Athens, the capital and largest city of Greece is one of the world’s oldest cities with its recorded history going back 3,400 years.

You will not find a shortage of gay bars, cafes, and clubs in Athens even though the gay male venues by far outnumber the lesbian ones. The scene used to be in Makrigianni and Kolonaki but Gazi has taken over here as well with the hippest gay or gay-friendly establishments within walking distance from one another. The legendary gay bars and clubs of the past still remain in Makrigianni and are still popular, but the real scene has moved to Gazi. The weekly publications Athinorama and Time Out often list gay bars, discos, and special events in the nightlife section. Get-togethers are sometimes advertised in the English-language press, such as the weekly Athens News.

Gay and lesbian travellers should not encounter difficulties at any Athenian hotel, but we have listed some of the hotels who are listed as gay-friendly. The bars and clubs are all gay venues, and all restaurants listed are gay owned or gay-friendly.