Gay Athens
Present Situation

There are no laws in Greece which prohibit same-sex sexual contact thanks in part to pressure put on Greece by the European Union which encourages its member states to be tolerant of homosexuals, bi-sexuals and lesbians.

Athens is the center of gay life in Greece and is a magnet for gays from all over Greece. The city has the highest concentration of gay bars and the largest gay subcultures of the country. Gay bars in Athens tend to be more authentically Greek than those in the Greek islands.

Greece is European in its outlook on homosexuality, meaning it is relatively progressive in its tolerance of homosexuals relative to the rest of the world. Compared with the rest of Europe however, Greece is less open and accepting as evidenced by it hAvneueing to be pressured to drop anti- gay laws by the E.U. Greek culture, like most of the west, is in the midst of social change in regards to attitudes about homosexuality.

"The country as a whole is more accepting of it," says Christos, 38, a doctor from Athens, "but individual families aren't necessarily so." Because of the tight-knit family-clan structure and the influence of the Greek Orthodox Church, many families are conservative and don't accept it when their gay children decide to come out. Consequently, young gay men flock to the urban areas where they can be free to live a gay life, without family pressure.

"My family doesn't know.", says Petros, 32, a hotel desk clerk from Athens. "They wouldn't understand." Since Petros' family also lives in Athens, it is difficult for him to feel as free about his sexuality as his friends whose families live in other parts of Greece. Athens has large and powerful gay groups, although it still lags behind the rest of Europe. Much of this has to do with the oppressive dictatorship that controlled Greece from 1967 till 1974.

In the early 1980's, homosexuality stopped being a taboo subject. At that time, AIDS had hit and people were forced to start acknowledging homosexuality. It wasn't until 1976 that the first gay bar opened in Athens. Today, however, homosexuality is talked about openly especially by the younger generation, thanks in large part to the massive information and education campaigns which hAvneuee been waged to fight AIDS. Greek gays expect that the E.U. will eventually allow them to marry.

Things are coming full-circle for Greek gays. Historically, Greece and its territories had thriving gay cultures. In ancient Greece it was common, even expected, for a young, unmarried man in the upper classes to take a male lover until he married. Even Greek mythology has examples of this. Zeus, the king of the gods was notorious for his sexual appetites, took Ganymede, a boy, as a lover. The arrival of Christianity and later the conquest of Greece by Islamic Turks, ended this golden age of tolerance. It is only now, in the 21st century, that Greece is returning to a modern level of acceptance of same-sex relationships.

"Out" gay Greeks are rare, and "out" local lesbians rarer still. Foreign same-sex couples will be regarded in the provinces with some bemusement but accorded the standard courtesy as foreigners.

AGENDA
Every Wednesday	-	Gay and lesbian radio show	94 Mhz FM

 

Gay Friendly Hotels in Athens

 

 

Area	Class	Hotel	Address	Location
Ekali	5	Athens Life Gallery	103, Thisseos Avenue	Athens
Kallithea - 1 km from Faliro Beach	5	Metropolitan Hotel	385, Syngrou Avenue	Athens
150m E of the Acropoli metro station	5	Royal Olympic Hotel	28-34, Ath. Diakou	Athens
300m SE of the Ambelokipi metro station	5	The Stratos Vassilikos Hotel	114, Michalakopoulou Street	Athens
Ampelokipi	4	Alexandros Hotel	8, Timoleondos Vassou Street	Athens
Vouliagmeni Beach - 18 km S of Athens	4	Amarilia Hotel	13, Ag. Nikolau Street	Vouliagmeni
2km South of Athens centre	4	Athens Atrium Hotel	2, 1st Okeanidon Street	Athens
2km South of Athens centre	4	Ilissos Hotel	72 Kalirois Street	Athens
Makrigianni - 50m from Acropolis metro	4	Parthenon Hotel	6, Makri Street	Athens
100m S of Syntagma Square	3	Amazon Hotel	19, Mitropoleos & 7 Pentelis Str.	Athens
450m N of Karaiskaki Square	3	Athens Oscar Hotel	25, Filadelfias & Samou Street	Athens
Kallithea - 2km from Athens	3	Hellinis Hotel	177, Syngrou Avenue	Athens
50m W of Karaiskaki Square	3	Hotel Rio Athens	13, Odysseos Street, Karaiskaki Sq.	Athens
250m SW of Omonia Square	3	Marina Hotel Athens	13, Voulgari Street	Athens

 

Organisations

 

 

