pm and things start to get busy around midnight. Sodade2 has been Athens most famous gay dance club for over 15 years and boasts two dancefloors playing mainstream hits and greek anthems. The club gets especially busy on the weekends. BIG was the first bear bar in Athens and still offers guests a friendly snd welcoming atmosphere. The bar is a popular warm-up venue for travelers seeking bigger clubs later on.

General attitudes can be quite conservative, so you will not see many rainbow flags flying. The scene is not underground, but a little less in-your-face compared with other major cities in Europe. However, the Athenians are very friendly and welcoming. Gay travelers can expect the same treatment as anyone else in shops, restaurants and hotels.

Athens

Gay Hotels in Athens

The ideal location to stay in Athens depends on what travelers want to do with their time in the city. For those keen to explore the Parthenon and other ancient greek structures and monuments, the hotels in and around Syntagma Square offer an ideal base to explore all the nearby historical delights. The Central Athens Hotel is located in the heart of the Plaka area and the hotel's rooftop restaurant and bar offer guests stunning and unparalleled views of the Acropolis. All of the rooms are fully air-conditioned and are comfortably and cleanly furnished.

The Fresh Hotel is located close to Athens' gay district and provides gay travelers with modern and soundproof rooms from which to explore all that the Athens gay scene has to offer. This stylish boutique hotel boasts an impressive rooftop pool, well-equipped gym and bar, guaranteeing guests a comfortable and elegant stay.

For our list of recommended hotels in a great location for exploring the sights and the gay scene of Athens, visit the Gay Athens Hotels page.

Gay saunas in Athens

For the ancient Greeks, the saunas of Athens were a space to connect, unwind and relax and the gay men of modern Athens are just as passionate about sauna culture.

For a more premium experience, gay travelers should consider a visit to the Alexander Sauna Men's Club. The club is open to all ages and body types and boasts a range of facilities spread over three floors including darkrooms, massage rooms, themed playrooms and private cabins. The club also hosts regular themed nights with strip shows and dancers.

Athens

Getting to Athens

Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) is located 17 miles (27 km) from the city centre. The airport is connected to Athens metro system  (Line 3 - Blue Line) with trains running every 30 minutes between 6:30 am to 11:30 pm. Tickets cost between €5-10.

The Metro closes around midnight so if your flight arrives at the airport slightly before or after midnight a taxi will charge a minimum of E49 to downtown Athens. Try and book a flight that arrives well before midnight. Also Uber fares are the same as taxi fares.

The X95 bus route runs from the airport to Syntagma Square in the city centre every 15 minutes and costs €6. A taxi from the airport to the city will cost between €40-60, depending on the time of day and destination.

The port of Piraeus, Europe's largest passenger port, connects Athens to Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. There are frequent ferry services to the Cyclades (including Mykonos), Crete etc.

Getting around Athens

Athens is a huge city, but most of the major sights and popular shopping areas are in or near the central areas of Plaka, Monastiraki and Psiri. Most of the sights in these central areas are within walking distance of each other, although this depends on your tolerance to heat.

Metro

The metro system is an easy way to get around Athens including to and from the Gazi gay village (Kerameikos Station on Line Three). Fares are good value and metro trains are punctual, safe and clean.

A single ticket is valid for 90 minutes and costs €1.40. A day pass will cost €4.50 (for both metro and buses). Ticket machines operate in both Greek and English. After purchasing your ticket you must validate it for use.

The Red Line (line 2) runs from Anthoupoli to Aghios Dimitrios and the Blue Line (line 3) runs from the western Egaleo station through the central areas of Monastiraki and Syntagma and to the northeastern suburbs and airport. Maps can be picked up in any station and are generally easy to understand.

Bus

The main bus network is run by Ethel (Greek = ΕΘΕΛ). Three hundred routes span the city. An electric bus network has 48 tram stations across the city.

Taxi

Taxis in Athens offer excellent value for money and can be an extremely efficient mode of transport for some routes. Taxis can be hard to hail in Athens, especially during rush hours.

Athens

Things to do in Athens

Athens is filled with temples, monuments and sites oozing history and legend, some of the best things to do include:

  • Explore the Parthenon and the Erechteion
  • Take a deeper dive into history at the Acropolis Museum
  • Visit the site of the first modern Olympic Games at the Panathenaic Stadium
  • Watch the changing of the guards at the Greek Parliament
  • Wander the ancient streets of Plaka
  • Shop in the markets of Monastiraki
  • Tour the Temple of Zeus and Arch of Hadrian

FAQs

Visa

As Greece is a European Union member state, travelers from other countries within the union can enter the country without a visa. However, travelers outside of the EU will need to apply for a Schengen Visa, which permits travel throughout the Schengen Visa region. Check the visa requirements for travelers from your country before traveling.

When to visit

Athens has a Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine. Summers are dry and hot with an average temperature between 22 °C (72°F) and 32°C (90°F), although they can reach 40°C.

The city gets uncomfortably hot during August which is usually when the locals leave for their own holidays. It’s a good time to visit because there may be fewer people, but expect very hot and humid temperatures.

Winter temperatures range from 7°C (44°F) to 15°C (55°F), with some rain and occasional snow. May and June are considered the ideal time to visit as its mostly sunny days with milder, pleasant temperatures.

Shopping

Athens offers an abundant choice for shoppers from flea markets to department stores. Ermou Street is the main pedestrianized shopping street, which runs from Syntagma Square to Monastiraki Station.

For shopping under one roof, try the Golden Hall in the Maroussi district. The Mall, located next to Nerantziotissa train station on the Attiki Odos has more than 200 stores, places to eat and entertainment facilities.

Attica, a huge department store in Panepistimiou, is the largest in Greece with over 360 shops.

For a more colourful and sensory shopping experience, check out the local market scene. The Monastiraki Flea Market is a great place to wander through with an eclectic range of goods; expect to find anything and everything from furniture to clothes, collectables to vinyl records.

The Athens central market (Agora) is a hive of activity with a wonderful range of olives, cheeses, spices, meat, fruit, vegetables and local specialities. It's a real treat for the senses.

Money

Greece is part of the Eurozone. Cash dispensers are widely available, although many charge a fee if you use a foreign card. Credit & debit cards are widely accepted.  Foreign exchange booths are easy to find. Exchange rates are not particularly competitive.

Join the Travel Gay Newsletter

Have we got something wrong?

Are we missing a new venue or has a business closed? Or has something changed and we have not yet updated our pages? Please use this form to let us know. We really appreciate your feedback.