The gay and lesbian vacation playground
Gay Neighbourhood
- With less than 10,000 locals, Mykonos is too small to have a defined gay area. Bars and clubs (gay and straight) are clustered in Mykonos Town (Hora) while may gay accommodation options are located in the School of Fine Arts area just above the old town.
Events
- Mykonos no longer has gay-sepcific events to draw visitors as it has in the past. August is the traditional holiday month in Greece, so the island is at its most crowded and prices are highest. May and September seem to be popular months with gay and lesbian travellers - for no apparent reason.
Best Known For
Three Must Dos
- Spend a day on Elia, the most popular of the gay beaches.
- Hang out on Matogiannia later in the evening as the gay boys start to gather outside their favourite discos.
- Watch the sun set from one of many terrace bars.
More Local Info
Unfortunately, most Mykonos websites are focussed almost exclusively on promoting accommodation options and are really light on concrete local info. Check out the websites of some of the hotels we recommend below as many of them have decent tourist information pages.
- GayGreece.gr is a site for all of Greece but has some good information about Mykonos.
- There are two good articles on gay Mykonos in the conxLibrary - Greece: Mykonos and Mykonos: Gay friendly isle of mazes and myths.
Tips
- If you're only have a few days in your itinerary for Mykonos, do yourself a favour and fly there rather than taking a ferry or hydrofoil. Although travelling by water can be interesting, it eats up a lot of precious time.
- There is no reserved seating or baggage check on ferries, so be prepared to carry and stand guard over your bags for your multi-hour ferry ride.
- If you need peace and quiet at night, avoid hotels that are directly in the old town area of Mykonos. Partying crowds can make streets noisy late into the night.
- While we have provided direct links to all the hotels we recommend in Mykonos, we are often able to get prepaid wholesale rates at these hotels which are lower than the prices you will find on the hotel website (and which we are not permitted to publish on our website). Contact us by email or at 800.387.1240 for a quote in either Canadian or US dollars.
What else do you want to know about Mykonos?
How To Get There
By Plane
All flights arrive at Mykonos National Airport (airport code JMK) located 4km southeast of Mykonos Town (Hora).
Unless you're planning to spend most of your time exploring the island, it's not worth it to rent a car to get around. (In fact, cars are not permitted in Hora.) Taxis are available outside the terminal and will cost about €5 to €10 to get to most hotels in the Hora area. Many hotels also offer a shutttle from the airport. And if you want an adventure the fare for a local bus is €0.90. Alternatively, private "meet and greet" transfers by an English-speaking drivers are also available for about €20.
By Ship or Ferry
Most conventional ferries and some of the fast ferries arrive at the "old" dock in Hora. Other fast ferries and cruise ships dock at the "new" port which is about 2km north of Hora. Both ports are served by buses and taxis.
Where To Stay
Gay and Lesbian Options
The Elysium is the only hotel that promotes itself as a gay property. However, the Geranium/Moonlight is gay managed and has a strong gay clientele.
- Elysium -
A four-star bungalow-type hotel with 18 standard rooms and 22 superior rooms, some with kitchenette. A beautifully designed swimming pool and very large outdoor terrace are are a big attraction. Book early. (School of Fine Arts)
Gay Friendly Options
With Mykonos being so popular with gay travellers you'd think that almost any hotel there would be gay friendly. However, some hotels are definitely more family oriented while others are more "traditional" (to put it politely) and are not keen on having gay guests. The hotels below are either known to be gay friendly or are popular with gay and lesbian visitors.
- Apanema - a 4 hotel with a great pool and magnificent sunset views of the town and sea. (Tagoo area)
- Carrop Tree -
A small 2 star hotel a short walk from the centre of Hora. Probably the best quality hotel in it's class, it's good value for money. Although it's popular with families, it's still a good choice. (Mykonos Town)
- Cavo Tagoo - this is a good choice for a 5 star hotel that is close to the bars and clubs in Hora. (Tagoo area)
- Harmony - a boutique-style 4 star hotel located in the heart of Hora, close to the port. (Mykonos Town)
- Ilio Maris - this 3 star hotel is next to the famous windmills. Rooms face the sea and have great views. (Mykonos Town)
- Kouros - all suites in this 4 star hotel have a kitchenette, sitting area and private terrace with great views of the Aegean. (Tagoo area)
- Myconos Beach - a cheap and cheerful 2 star hotel on the southern outskirts of Hora. (Megali Ammos)
- Pelican Art Hotel - a good 3 star hotel close to nightlife. (School of Fine Arts area)
- Pelican Bay Art Hotel - the 4 star beach front sister property to the Pelican in town. (Platys Gialos)
- Petasos Beach - the great 4 star hotel steps from one of the more popular (straight) beaches. (Platys Yialos)
- Royal Myconian - a 5 star spa resort with its own private beach but close to one of the gay beaches. (Elia)
- Saint John - a 5 star resort a bit out of the way from both beaches and nightlife but very gay friendly. (Agios Ioannis)
- Semeli - a 4 star hotel in a quiet part of town, a short walk from nightlife. (Hora)
- Tharroe of Mykonos - a 5 star hotel on the outskirts of , about 15 minutes walk from nightlife. (Vrissi)
- Zannis - a moderate 3 star hotel right in the centre of town. (Hora)
- Zorzis - a centrally-located small 3 star family run hotel. A good option if you want to be close to everything in town. (Hora)
Where To Eat
Almost any restuarant you find in Hora (Mykonos Town) will be gay friendly. The ones below are recommended primarily because they are either gay owned or because they're popular with gay and lesbian visitors. Don't be surprised if a cover charge is added to your bill at restuarants in Little Venice or other popular spots with scenic seating. Dinner tends to be eaten later than in North America, so plan on starting your evening with cocktails at a bar before heading off for your evening meal.
