Gay Mykonos

A guide to Gay Mykonos

The Greek island of Mykonos (part of the 'Cyclades' group of islands) is one of the 'Big 4' gay summer resort destinations in Europe - along with Gran Canaria, Sitges and Ibiza. For decades, it has been a mecca for gays looking to holiday somewhere beautiful and relaxing, and it offers plenty of gay hotels, bars and beaches - all accompanied by turquoise waters, cute men and plenty of Ouzo.

How it got hot

It was Jackie Onassis who put Gay Mykonos on the gay travel map – back in the 70’s. She and her entourage frequented the island, making it chic, and the gay boys followed. Over the years, more and more gays visited Mykonos, giving rise to more and more hotels, bed & breakfasts and guesthouses that catered to the free-spending gay market.

Despite being in an orthodox Christian country, Mykonos eventually embraced their big-spending gay and lesbian visitors – and today most of the island’s holiday accommodation is at least gay-friendly. The locals are generally warm and welcoming, and thanks to decades of gay tourism, they are pretty open-minded and suffer from fewer sexual inhibitions.

Ups and downs

Partly because it’s an island, and partly because it has become so popular, Mykonos isn't the cheapest option for a holiday. Food and drink here is all brought in from the mainland – so prices are a little high. Quality is mixed. This, and the gay community’s penchant for moving on to pastures new, contributed to the relative decline of Mykonos as a gay destination in the 90's and 00's. Overall, the number of exclusively-gay hotels, guest houses and B&Bs has declined since the island's hey day in the 70's and 80's. That said, some now say that visitor numbers are on the way up again, as a new generation of gay tourists discover the charms of Gay Mykonos. Despite the ups and downs over the last few decades, Mykonos is still very gay, with thousands of gay men and lesbians flocking to its gorgeous sandy beaches and pretty whitewashed villages every summer – looking for sun, sea and possibly some sex. So gay travelers can feel very at home in Mykonos town – there are plenty of other gay people around, and no signs of homophobia.

Well-preserved

The island has changed remarkably little over the years. Whereas parts of the Mediterranean have been scarred by high-rise tourism, Gay Mykonos has remained a charming white-washed village of mostly small houses. Most of the island’s tourist accommodation is in or around the main town itself, which climbs gently up the hill. Gay hotels, guest houses and B&Bs here tend to be small and intimate in Mykonos. If you’re looking for the facilities of a larger hotel, you should book in at one of the larger, gay-friendly hotels on the island. The accommodation in Gay Mykonos town often offers superb views out across the town itself and the sea – and all are within easy walking distance of Mykonos’ main bars and restaurants.

Getting There

From Athens, you'll need to choose between taking a ferry to Mykonos or a plane. The Ferry either takes 6 hours - stopping at the islands of Syros and Tinos, or 5 hours, stopping at Andros and Tinos. Far quicker, but less interesting, is to take a 30 minute flight from Athens Airport. But if you're gagging to get your kit off on some lovely beach - that might be your best bet! Once on Gay Mykonos, you can rent a car (4x4) or take taxis, busses and even fishing boats ('Calques') to get around. There are also regular bus services to the main beaches. Taxis can be a little expensive.

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Gay Mykonos

Mykonos isn't just gay - it's as gay as a row of pink tents. With gay beaches, gay bars, gay restaurants and gay hotels galore - it's one of the 'Big 4' gay resorts in Europe (along with Gran Canaria, Sitges and Ibiza) - and the perfect place to head for some sun, sea and sex. To browse through the best gay and gay-friendly hotels and guest houses in Mykonos, click the HOTELS ETC tab above. Below is our overview of Mykonos' gay beaches and gar bars. For more detailed listings of our favourite gay beaches and bars, click the HOT TIPS tab above.

Gay beaches in Mykonos

No matter where your accommodation is located on the island, you’ll soon want to head to one of the beaches, gay or otherwise, upon arrival. Like the hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses on Mykonos, the beaches are very gay-friendly, and some also offer nude sun-bathing areas. Elia, Super Paradise, Paradise and Paranga are our 4 favourite beaches in Mykonos. None are exclusively gay, but they all have solidly-gay regions, and plenty of action amongst the rocks behind. All are also relatively easy to get to (bus or water taxi are the easiest and cheapest ways to get around). All of the gay beaches in Mykonos benefit from fine sand, rentable sun loungers, beach bars and restaurants and superb views out across the sea.  Some also have pool bars and beach parties from the afternoon onwards. Also accessible from any of Mykonos’ gay hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs are the relatively more isolated and quiet beaches of Mykonos, such as Panormos and Lia. To read about our favourite four gay beaches in Mykonos in more detail - click the 'HOT TIPS' tab above.

Gay bars in Mykonos

There are some wonderful bars in the centre of the town. The area called ‘Little Venice’ is probably the best place to start – and easily within walking distance from your hotel, bed and breakfast or guesthouse. There are some great gay bars here (such as ‘Kastros’ and 'Jackie 'O') - all very vibrant and full of happy revellers. Little Venice also hosts some of the best restaurants and nightclubs. Further up the hill is the Elysium Hotel – which also offers a great bar and superb views over the bay. Some bigger parties - popular with younger gay visitors - are held just outside of town, but you'll need to think about how to get home afterwards.  To read about our recommended Mykonos gay bars in more detail, click the HOT TIPS tab at the top of the page.

NEXT: Gay Accommodation in Mykonos >

If you’re looking for gay hotels Mykonos still offers gay visitors a good choice of accommodation. There used to be a huge number of gay hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs in Mykonos, but a slight decrease in numbers of gay tourists coupled with the increasingly gay-friendliness of non-gay accommodation has meant that many have closed.