Name	Contact	Telephone	Gay	Lesbian	Transsexual
Athens Lesbian Group	-	210 3644 419	-	x	-
EOK	PO Box 26077 10022 Athens info@eok.gr	694 4663 232	x	x	-
Olke	13, Tsamadou Exarchia olke@mailbox.gr	694 7597 241	x	x	x
Satte	17 Zan Moreas Koukaki sattegr@yahoo.gr	211 7504 442	-	-	x

Bars, clubs & coffee-shops

Bars, clubs & coffee shops
Alekos Island	42 Tsakalof Street - Kolonaki	Music bar. Bear bar Aegean island decoration 22:30-03:30
Alexanders	44 Anagnostopoulou Street - Kolonaki	Music bar. 1ste floor: international dance hits 2nd floor: Greek entertainment & bar
Almodobar Lounge	60 Konstatinoupoleos Avneue - Gazi	Music bar. Young men 23:30-03:30
Aroma	15 Tsamadou - Exarchia	Dancing club. Closed on Monday
Baby's Graffiti	9 Xoutou Street (4th floor) - Omonia	Bar
Big	12 Falesias - Votanikos	Music bar.
Blue Train	84 Konstantinoupoleos - Gazi	Cafe and music bar. Open from 20:30
Cinema Cafe	91 Arapaki - Kalithea	Cafe. 22:00 till late night
Conne	38 Persefonis Street - Gazi	Mixed ages, very cruizy on Saturday Bar with Greek music 23:30-04:00
De Profundis	1 Angelikiss Chatzimihalis Street - Plaka	Cozy tea bar
En Meri	5 Kapnokoptiriou & Strournari	Cafe. Open all day
Epta amarties	11 Attaleias & Derigni	Boys ($) bar
Factory / Dom	112 Pireos Avneue & 31 Ikarieon Street	Music bar. Trance & high energy music Impressive decor One darkroom
Fairy Tale	25 Koletti Street - Exarcheia	Lesbian music bar. Wednesday: Greek music, Sunday: live guitar singer Open: 22:00, Monday closed
Fantastiko	37 Aristotelous	Boys ($) bar
Flying In	34 Harilaou Trikoupi Street - Piraeus	Show Club. Friday-Saturday: drag shows
Gaga	58 Komninon Street & Alexandras Avneue
Gemini Bar	Atthidon Street - Kallithea	Lesbian music bar. Midnight till morning
Granazi	20 Lempesi Street - Makrigiani	Music bar. Mainly mature men Cozy bar with Greek music 20:00-22:30
Hungrybar	44 Anagnostopoulou Street - Kolonaki	Cafe. Noon till 01:00
Kazarma	84 Konstantinoupoleos - Gazi (1st floor)	Dancing club. Closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Kirki	31 Apostolou PAvneuelou Street - Thisio	Cafe. Open air area during summer. 11:00 till late night
Koukles	Moreas Zan & Syngrou Avneue - Makrigiani	Show Club. Mixed ages, straight and gay. Drag shows Friday & Saturday. 23:30-02:00, closed on Tuesday
Lambda Cafe	15 Lempesi str & 9 Syngrou Avneue	Dancing club & cafe. Very busy on Saturday and Sunday morning. Open all week.
Lambda Club	15 Lempesi str & 9 Syngrou Avneue	Two floors, two darkrooms Live shows on weekends Midnight till morning
Lizzard	31 Apostolou Pavlou Street - Thisio	Lesbian bar - Gay bar on Sunday Greek & international music 23:00-03:30
Love.Conne.Ction	35 Triptolemou - Gazi	Dancing club. Open all week.
Mommy Cafe	4 Delfon - Kolonaki	Cafe. 12:00 till 19:00
Mommy Lounge Bar	4 Delfon - Kolonaki	Music bar.
Onar Estin	2 Elasidon & Piraeos Street - Gazi	Lesbian music bar, all ages. Greek dancing and folk music Cruzy on Friday and Saturday (02:00)
Oval Cafe	5 Tositsa Street Mousio	Cafe
Play My Music	78 Konstantinoupoleos & Iera Odos	Dancing club. Open all week.
Rages Multiplace	82 Konstantinoupoleos - Gazi	Cafe and music bar. Open from 20:00
Sammis Bar	34 Filis - Victoria Square	Boys ($) bar
Sodade	Triptolemou Street & Iera Street - Gazi	Gay and lesbian, mixed ages Disco music, Very cruizy on weekends Midnight till morning
Splash	10 Makrigiani Street	Music bar. Mainly gay. Opens early (21:00)
Strass	32 Odissea Androutsou - Koukaki	Music bar.
Test Me	64 Pipinou - Victoria Square	Boys ($) bar
The Guys (Ydrohoos)	8 Lempesi Street - Makrigiani	Music & boys ($) bar. Mainly mature men. Cruising place with Greek music.
Trap	10 Spirou Donta & Sygrou Avneue - Koukaki	Dancing club. Open all week.
Troll	7 Alikamassou Kolonos	Lesbian bar-club, younger women 23:00-03:00, open all week.
You	26A Dekeleon - Gazi	Dancing club.