- Appaloosa - Tex-Mex menu with a good selection of vegetarian. (Goumenio Square)
- Aqua - Very good, simple, traditional Italian food in a great location. (Little Venice)
- Blue Ginger - Thai and Chinese in a nice setting, on the outskirts of Hora. (Argyraina, opposite the Medical Centre)
- Chez Maria- a 30 year old institution with lovely garden dining. Always busy, more for the atmosphere than the food. (Kalogera Street)
- La Cucina di Daniele - probably one of the best non-hotel restaurants on the island, Mediterranean cuisine. (outside Ano Mera)
- Fellini - more Italian, this time in the centre of Hora - great terrace. (Lakka Sqaure)
- Katrin's - a Mykonos institution, fine French dining in an elegant family owned restaurant. Expensive. (Matogiannia)
- Kounelas - a small, very friendly restaurant with probably some of the best fish on the island. (Behind the Town Hall)
- Lotus - around for 30 years, the Lotus is an older-style Greek taverna. Small, right on the main street. (Matogiannia)
- The Magic Garden - small with a lovely garden setting, probably the gayest restaurant in town. (Odos Fournakion)
- Mediterraneo - simple food in the heart of Hora. (Lakka Square)
- Niko's Taverna - a very popular spot with visitors. Very simple food - more for the atmosphere and the large terrace. (Close to the Town Hall)
Where To Meet Locals
Watching the sun set while sitting outside on a beautiful terrace overlooking the Mediterranean while sipping your favourite cocktail is a Mykonos institution - gay and straight. So is late night clubbing. Just be aware that drinking and clubbing isn't cheap here! For watching the sun go down try going to any of the bars in Little Venice, the strip along the port. However, we have some definite recommendations for those who want to dance the night away or who are looking for a taverna where you go for drinks after dinner. Mykonos is small and there are no lesbian specific options, so women probably should start with Diva and see where the evening takes you. A lot of the gay spots are lesbian welcoming.
- Diva - a tiny bar near the port, owned by a woman and very lesbian friendly. (Little Venice)
- Elysium Hotel Bar - a great option if you want to watch the sunset surrounded by gay guys.
- Big terrace - (School of Fine Arts area)
- Gilles' Magic Bar - a comfortable, friendly bar at the front of the Magic Garden restaurant. (Odos Fournakion)
- Icaros - upstairs from Manto, with a great terrace and drag shows and entertainers. (Matogiannia)
- Kastro Bar - a quieter, relaxed bar playing classical music. Great for sunset watching. (Little Venice)
- Manto - a gay-owned dance club close to Pierro's. Check out the scene outside both before choosing. (Matogiannia)
- Montparnasse - a piano bar and cabaret, very popular and good for sunset cocktails. (Little Venice)
- Pierro's - Mykonos' big disco club which goes late into the night. Lots of guys hang out outside on the street on busy summer nights. (Matogiannia)
- Porto - a bit hard to find but popular both at the beginning and the end of the evening. Good music, great fun. (Next to Kounelas restaurant, behind the Town Hall)
- Ramrod - a nice terrace to watch the sunset as well as great music for dancing later in the evening. (Taxi Square)
"Cruising"
Gay Men
There are no saunas or sex clubs in Mykonos, but all the gay guys in town and on the beaches make for a very cruisey atmosphere. In particular check out the rocky area adjacent to Super Paradise beach or, in the evenings, the streets around the two most popular discos - Manto and Pierro's.
Things To Do
Delos -
For most visitors Mykonos is mostly about fun, sun and nightlife. But don't forget you have antiquity all around you. Take a day to explore the island of Delos, a short ferry-ride away, with its ruins and great hiking. Make sure to bring along food and drink as it's hard to get on the island.
Beach Time -
The island has lots of beaches, but gay travellers favour those on the south side. Super Paradise used to be the main gay beach and is still popular, but Elia is the current favourite. Both beaches have clothing optional areas. Get there by bus, scooter or caiques (small boats that operated as water taxis).
Explore Backroads Mykonos -
Rent a scooter or a 4 wheel drive jeep and wander around the island on its quiet back roads. You'll find quiet beaches, exceptional views and get a peek at more typical (and traditional) Mykonos life.
Little Venice -
West of the old Mykonos harbour in Hora (in the area known as Alefkantra), th colourful "village" of Little Venice is the perfect place for lunch or to watch the sun set with cocktail in hand. It's extemely popular, especially during sunset viewing, so be prepared for crowds.
Windmills -
One of the most evocative symbols of Mykonos, the whitewashed windmills in the northwestern corner of town can be seen from almost anywhere. Although they are no longer operational, they continue to represent the traditional lifestyle still common on many Greek islands.