The cradle of modern civilization, Athens is a fascinating place. The recorded history of this city spans around 3,400 years, but the area has been continuously inhabited for at least 7,000 years, and there's much more than just the Parthenon, the temple to Athena high above the city, to enchant you here. This is a city where nearly every time someone digs in the ground, another antiquity is unearthed. Work on new subway lines has often had to be stopped, as ruins and artifacts of ancient civilizations are discovered along the way.

The gay scene here is growing every year. Makrigianni and Kolonaki have been the traditional gay neighborhoods, but Gazi (or Gkazi) has become very trendy lately. It's a good place to start out, with gay-friendly cafes and restaurants along with bars and nightclubs all around, and all within walking distance of one another. Places open, close, or change names quite frequently in Athens, so most international guides are quickly out of date --but in this neighborhood just follow your gaydar and the local flyers, and one place will lead to the next.

See bar and clubs on our maps & listings pages, along with a sampling of restaurants, hotels and the main museums - all with locations and website links. The popular gay club S-Cape recently reopened in Gazi again, after a brief move south to Glyfada. Athens Pride takes place in mid-June each year.

 

Getting here

Athens International Airport has great connections to everywhere in the world. The subway, Metro Line 3, is the best way to get into the city, and 24-hour buses and taxis are also available. For other domestic detinations, Aegean Airlines makes the short hops to Heraklion, Thessaloniki, and many of the Aegean Islands.

Trainose, the national rail service, connects Athens with Pelopponese from the south, and from the north with Thessaloniki and other northern Greek cities. From there find connections to Istanbul, or other European cities to the northwest.

Piraeus, the Port of Athens, is just over an hour on the Airport-Piraeus Express bus (X96), and there is Metro rail transport from Monastiraki station in central Athens. From the port several ferry or hydrofoil services travel non-stop to the island of Mykonos, in 3-5 hours, with great views and pretty sunsets en route across the Aegean. Other islands are also served from here. The slower boats have larger decks, and restaurants. See GoFerry for information and bookings.

 

Getting around

Metro subway trains are the quickest, easiest way to get around the city and also to the port at Piraeus for ferries to the islands. See GoFerry.gr for information and bookings. One "integrated" ticket allows travel for 90 minutes on any metro or suburban train, tram, trolley or bus - except the airport lines. There are also one, three, or seven-day passes at a discount. Automatic ticket machines at the airport metro station sell them. Taxis are everywhere, but tend to be slow and expensive.

English is widely spoken here, especially in the gay scene, and tourist areas, and signs, menus and websites are often in both languages. German and French are also used in tourist areas.

 

What to do

You’ll want to set aside plenty of time for visiting the Parthenon and the other attractions near the Acropolis. The New Acropolis Museum hold many original archeological treasures, and has stunning architecture as well.

 

Currency and Money

Greece is part of the Euro Zone, so the euro is the accepted currency. Check with your home bank before departure for possible ATM savings with local partner banks. Chip/pin credit cards are also handy here, as in most parts of Europe, for machine purchases such as public transport tickets.

 

Media and resources

Their website GayGreece.gr, with daily events, business listings and news in English, is one of the best sources of information in town. Deon Magazine, the national gay publication and annual guide, appears to have folded.

Antivirus, is a free activist/political gay magazine.

GayAthens, 10percent.gr, Deuxelles.gr, gaywebtv.gr, and gayworld.gr are also online gay scene information resources.

Gay Athens/ Mykonos, is a travel guide app created by gay locals with up-to-date information on over 250 points of interest: bars, clubs, and crusing spots, plus reviews, photo galleries, contact Information/links and maps - download from the App Store or Google Play.

AthensInfo, AthensVoice, and InYourPocket each has a gay section in addition to general-public info.

See our maps & listings pages for listings of gay and gay-friendly businesses in Athens.

 

Going Out

8th Sin Cocktail Bar (Megalou Alexander 141, Gazi) - CLOSED? - upscale gay cocktail and music lounge, two stages of entertainment.

The Apartment (Kolonou 76, Metaxourgio), Thursday through Sunday multi-space concept, good house music, mixed crowd, go-go hunks, shows, theme parties.

Attraxx (Iakhou 36, Gazi), men's cruise bar, porn videos, maze, dark rooms, cabins; nightly until 3am.

Big Bar (Falaisias 12 / Lera Odos 67, Gazi), neighborhood bar for big guys, bears and friends, theme parties, beach and bathhouse excursions.

Enodia Bar (Keleou 1), small gay and bear-friendly cafe/bar, patio seating.

Fantastiko (Aristotelous 37), gay men's bar, strippers, hustlers, older and younger mix.

FCUK (Keleou 3, Gazi), dark room, videos, cabins; underwear parties, fisting and sling rooms, sex shows.

Fou Club (Keleou 8, Gazi), industrial dance club for bears, leather men, wet strippers, pool parties, guest porn stars.

Koukles Club (Zan Moreas 32, Koukaki), Fridays and Saturday night top-level drag shows, theme nights.

Magaze (Aiolou 33), gay-frienldy cafe from 7am; bar and cocktail lounge until 3am (4am Saturday), buffets and wine, DJ sets, performances.

Moe Club (Keleou 1-5, Gazi), international and Greek music dance club, Saturday drag shows and after-hours parties.

Noiz Club (Konstantin Poleos 78, Gazi), popular lesbian dance club, live music.

Polihromo Bar (Lembesi 12, Makrigianni), bears, daddies, and friends.

Rooster (Plateia Agias Eirinis 4, Monastiraki), open daily 9am-3am, St Eirini Square mixed gay-friendly cafe; coffee, drinks, food.

S-Cape (iakchou 32), popular gay club reopened, dancing, karaoke, drag shows, theme parties; open nightly.

Sodade2 (Tritopolemou 10, Gazi), gay /straight-friendly dance club, two areas, DJs, summer lounge.

Taxidi Bar (Konstantinoupoleos 46, Gazi), stylish theater, art and music bar; gay-friendly ethnic mix, folk, jazz music nights.

Test Me (Pipinou 64), hustler bar.

Trap (Korytsas 15, Gazi), lively, diverse crowd, DJ dance club, free Sunday buffets.

 

Saunas

Alexander Sauna (Megalou Alexandrou 134, Gazi), sauna and steam, Jacuzzi, cabins, porn videos, darkroom, go-go dancers, drag shows, naked parties, bear events,

Flex Sauna/Gym & Men's Spa (Polykleitou 6, Monastiraki), gym, sauna, steam, solarium, Jacuzzis, cabins, videos, roof garden spa, internet, theme parties.

Ira Baths (Zinonos 4), men's sauna/hamam, cruise area, older crowd/bear-friendly.