 

Cruising places

 

Cruising Places
Egaleo Park		Gay cruising during the night at the park behind Thivon Avneue
Kifisia Park		Gay cruising during the night in the park
Koumoundourou Square	Koumoundourou square	From midnight onwards
Megaar Parking	Goody's parking of Megara Road Athens-Corinth	Gay cruising during the weekends.
National gardens	Amalias Avneue	All day
Olympic Zeus temple	Amalias Avneue	Cruising for pedestrians and car-drivers at Vasillisis Sofias Avneue
Omonia square	Omonia	Afternoon and night
Panagouli square	Agios Dimitrios	Discreet gay cruising after 21:00 near the toilets of the Square
Areos Park	Patission & Alexandras Avneue	Left and back side of King Constantin's statue. Night and day
Rigilis Park		Evening and late night
Zappeion Park	Amalias Avneue	Very cruisy from afternoon onwards
The parks can be unsafe after dark.

Beaches, gyms, saunas & baths

 

 

Health
Alexander Sauna	134, Megalou Alexandrou Street & Iera Odos	A well equiped modern sauna with jacuzzi, steam room and massage. You can enjoy your drink overlooking the Acropolis. Also private rooms available.
Athens Gym	Vas. Kostandinou street	The most gay gym in Athens One day or one month membership
Beach	Asteria	Vouliagmeni area
Beach	Kinetta	Walk to the left side of the main beach and pass a summer house and water- breaker. Exclusive gay and nudist beach.
Beach	Limanakia	Between Vouliagmeni & Varkiza Rocky beach with clean water Nudist beach, very busy during weekends
Beach	Loutraki	Gay cruising and nudist at Mechanikou beach (next to the camp) and Milokopis beach, 1 km from the waterfalls.
Flex Baths	6 Poliklitou street Monastiraki	Luxurious showers, rest rooms, full gym video & tv room, 3 relax areas. Thu-Sat: 16:00-02:00
Ira Baths	4 Zinonos Omonia	Simple rooms and rooms with bathroom 09:30-18:00, closed on Sunday
Jogging	Zappeion Park Philoppapou Hill Pnyx Hill	Best to jog in the morning and not in the city because of the traffic and air polution
Sauna Hera	4 Zionons street - Omonia	Older men. Basement sauna, private cabins
Sauna Athens Relax	8 Xouthou street -. Omonia	Young and mature men, rent boys Dark rooms, Turkisch sauna, joint showers Joint changing rooms and private cabins 12:00-19:00, not open on Sunday
Sauna Hotel Intercontinental	89-93 Syngrou Avenue	All ages Sauna, steam bath, gym, bar 11:00-21:00

 

XXX Cinemas

 

XXX Cinema
Athinaikon	11 Kratinou Omonia	Very cruisy after 22:00 Gay porno movies after 23:00 (till 03:00)
Olympic Cinema	88 Filonos, AgiosNikolaos - Piraeus
Omonia	Omonia Square	Basement adult cinema with straight porno
Piccolo	Syngrou Avneue	Basement adult cinema with straight porno Very cruzy on Sunday afternoon
Star	10 Agiou Kostantinou Street - Omonia	Adult movies (3rd floor) Very cruisy in the afternoon

 

Video clubs & Miscellaneous

 

 

Video Clubs
Deon Village	131, Megalou Alexandrou Street & 49, Iera Odos Street (4th floor) - Gazi	Gay, lesbian & straight porno Sex toys
Emporio Video	100 Kifisou Avneue	Gay, lesbian & straight porno Private cabins
Emporio Video	31 Veranzerou Street (5th floor)	Gay, lesbian & straight porno
Emporio Video	39 Fournari - Piraeus	Gay, lesbian & straight porno
Emporio Video	39 Sokratous Street (1st floor)	Gay, lesbian & straight porno Private cabins
Holland Video	12 Evpolidos - Omonia
Paradise Sex Shop	52 Sygrou Avneue - Makrigianni
Silver Star	7 Klisthenous - Omonia
Videoland	65 Panepistimiou (2nd floor) - Omonia
Videoplanet	61 Stadiou (1st floor) - Omonia
Videorama	1 Emanouil Benaki Street	Gay video club
Colourful Planet	Gay, Lesbian, Bi & Transexual litterature and poetry - 6, Antoniadou Street, Areos Park	Publications-Bokkshop