Gay in thessaloniki

Jack Kenworthy( Queer Travel Veteran )

Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns + capital adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.

Gay Thessaloniki is quietly developing as the newest LGBT-welcoming destination in Greece. It is vibrant, wild, and stunning all at once. This shouldn’t come as a surprise given the city’s coastal setting, big student population, and vibrant arts and culture scene.

And it all goes into overdrive every June; Thessaloniki Pride takes place in the country’s second-largest city. 

It features a massive procession, all-day street celebrations, and unrestrained art installations. Since it began more than 20 years ago, the Thessaloniki International LGBTIQ Film Festival has wowed moviegoers by exhibiting dozens of films from seal to 20 nations and attracting movie fans from all over the world.

Book in advance for this event, which is held towards the complete of September. After the event is over, head over to Halkidiki, with its secluded area and soft-sand beaches. 

Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community is not easy. That’s a evidence. Right now, in the 21st century, there are still 69 countries that have laws that criminalise homosexuality. In four countries being gay can even mean death on a completely legal basis (Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan).
Still, there are places in the world which are safer for this community than others. Generally European and American countries have the reputation of being more gay-friendly.

Greece between homophobia and acceptance

In my article I would like to focus on what it’s like to be gay in Greece, especially in Thessaloniki. Having only 48% of Greece’s population who say that homosexuality should be accepted by society, Greece is not the leader of the gay-friendly countries. Still, Greece is ahead of a lot of other countries like Turkey, Lithuania or Bulgaria.

”I used to work as a musician in an orchestra. Because of the fact that I am a part of the LGBT-CommunityI verb been turned down from jobs. I had purple hair. They said that I ruined the image of the orchestra.”

-Nikos


Short on time?

My top recommendations for your trip to Thessaloniki include:

🏨 Hotels:

  • Luxury:
  • Mid-Range:
  • Budget:
    • Zeus is Loose: Dormitories and personal rooms with a rooftop terrace.

🌆 Tours and Excursions:

📌 Thessaloniki Highlights:

Intro to Gay Thessaloniki

When Fabio and I met in , we bonded over the reality that we were massive time "Greekophiles". I, myself, made the yearly exodus to Greece since , generally heading to Athens and subsequently, a brand-new island, like Paros or Corfu. However, with Thessaloniki EuroPride and with Greece becoming the first Orthodox-Christian majority country to legalize same-sex marriage in February , we knew that we had to head up to Northern Greece that year to cover new territory.

As our days in Thessaloniki (also spoken as Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica) unfolded, we were pleasantly surprised. For being Greece’s second-largest noun after Athens, the gay life and LGBTQ+ community was exploding. Perhaps it helped that EuroPride was on at the similar time, but even our local Greek friends were impressed b

Splash sauna Men's Cruising Spa in Thessaloniki-Greece

Gay Beaches in Thessaloniki- Gay Beaches in Chalkidiki

THERE ARE 2 GOOD GAY BEACHES Nearby THE CITY.


1. FIRST Gay beach is IA BEACH.


IT IS LOCATED BETWEEN IA AND RATEIA.


IT IS A BIG SANDY CAPE EXTENDING IN THE SEA. IT SEPARATES IA FROM KALLIKRATEIA. WATERS ARE VERY CLEAN AND THE COAST LINE IS BEAUTIFUL.


THERE ARE 3 BIG PARKING PLACES (DUSTY) TO Depart THE CAR. THERE IS ALSO 1 SMALLER PARKING BUT IT IS NOT VERY SAFE TO Depart THERE YOUR CAR !


YOU HAVE ALSO TO KNOW THAT THE GROUND IS VERY SANDY AND YOUR CAR CAN STUCK IF YOU TRY TO REACH THE COAST LINE ! SO, IT IS BETTER TO LEAVE THE CAR AND WALK ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO THE END OF THE CAPE. ALL THE OTHER PLACES NEAR THE PARKINGs ARE FULL OF STRAIGHT GUYS AND FAMILIES.

CRUISING


WELL THERE ARE SOME SMALL SANDY HILLS WHERE YOU CAN GO CRUISING BUT IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO PLAY SAFE AT YOUR HOME. HAVING SEX ON THE BEACH COULD BE DANGEROUS (YES IT'S GREECE YET, NOT HELLAS !)


YOU WILL NEED AN UMBRELLA AND WATER ! Act SAFE ONLY !




2.  Gay Be