That said, The Elyseum is still a popular gay hotel in which to stay.  Although a little expensive, it does offer incredible views over the sea. Hotels in the centre of Mykonos town will be more convenient (the hill that the Elysium sits on is a challenge without transport of your own) – but they don’t offer the views and will be noisier at night.

If you'd prefer to see these properties as pins on a map of Gay Mykonos, use the Gay Welcome interactive map instead of this page. You'll find the main gay ares of the island is also marked on the map, so you can easily see which hotels and bed and breakfasts are closest to the action in Mykonos.

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Our top gay beaches and gay bars in Mykonos

TOP 4 MYKONOS GAY BEACHES:

• Mykonos Elia Beach: One of the prettiest beaches on Mykonos, Elia beach is probably the gayest beach in Mykonos at the moment. It's quite long and well-sheltered, with nice fine sand. It's also partly nude - especially on the right-hand side of the beach. Keep going on the right side - over the rocks towards Agrari Beach - and it gets gayer and cruisier still. There are a few places to eat and a few bars, and you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas. You can also find some of the watersports available at the busier Paradise beaches here - such as parasailing. Yachts also moor in the bay here. Elia Beach in Mykonos is accessible by bus from the centre of town (in the old port behind the museum) or take the regular boat ('calque) service from Platys or Ornos beaches.
  
  
• Mykonos Super Paradise Beach: It used to be more popular with the gays in the past - but has recently lost its allure to some of the other beaches. That said - it's still the party beach in Mykonos - and great fun if you're looking for a buzzy vibe. The new Jackie 'O club may yet tempt the gays back from Elia beach very soon. Both ends of the beach are gay, but the section on the far right of the beach close to the beach club with pool is the gayest part - and relatively nude - and there is some gay cruising that goes on amongst the rocks behind. Lesbians and straights tend to gravitate more to the centre- right of the beach. The centre of the Super Paradise is said to be for the young 'fashionistas'. Mykonos' Super Paradise beach has several pool bars and restaurants - many of which provide a 'beach service'. You can also rent sunbeds and umbrellas should you want a more civilised day on the beach - and there are showers that you can use to freshen up before heading back to your hotel. You can get to Super Paradise Beach by car (there is a big parking lot), taxi or a regular boat ('calque') service from Platys or Ornos beaches.
  
  
• Mykonos Paradise Beach: Over the hill from its now more popular sister 'Super Paradise Beach' - Paradise beach is still one of the most famous beaches in the world - having been frequented by hippies in the 60's. It's still the setting for lots of 'Full Moon' and 'Bubble' parties and has an 'anything goes' reputation. Paradise Beach in Mykonos is less popular with the gays than it used to be - with far more straights frequenting the beach. That said - it still has a gay section, and like Super Paradise beach is lots of fun - with jet and water skiing, banana boats, beach volley ball, horse riding, scuba diving and canoeing all offered. Paradise beach in Mykonos It can get quite crowded, so don't expect tranquility - the constant thumping of music that starts at about 4pm each day will put a stop to that. There are plenty of pool bars, restaurants and even a small supermarket and some small shops. Paradise Beach in Mykonos is one of the most accessible gay beaches in Mykonos, with a frequent bus service from the centre of town. You can also get here by boat ('calque') service from Platys or Ornos beaches - or of course by car, moped or taxi.
  
  
• Mykonos Paranga Beach: The smallest and quietest of our chosen 4 beaches, Paranga Beach in Mykonos is accessible via a 15 minutes walk along the coast from Platis Yialos beach, or a 10 minute walk from Paradise Beach. There's a small gay section on the beach and some nudity on the rocks. Paranga beach has a chilled, laid-back atmosphere (although it can get a bit more party-party just in front of the restaurant) and is one of the few Mykonos gay beaches with trees providing shade. There's a pool bar, good taverna restaurant, and a few other bars offering a 'beach service'. You can also rent sunbeds and umbrellas. The 'calque' boat service stops here, and in peak season the bus stops here too (off-peak, you'll need to walk from Paradise beach.) There's also a paid car park.

TOP MYKONOS GAY BARS:

• GLAM Mykonos: The biggest gay bar / club in Mykonos - with a shower show, hot go-go boys (decked out in feathers and glitter) and great cocktails. It's on the Paraportiani Waterfront - so easy to get to.
• Elysium Gay Sunset Bar: A very popular bar on a terrace overlooking the harbour and town, with sofas - where you can sip cocktails and eat snacks. It's part of the gay Elysium hotel - so is always quite busy - especially between 7pm and 10pm (when the bar closes). They also have a cabaret in the evenings.
• Montparnasse Piano Bar: This is where you come after dinner - for a drink and perhaps a bit of a drag show. Very friendly and fun.
• Jackie O': One of the newer bars in town - on the Paraportiani Waterfront close to the cruising. There's seating both inside and outside, so you can sit on a comfortable sofa with a cocktail and enjoy the views over the water.
• Babylon: Right next door to Jackie O' on the Paraportiani Waterfront, Babylon is another favourite with the Friends of Dorothy - good drinks, nice music and more great views out across the water.
• Kastro's: A very relaxed bar serving great and reasonably-priced cocktails since 1976. It's right at the water's edge, and so offers superb views across the harbour. Best before dinner.

Mykonos hot gay links

Below are our recommendations on the best ways to hook up with other holiday makers or locals, find out what's on, discover more things to do and see, and find the best places to eat. Good luck - and have a great holiday in gay Mykonos!

Check out the Gay Welcome website for the biggest Mykonos events each year, or the 'Mykonos Gay Guide & The Cyclades Islands' magazine.