🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Τourism

Authenticity, acceptance, and freedom—on Lesvos, you can truly be yourself.

Lesvos is a global symbol for the LGBTQ+ community. As the birthplace of the poet Sappho, the island is synonymous with freedom of expression, boundless love, and female empowerment. Skala Eresou, Sappho’s hometown, has become one of Europe’s most beloved LGBTQ+ destinations, welcoming thousands of visitors every year.

🌍 A Destination with Identity

Lesvos is not just LGBTQ+ friendly—it is deeply intertwined with the very concept of diversity. From Sappho’s ancient writings to the modern queer and women’s communities of Eresos, the island embraces freedom, self-expression, and inclusion with naturalness and respect.

🌈 Eresos International Women’s Festival

Every September, Skala Eresou hosts the International Women’s Festival—a globally renowned event dedicated to female empowerment and diversity. Highlights include:

  • Concerts, exhibitions, and theatre performances
  • Art, self-awareness, and body-work workshops
  • Beach parties, yoga retreats, and community discussions

The festival offers a safe, celebratory, and supportive space for women from all over the world and has become a symbol of international lesbian identity.

🏳️‍🌈 Welcoming Facilities

Lesvos boasts a wealth of LGBTQ+-friendly accommodation, ranging from traditional guesthouses to luxury boutique hotels—mostly in Skala Eresou, but also in Mytilene, Petra, and Molyvos. Restaurants, beach bars, cafés, and shops greet visitors with warmth and respect for diversity, and many businesses are women-run or queer-owned.

🌍 International Recognition

Lesvos has been internationally recognised as a safe, authentic, and tranquil LGBTQ+ destination, with:

  • Participation in global tourism events
  • Partnerships with LGBTQ+ travel media and platforms
  • Coverage in publications such as Lonely Planet, Pink News, and Out Traveler
  • Support from the Greek National Tourism Organisation

The island’s global appeal continues to grow thanks to local community and municipal initiatives that enhance visibility and inclusion.

💙 Why Choose Lesvos

✔️ Absolute freedom to be yourself
✔️ A genuine culture of acceptance—no “tourist folklore”
✔️ A connection to the island’s historic lesbian identity
✔️ A unique LGBTQ+ community and festival scene
✔️ A landscape that unites nature, poetry, and emotion

Lesvos doesn’t have to try to be LGBTQ+ friendly. It simply is—always has been, always will be.
Here, there’s no need for explanations—you just live. Freely. Authentically.