For much of the gay world, Mykonos is the destination in Greece. Just over 40 square miles, the sexy sun-baked little island is some 95 miles southeast of Athens, but a world away atmospherically.
Mykonos got its start as an international getaway in the 1960s and ’70s, when (probably with the help of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who came here with Greek second-hubby Aristotle) the famous and super-wealthy (like Grace Kelly and Gregory Peck) discovered its charms and began spending their summers here. Where celebs go, the gays are sure to follow, and by 1973 Mykonos had its very first gay bar.
By the ‘80s and ‘90s, Mykonos had become a full-fledged gay hotpot, one that’s seen peaks and valleys in the years since, but is currently on a strong upswing again, with several new nightspots and a throbbing annual gay party festival (late August’s Xlsior). For the past few years, there’s even been a small gay film festival, which in 2012 ran for two separate weeks, one in June and the other in September.
Read the rest of the intro and see the full Mykonos guide here.
